2021 – CHW
Autumn colour in Kennel Close.
Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’

I have a vague recollection of the British Mycological Society (BMS) finding a species of fungi in Forty Acres Wood which was then unknown in the British isles around 40 years or so ago. No one can find the paperwork so we approach the BMS whose online records for fungi fund at Caerhays since 1991 are pretty minimal online.The response from the BMS was very helpful and a huge list of fungi found here on a visit between 12th and 14th May 1982 has emerged. Too dull and specialised to list again here but the following comments were made:
I have had a look through the records for Caerhays and as far as I can see most of the records came from the 12 to 14/5/1982. Most of these are the same record entered from different sources and given different dates. I have attached a spreadsheet of all the records.
Among the rarities three were aquatic hyphomycetes which are microscopic fungal spores found in foam in woodland streams. I think Bob Lees was there in 1982 and he was interested in this rarely recorded group.
However there was a record of Dischloridium laeense which grows on Australian Tree Fern (Dicksonia antarctica) . Paul Cannon and Paul Kirk seem to have collected this on maybe more that one occasion in 1982/3 and I wonder if this was the fungus you were looking for. The only UK records I have found are in Cornwall where besides Caerhays it has been recorded at Trengwainton and Penjerrick House Gardens. It is of course limited by the occurrence of the Dicksonia.
There is still more to this as there are no tree ferns in Forty Acres Wood. My recollection was that the new fungus found was tiny, semi tropical and perhaps spores had dropped from an aeroplane. More digging needed.
All this information will help with proving biodiversity and qualifying us for the new ELMS environmental grants from 2024.
The National Trust at Lanhydrock are closing their plant nursery which has supplied their plant sales areas in their principal Cornish gardens of which there are several. Staff redundant and everything must go by the end of the month or be composted.
Clare and I visit and purchase around 3-4,000 plants at minimal prices. Other growers have beaten us to it for the best Daphnes and banksian roses but we still find plenty that are full grown 2/3L plants at near liner prices.
The folly of the National Trust beggars belief. At a time when plants are selling so well on the internet and in garden centres they will now have to buy everything in to sell that they once grew themselves in the huge walled garden beyond Lanhydrock House.
The first snowdrop flower in a glasshouse.
A few curiosities, new plants and autumn colours.Schefflera delavayi with huge flower heads not quite yet out.
Magnolia grandiflora still has plenty of buds even if the flowers that were open were blown away in the gales.


2017 – CHW
The elderly Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ on the top wall is full of flower and doing rather better now that it has more light following the removal of the ilex oak branches from above. A good covering of petals on the ground and a pleasant scent. A bit different, as we saw last year, from the newer forms of ‘Narumigata’ which we saw two weeks ago.
The same large clump of Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’ that flowered last autumn is out again. The flowers look a bit premature and are not quite fully formed.
2015 – CHW
A big tidy up by Donkey Shoe by Jaimie and Michael. The Cornish Red has been trimmed back hard on the inside. A clump of camellias planted in the late 1970s have been cut back leaving only the reticulatas. Quercus hansei can now be seen properly.
2000 – FJW
Corn being ploughed back in at Treluckey – large fields of maize uncut.
1990 – FJW
Picked first noblissima from outside front door – Sasanqua full out. A great deal of berry on the holly – rhodo’s have not enjoyed 1990.
Freddy swept into the world.
1965 – FJW
First flower seen on Nobleanum in drive – camellias very late. George B’s Sasanqua only just moving into flower.
1916 – JCW
C sasanqua fair. Lapagerias good. Two martins yet here, several red starts about. Saw a nice flower of R Thomsonii in the wood. E darleyense has begun and E Lodonodes.
1905 – JCW
C sasanqua good. Lapagerias fair, a very few daffs moving.
1901 – JCW
Just as the above with I alata even better that it was, some heather are in flower, and C sasanqua is well out.
1898 – JCW
A few more seedling daffs up, a Christmas rose in flower. Lapagerias very good indeed. Iris stylosa open.