2024 – CHW
I have always thought that the autumn colours on Stewartia x henryae are better than on any other Stewartia.
The Styrax officinalis which I could not find in the summer still in full leaf and with lots of secondary new growth.
Lots of ripe seeds for Asia on Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Crataegifolia’.
Stewartia sinensis doing its best to compete.
Cotoneaster cordifolius ‘Ogisui’ 93330 laden with ripe fruits.
Decent colour on Diospyros virginiana.
Even better colour on Nyssa leptophylla.
Carpinus orientalis still completely green.
Tetradium aff. fraxinifolium (KWJ 1209) is developing slowly.
Lindera angustifolia might have been a good show a day or two ago.
2023 – CHW
Unexpectadly Escallonia resinosa has a second batch of flowers.
Unexpectadly Escallonia resinosa has a second batch of flowers.
A young Prunus rufa in the Isla Rose with good peeling bark already.
Malus hupehensis with ripe fruits later in this year than last. A 5 year old Isla Rose ate these last October during half term.
Nyssa sylvatica ‘Wisley Bonfire’ with a reasonable show but the other 3 Nyssas here have been blown away already.
Escallonia bifida also with a decent flush of secondary flowers in November.
Still there are Rhododendron davidsonianum with plenty of secondary flowers.
2022 – CHW
Camellia japonica ‘Nobilissima’ by the front door now covered in flowers so far unblemished by the weather (heavy showers) or petal blight.
Camellia japonica ‘Nobilissima’ by the front door now covered in flowers so far unblemished by the weather (heavy showers) or petal blight.
Azalea ‘Glendoick Glacier’ with a fine autumn show.
The original clump of Rhododendron ‘Crossbill’ cut down to reshoot for the second or third time in my lifetime.
Azalea ‘Greenway’ often has odd secondary flowers but a good show today below Slip Rail.
Seeds and well advanced flower buds on a nearby Pieris.
Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’ has not turned red in this very mild and warm November.
2021 – CHW
A visit to Bonython Garden in sun and threatening showers.Verbena ‘Bampton’ and Cynara scolymus.
A visit to Bonython Garden in sun and threatening showers.Verbena ‘Bampton’ and Cynara scolymus.
The birch circles in the sun (Betula utilis spp. jacquemontii) is spectacular beyond belief.
Betula pendula ‘Youngii’ beside the top lake.
Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’ (‘Senkaki’) and Podocarpus totara.
The quarry lake.
A clump of Phyllostachys nigra proving it is not invasive.
The Dicksonia antarctica grove.
An early flower on Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’.
Their Stewartia rostrata has poor autumn colours this year just like ours.
Seeds now ripe on a Pieris clump while Pieris japonica ‘Little Heath’ has flowers nearly out.
A view across the top lake.
Phyllostachys edulis as a young plant in the new bamboo plantation.
Thamnocalamus crassinodus developing well.
A young Platanus x acerifolia (Platanus x hispanica) growing well.
The water feature outside the front door.
2020 – CHW
A trip to see if any of the new Camellia sasanqua plantings at the entrance to Old Park have any flowers on as yet? These were supposed to be inaugurated at Beatrice Fleur Williams’ christening in the spring but COVID stopped that and it still has not happened.Camellia sasanqua ‘Variegata’ outside the front arch. A fairly sickly virus/variegated plant in one sense but a pleasant colour contrast today between leaf and flower.
A trip to see if any of the new Camellia sasanqua plantings at the entrance to Old Park have any flowers on as yet? These were supposed to be inaugurated at Beatrice Fleur Williams’ christening in the spring but COVID stopped that and it still has not happened.Camellia sasanqua ‘Variegata’ outside the front arch. A fairly sickly virus/variegated plant in one sense but a pleasant colour contrast today between leaf and flower.
Nearby Hydrangea lobbii (BSWJ 3214) is coming into flower! No wonder we have already lost two of the three plants planted here. Lush new growth in November is dangerous. The same thing happened at Burncoose where a well-established plant succumbed to cold winds.
Baby lambs in White Styles filed. Our shooting parties are often surprised to see them in November but autumn lambing of Dorset ewes has always been part of our farming policy. Clearly only twins in this field.
The only C. sasanqua actually out (of 20 or more new varieties) when I get to the new planting is Camellia sasanqua ‘Versicolor’. Not dissimilar in bud and flower to ‘Narumigata’ but smaller flowers and perhaps a more dense growing habit.
A view of the new sasanqua bank. Many years ago this bank was covered in elderly C. sasanqua like the five old ones still alive along the castle wall.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’ has finally faded to brown. What a show in the last two months!
Cornus wilsonii (record tree) with, as yet, no hint of autumn colour.
As in the last few years a few odd flowers on the forsythia even before the leaf has properly fallen. Why does it do this and is this commonplace?
Cement lorries block the drive today as they pour the new concrete floors at The Hovel.
2019 – CHW
Photinia niitakayamensis now with fully ripe red fruits.
