14th November

FJ Williams Profile Picture
FJW 1955-2007
CH Williams Profile Picture
CHW 2015-
JC Williams Profile Picture
JCW 1897-1939
C Williams Profile Picture
CW 1940-1955

2023 – CHW

A great deal of wind damage in the week since Storm Ciaran and today we have Storm Debie. The BBC weathermen love this virtue signalling of safety and wellbeing as though, by naming a storm, it is somehow benign and they have saved lives. Storms do have victims whatever tripe the weathermen utter.

A large rhododendron blown over on Rookery path.

rhododendron blown over
rhododendron blown over
Far worse is the splitting in half of the very rare Styrax tonkinensis which is an evergreen. Very quick growth rates and equally quick to snap in half.
Styrax tonkinensis
Styrax tonkinensis
Nothing but green still in the leaves of Aesculus wangii.
Aesculus wangii
Aesculus wangii
Enkianthus serrulatus with fine red tints.
Enkianthus serrulatus
Enkianthus serrulatus
Scattered small branches blown down at every corner.
Scattered small branches
Scattered small branches
Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’ blown away before we see the proper red in its leaves.
Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’
Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’
Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’
Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’
Acer campestre ‘Red Shine’ gets its name from spring new growth not autumn colour!
Acer campestre ‘Red Shine’
Acer campestre ‘Red Shine’

2022 – CHW
I bought some bulbs of Amaryllis belladonna crossed with Nerine in the spring. Only one has flowered in the first year. The RHS have recently renamed these hybrids.
Amaryllis belladonna
Amaryllis belladonna
Camellia x williamsii ‘J.C. Williams’ now full out with many flowers two days after the first buds had colour.
Camellia x williamsii ‘J.C. Williams’
Camellia x williamsii ‘J.C. Williams’
First colour showing on Camellia ‘Yuletide’ even if the pheasants have nibbled at the first flowers.
Camellia ‘Yuletide’
Camellia ‘Yuletide’
Fagus sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’ and Liriodendron tulipifera at 4-in-Hand.
Fagus sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’ and Liriodendron tulipifera
Fagus sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’ and Liriodendron tulipifera
Magnolia x loebneri ‘Merrill’ and Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Palo Alto’.
Magnolia x loebneri ‘Merrill’ and Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Palo Alto’
Magnolia x loebneri ‘Merrill’ and Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Palo Alto’
Cornus alternifolia with its ghostly autumn display. The best autumn colour in the garden today on several trees. This one on the drive.
Cornus alternifolia
Cornus alternifolia
Cornus alternifolia
Cornus alternifolia
Cornus alternifolia
Cornus alternifolia
Cornus alternifolia
Cornus alternifolia

2021 – CHW
More autumn colour in the sun – 12°C for the last few days with no wind.

Enkianthus cernuus with red and yellow autumn tints.

Enkianthus cernuus
Enkianthus cernuus
Enkianthus campanulatus with ripe seeds.
Enkianthus campanulatus
Enkianthus campanulatus
Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Wallaby’
Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Wallaby’
Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Wallaby’
Prunus ‘Hally Jolivette’
Prunus ‘Hally Jolivette’
Prunus ‘Hally Jolivette’
Acer pseudosieboldianum (BSWJ 8769)
Acer pseudosieboldianum (BSWJ 8769)
Acer pseudosieboldianum (BSWJ 8769)
Viburnum prunifolium
Viburnum prunifolium
Viburnum prunifolium
Amazingly Camellia ‘Takanini’ is now full out. This is a New Zealand bred japonica hybrid and is described as dark red with bluish tints. Is it because it is so early that the colour is really not ‘dark red’ at all?
Camellia ‘Takanini’
Camellia ‘Takanini’
Photinia niitakayamensis with plentiful berries.
Photinia niitakayamensis
Photinia niitakayamensis
The fruits on Cornus capitata are nearly ripe.
Cornus capitata
Cornus capitata
They contrast well with the group of Picea glauca ‘Piccolo’ below.
Picea glauca ‘Piccolo’
Picea glauca ‘Piccolo’
Brilliant colours on Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Atropurpureum’.
Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Atropurpureum’
Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Atropurpureum’

