2024 – CHW
The original true Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ on the top wall with flies enjoying the sun and the nectar.
Luculia gratissima (KR11263), a gift from the 2022 garden weekend here, in full bloom. There used to be a good tree-like plant in the conservatory at Scorrier. The Burncoose conservatory one got removed in the revamp by my brother. Good to have this exceptional conservatory plant growing again but no obvious scent today on this one on a still day. I wonder why?
Salvia leucantha in full flower in one of the greenhouses as it often is around December.
Camellia parvilimba grown from RCM Group seed in 2019. Good red new growth just emerging.
A young Camellia costei. The flower much the same a C. parvilimba.
The clump of Crinum x powellii by the greenhouse has died down quickly this year. It has been here for my entire lifetime.
Clearance and cutting back of camellias around potentially veteran trees (one day) under the Foresty Commission WD2 grant scheme. Fagus sylvatica ‘Aurea Pendula’ and Quercus dentata ‘Carl Ferris Miller’ which holds its leaves right through winter.
Storm Bert has more or less finished off the flowers on the 5th ancient Camellia sasanqua which was the last of the 5 into flower.
2023 – CHW
Heavy rain curtails a proper wander about.
Heavy rain curtails a proper wander about.
The fallen Acer now all cleared up. Despite some rot at the base the trunk was still very much alive. Some good planting places here once the stump is removed.
Camellia ‘Cornish Snow Michael’ is well out. In Shaftsbury last week I saw one out and had forgotten to look here. Only the plants below Tin Garden are out. Nothing on the others. ‘Cornish Snow Michael’ is usually a fortnight earlier than ‘Cornish Snow’.
Camellia taliensis flowers largely blown off the tree before anyone has seen them.
First flowers on Camellia ‘Winton’ above Orchid House Nursery. These have appeared in the last week and are about on their usual time I think.
2022 – CHW
Last autumn colour on Rhododendron weyrichii in the Rockery.
Last autumn colour on Rhododendron weyrichii in the Rockery.
Even more advanced daffodils from those seen a week ago.
A slight touch of frost on Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’. Perhaps just rain battered.
A fine show on an Acer in the Cart house garden – Acer palmatem ‘Corallinum’ perhaps?
Hydrangea kawakamii ‘Formosa’ in rude health and growing away vigorously now.
A young Magnolia campbellii ‘Alba’ still in full leaf.
Beside it Magnolia ‘Lanarth’ has nearly shed all its leaves.
The blue undersides of the leaves of Magnolia virginiana ‘Satellite’ show up in the wind.
2021 – CHW
Wonderful colours on Styrax japonicus from Tachuksando (BSWJ 14182).
Wonderful colours on Styrax japonicus from Tachuksando (BSWJ 14182).
Camellia sasanqua ‘Sekiyo’ – a good dark red sasanqua.
First flowers on Camellia tsaii – earlier than usual.
Looking good today at Burncoose in the nurseries and gardens:
Abutilon ‘John Thompson’
Plectranthus effusus var. longifolius
Fuchsia paniculata
Arbutus unedo ‘Rubra’
2020 – CHW
The camera operated car parking kit is being installed at West Portholland.
The camera operated car parking kit is being installed at West Portholland.
The old Gingko biloba is finally turning a splendid yellow.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ and Camellia x williamsii ‘St Ewe’ go nicely together.
The large fallen ash tree on the drive has taken a team of four two and a half days to clear up. It has created quite a good new area for planting next spring and a general tidy up has taken place around and about with a couple of dead acers and lower limbs off some magnolias. Deciduous azaleas like a good haircut.
Another old (unnamed) Camellia japonica has just come into flower in the last two days.
A Camellia x williamsii ‘St Ewe’ and a clump of Camellia x williamsii ‘J. C. Williams’ (behind) show up well in today’s sunshine. Still very mild for nearly December and no hint of any frost at all as yet.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Setsugekka’ in full flower and good today.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Sekiyo’ is not bad either.
The very first flower on the darker (original) Camellia saluenensis by the ladies loo. The paler one beside it has been out for about a fortnight.
2019 – CHW
Prunus ‘Fragrant Cloud’ with a good show of yellow by the shop.
Prunus ‘Fragrant Cloud’ with a good show of yellow by the shop.
Prunus ‘Jo-nioi’ with an even better yellow autumn show opposite the shop and to the right of the garden entrance. Not a well-known cherry but splendid in the autumn.
The first daffodils sprouting that I have seen this November also by the shop.
Fine colours too on Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ just before the leaves fall.
The squirrels are munching out the bigger acorns from the seed clumps fallen onto the ground below the Lithocarpus pachyphyllus and leaving the tiny unformed ones.
2018 – CHW
Clearance and pruning above the Auklandii Garden now nearly complete and looking good.
Clearance and pruning above the Auklandii Garden now nearly complete and looking good.
Camellia ‘Hatsuzakura’ (‘Dewatairin’) with its first flower of the year is exposed by the clearing work. Very early for a Camellia japonica variety and this is a very ancient hybrid.
Camellia x williamsii ‘November Pink’ has very noticeable trailing new growth branches which mature and hang down like this to display the flowers to best effect.
Another Pieris with very advanced flower buds.
2017 – CHW
Total leaf drop now on Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ outside the back yard. Attractive today.
Total leaf drop now on Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ outside the back yard. Attractive today.
First flowers on Azalea ‘Hinomayo’ as early as usual. Just the odd branch.
Some magnolias still entirely green and in full leaf.
2016 – CHW
The last old Camellia sasanqua through the arch is now nearly full out. The first pink one to show three weeks ago is now just about over. A cheerful show on the corner much admired by our many shooting parties.
The last old Camellia sasanqua through the arch is now nearly full out. The first pink one to show three weeks ago is now just about over. A cheerful show on the corner much admired by our many shooting parties.
2015 – CHW
To my surprise the light pink form of Camellia saluensis outside the ladies’ loo is coming out. This is what JCW and CW refer to as Camellia speciosa. It is the original Forrest introduction from 1917. We were gathering seed of it only a month ago. You will find reference to this in the Garden Diary as still having flowers in March and April but I doubt it next year. The darker pink form alongside it is nowhere near showing colour yet.
1984 – FJW
Philip brought in first flower November Pink.
1943 – CW
About a dozen Camellia hybrids out. Oleifera is very good. Rho decorum still has flowers – Mucronulatum out and some Sutchuenense hybrids. Colour still good on some cherries and others. The small Narcissus species is out. Some old Magnolia buds open and several on the old Grandiflora.
1930 – JCW
Prunus micguelliana has been open for a month. Several Thea speciosa are well out. Some Lutescens ever since Oct. R venustum the most useful cut flower. A few of the new fuchsia open. Erica darleyense very good.
1928 – JCW
C sasanquas and lapagerias nice, finished the Mag delavayi flowers two days ago, the first autumn cherry open about a week. One flower on Maddeni on the brown gate.
1917 – JCW
C sasanqua is fairly good. Erica codonodes and darleyense are just starting and so is R mucronulatum. No roses are left.