Photinia niitakayamensis now with fully ripe red fruits.
Photinia macrophylla with just a very few single fruits. Nearby Photinia microphylla has died. We have really quite a good collection of Photinia species now. Trelissick gardens are a national collection holder and I must get to view their plants.
The very first flowers this year on Camellia ‘Cornish Snow’ below Tin Garden. Timing more or less normal I would say but only this plant is out as it was last year. The other old ones may be a month away still.
Stachyurus lancifolius with exceptional colours today and next spring’s flowers already well formed as you can see in the close up picture.
I have picked a nearly ripe seed head of Syringa emodii ‘Aureovariegata’ for Asia to try and grow. I have never seen seed heads on this plant before or the one of 30 years standing at Burncoose.
Still two strangely coloured flowers on Magnolia lilliflora ‘Nigra’. This one often has secondary flowers late into autumn but this is certainly very late!
Collected the last three seed heads on Magnolia globosa.
2018 – CHW
Since the crash in 2008 we have not seen many shooting parties arriving by helicopter but here is one arriving at 4.55pm on Tuesday.
Jaimie has planted out the new reticulata camellias which we purchased from Stervinou nurseries in France.
2017 – CHW
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Kay Parris’ has one flower left. The first time this plant has flowered here. Wonderful brown/black/gold indumentum on the underside of its small leaves. Asia should try to propagate this.
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Kay Parris’ has one flower left. The first time this plant has flowered here. Wonderful brown/black/gold indumentum on the underside of its small leaves. Asia should try to propagate this.
An elderly clump of Camellia sasanqua above the quarry is plastered in flower and one plant has double flowers which I assume is s. ‘Rosea Plena’.
Rhododendron ‘Beau Brummell’ has secondary flowers still and some are over.
The laurel hedge below Tin Garden has had a haircut along with a few camellias beside it. Also the young beech trees have been tidied up.
Polyspora buds close to opening.
2016 – CHW
The stump of the huge beech tree which fell by Higher Quarry Nursery in the spring in a strong north wind was removed with a digger today.Pity it rained yesterday but the minor mess will soon settle down. The stump and roots have now been moved to rot away in the laurels below the Crinodendron Hedge.
The stump of the huge beech tree which fell by Higher Quarry Nursery in the spring in a strong north wind was removed with a digger today.Pity it rained yesterday but the minor mess will soon settle down. The stump and roots have now been moved to rot away in the laurels below the Crinodendron Hedge.
2015 – CHW
Yet another shooting day but time to revisit the sasanquas alongside the house. They are all, at last, showing some or more than some colour.The old original Camellia sasanqua ‘Alba’ has now quite large and plentiful flowers. The bush is low growing and spreading with slightly drooping branches.
The first pink sasanqua to come out looks really good alongside the white.
Further along the wall is another form of Camellia sasanqua ‘Alba’ with smaller, more delicate and more intricate flowers than the other one. Its habit is quite different too. Twice the size with more rounded leaves and dense, upright, close knit foliage.
Nearing the ladies’ loo is another form of Camellia sasanqua ‘Rosea’ with much smaller and rather darker flowers. Unlike its neighbour this one is only just beginning to come out. There is another identical plant just through the arch.
2002 – FJW
Flowers on wall Delavayi – very mild and wet.
2000 – FJW
Rain and floods continue – the latter mild here – but bad up country.
1985 – FJW
Snow at Stenalees – a dry autumn after a very wet summer.
1964 – FJW
Another long dry spell has come to an end. The dry spell has held back the camellias and though the November Pink showed colour in early October – no flower has yet matured.
Flowers on wall Delavayi – very mild and wet.
2000 – FJW
Rain and floods continue – the latter mild here – but bad up country.
1985 – FJW
Snow at Stenalees – a dry autumn after a very wet summer.
1964 – FJW
Another long dry spell has come to an end. The dry spell has held back the camellias and though the November Pink showed colour in early October – no flower has yet matured.
1933 – JCW
Prunus autumnalis is open in Rogers quarry. Fuchsias are going back as in 1930.
1930 – JCW
Old fuchsias flowering yet the new lot just going in autumn colour done in by wind and wet. Enks japonica has been good. Several Magnolia grandiflora buds left some useful neriiflorum assorted flowers. R lacteum very many and the same at Werrington. Lapageria go on.
1928 – JCW
Much as above. Acer nickoense and A griseum show good colour now as bad a year for rhodo bloom as 1925.
1920 – JCW
Hydrangea remain good, very good. A few Camellia sasanquas but it was too wet a summer for them. I picked some Moupinense two days ago. Erica hybrida began to open a week ago. I saw a late Magnolia delavayi flower.
1918 – JCW
The Armistice was signed on this day (official date was 11th).
1915 – JCW
We have put out near the daff frames two of Bob’s white Erica australis.
1914 – JCW
The Camellia sasanqua is quite good. Lapagerias, cassias are nice, solanum good not much else, no real frost and a fine dry autumn.