2020 – CHW
Yesterday at Burncoose where renovation work is progressing well.The new trade order loading and unloading bay.
bay
bay
renovation work
renovation work
The herbaceous tunnel looks fantastic.
herbaceous tunnel
herbaceous tunnel
Wonderful fiery colours on Zenobia pulverulenta ‘Raspberry Ripple’.
Zenobia pulverulenta ‘Raspberry Ripple’
Zenobia pulverulenta ‘Raspberry Ripple’
One set of magnolias all re-potted and tidied up for winter.
magnolias
magnolias
The site is cleared for the new multi span glasshouse and two threatening trees have gone.
site
site
The camellia tunnel now all tidied and looking well.
camellia tunnel
camellia tunnel
First flower on Camellia ‘Apollo’.
Camellia ‘Apollo’
Camellia ‘Apollo’
Flowers on Camellia sasanqua ‘Alba Plena’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Alba Plena’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Alba Plena’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Alba Plena’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Alba Plena’
First flowers on Camellia x williamsii ‘St Michael’.
Camellia x williamsii ‘St Michael’
Camellia x williamsii ‘St Michael’
The kalmias look as good as the camellias.
kalmias
kalmias
Still flowers on Hydrangea paniculata ‘Skyfall’.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Skyfall’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Skyfall’
The Pittosporum tunnel restocked.
Pittosporum tunnel
Pittosporum tunnel
Salvia ‘Waverley’ still in full flower.
Salvia ‘Waverley’
Salvia ‘Waverley’
Salvia ‘Waverley’
Salvia ‘Waverley’
Tibouchina urvilleana ‘Variegata’
Tibouchina urvilleana ‘Variegata’
Tibouchina urvilleana ‘Variegata’
Itea virginica ‘Merlot’ with autumn colours.
Itea virginica ‘Merlot’
Itea virginica ‘Merlot’

2019 – CHW
Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’ has been more or less blown away recently and its flowers are scattered and nearly over for another year.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’

Araucaria bidwillii was the International Dendrology Society’s ‘Plant of the Year’ in their recently published yearbook. Under threat in Australia, too tender for anywhere in the UK except the very mildest locations. We lost another of these in a cold place on the drive but this one is going great guns.

Araucaria bidwillii
Araucaria bidwillii
Araucaria bidwillii
Araucaria bidwillii
Araucaria bidwillii
Araucaria bidwillii
Many seed clusters of Lithocarpus pachyphyllus have been stripped from the tree in recent gales but these two persist only 4ft off the ground with fat ripe acorns showing clearly. A squirrel has had a go so perhaps Asia ought to grab these two while they remain intact?
Lithocarpus pachyphyllus
Lithocarpus pachyphyllus
Lithocarpus pachyphyllus
Lithocarpus pachyphyllus
A good new display of cyclamen and winter pansies to brighten up the front door.
cyclamen and winter pansies
cyclamen and winter pansies

2018 – CHW
This huge bare root plant of Sorbus ullungdoensis had a hard top pruning when it was planted last December and has settled in well with, now, some autumn colour. The effect of the pruning has been to encourage new basal shoots which we will need to remove to send the sap back up to the crown of the tree.
Sorbus ullungdoensis
Sorbus ullungdoensis
Sorbus ullungdoensis
Sorbus ullungdoensis
Sorbus ullungdoensis
Sorbus ullungdoensis
We saw Callicarpa shirasawana looking tremendous with some leaf a fortnight ago. It is even more striking leafless today. In the Isla Rose Plantation we have three new species of shrubby Callicarpa all with their first berries or fruits but, so far, this is the best.
Callicarpa shirasawana
Callicarpa shirasawana
Callicarpa shirasawana
Callicarpa shirasawana
This is labelled Vaccinum cylindraceum but I think it is very probably Viburnum cylindraceum judging by the description. These are its first flowers as a young plant in the frames. It is not like the V. cylindraceum at Burncoose so the jury is still out on this one. Asia will know where these plants came from? It certainly is not a Vaccinum!
probably Viburnum cylindraceum
probably Viburnum cylindraceum

2017 – CHW
Off to look at more stewartia species seeding and with autumn colour for next year’s article on the genus. This will take more than just today.Rhododendron moupinense with its first early or secondary flowers?
Rhododendron moupinense
Rhododendron moupinense
Stewartia pseudocamellia with some autumn colour which is yellowish with a reddish hue on the side shoot growing from the base of the old three trunked tree. Two of the original trunks survive while the third has died. No leaf left on the older trunks.
Stewartia pseudocamellia
Stewartia pseudocamellia
A few ripe and one unripe seed pod.
A few ripe and one unripe seed pod
A few ripe and one unripe seed pod
The bark flakes in the spring and this year’s old flaking now looks like this. New flaking just starting at the base nevertheless.
The bark flakes
The bark flakes
The bark flakes
The bark flakes
The bark flakes
The bark flakes

2016 – CHW
Laurel hedges being cut and camellias pruned back prior to removal at the start of the Main Ride. No less than three bonfires and a great deal achieved in a small period of time. We have left some of the old clump of x williamsii camellias for now as a windbreak facing the Engine House. One forgets that laurel can grow out from a hedge by 10-12ft in half that number of years here threatening the nice clump of Rhododendron fragrantissimum and an aesculus.
Laurel hedges
Laurel hedges
Laurel hedges
Laurel hedges
Laurel hedges
Laurel hedges
Beside the fire there is a single secondary and very pale flower on a Rhododendron ‘Bow Bells’ planted only 18 months ago.
Rhododendron ‘Bow Bells’
Rhododendron ‘Bow Bells’
The seeds are now ripe on Meliosma dillenifolia subsp cuneifolia on the other side of the path. Time for Asia to collect them.
Meliosma dillenifolia subsp cuneifolia
Meliosma dillenifolia subsp cuneifolia
Brilliant red autumn colour on Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Crimson Queen’. A very old but beautiful dome shaped plant died of old age at the Red Linney 25 years ago and my mother sprayed the dead plant white and used it as a Christmas tree. Several years to go before this one qualifies!
Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Crimson Queen’
Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Crimson Queen’
Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Crimson Queen’
Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Crimson Queen’
2015 – CHW
The ancient clump of Rhododendron lutescens is out but only at the very top of the plant and just a little second flowering I believe.
Rhododendron lutescens
Rhododendron lutescens
The forecasters say a hurricane is coming from the USA and the sea certainly looks ominous. It transpires that it hits Scotland and not Cornwall.
Sea view
Sea view
Sea view
Sea view
The seed on hedychium is certainly impressive. The pheasants do not seem interested so perhaps poisonous.
seed on hedychium
seed on hedychium
seed on hedychium
seed on hedychium
Mahonia japonica has odd rather insipid flowers. Some are out and over quickly while others in full bud. Needs a good cut back from the path before the spring visitors.
Mahonia japonica
Mahonia japonica
Mahonia japonica
Mahonia japonica
White cyclamen on the lawn under the yew trees. Is there a pure white form of the autumn flowering Cyclamen hederifolium? Assume so.
White cyclamen
White cyclamen

1981 – FJW
Charlie announced engagement to Emma.

1924 – JCW
A very few C sasanqua and lapagerias, the year was too cold and sunless, far behind 1903 on the page before. Rain and slugs are the main crop this season.

1921 – JCW
Lapagerias and C sasanqua remain nice in spite of one nights sharp frost. No rain to make the soil wet and I’m down since about May.