2023 – CHW
A second visit to Tregothnan with Lord Falmouth to look at their Camellia sasanqua collection. A month earlier in the year than my last visit. Nearly all the plants in the collection were flowering but none were flowering heavily or in profusion (as yet). Ripe seed pods visible on several varieties. The peculiar thing about C. sasanqua flowers is that they seldom sit proud on the plant ready for a photograph. Most are inverted into the plant and half hidden on many. Wasps, flies and butterflies around the flowers amid the showers. This list records the varieties flowering in the collection.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Winter’s Joy’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Paradise Glow’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Plantation Pink’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Paradise Blush’.
Camellia ‘Winter’s Interlude’.
Camellia fraterna x sasanqua ‘Yoimachi’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Marie Steiner’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Crimson King’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Loder’s Borde Hill Form’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Paradise Helen’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Baronesa de Soutehinho’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Early Pearly’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Gay Sue’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Paradise Belinda’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Souvenir de Claude Brivet’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Evangeline’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Rainbow’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Paradise Helen’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Taishuhai’? – Labelled as Unknown but this seems a reasonable guess. Similar to ‘Navajo’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Kanjiro’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Plantation Pink Variegata’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Navajo’ – excellent colour mix and one of the best.
Camellia × vernalis.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Mignonne’.
Camellia hiemalis ‘Shishigashira’ – excellent shape of plant.
Camellia hiemalis ‘Bonanza’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Rosea Plena’ – excellent – one of the very best.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Tanya’ – attractive new growth and yellowish foliage.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Slim and Trim’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Chansonette’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Crimson King’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Everards’s Delight’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Paradise Little Liane’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘New Dawn’.
Camellia oleifera x sasanqua ‘Survivor’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Silver Dollar’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Winter’s Joy’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Bettie Patricia’.
38 varieties seen in flower in the collection ignoring small and recently planted plants. The new ICS publication ‘Splendid Sasanquas’ makes this all much more understandable and verifiable. There are many more varieties.
2022 – CHW
First battered flowers on Camellia japonica ‘High Hat’. Very early as usual.
First battered flowers on Camellia japonica ‘High Hat’. Very early as usual.
Still a few decent flowers on Hydrangea ‘Madame Emile Mouillere’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Paradise Blush’. The ‘Blush’ is on the reverse of the petals. Quite variable flowers as you see here.
2021 – CHW
Unusual to find Diospyros lotus with fruit on in the nursery. Our plant in Kennel Close has yet to even flower!
Unusual to find Diospyros lotus with fruit on in the nursery. Our plant in Kennel Close has yet to even flower!
Courtenay Smale sent me this picture of the azurites which he displayed at the Munich mineral show.
Jaimie sends me pictures of white spindles – Clavaria fragilis. A widespread and common fungus in unimproved grasslands says the reference book (Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms & Toadstools). I cannot say that I have seen it very often before. This is the third fairly common fungus spotted this week. The knowledge level is slowly increasing!
More pictures of the Madagascan fungus Favolaschia calocera which is widespread here on dead twigs and branches. The undersides of the individual and quite small fungi have the most intricate patterning.
More examples of fungi in the garden which I have tried, rather inexpertly, to name:
Cauliflower fungus or wood cauliflower – Sparassis crispa which is parasitic on the roots of conifers.
I think this may well be turkey tail – Trametes versicolor.
These may be a form of milkcap but I cannot tie them down conclusively in the reference books? growing in a long line on tree roots by the look of it.
Some sort of puffball? Possibly stump puffball or soft puffball?
2020 – CHW
Drab drizzly day. Wrote up the care article for Camellia sasanqua and its hybrid crosses.These two Camellia x vernalis ‘Dawn’ (Camellia japonica x Camellia sasanqua) were planted in 1897 either side of a Magnolia halleana (Magnolia stellata today).The first bush pictured was cut to the ground to make way for scaffolding roof repairs a few years ago. It has regrown vigorously as a dense rounded bush which we now keep clipped to give more light in the back corridor. Some irregular white/yellow variegation or virus present.
Drab drizzly day. Wrote up the care article for Camellia sasanqua and its hybrid crosses.These two Camellia x vernalis ‘Dawn’ (Camellia japonica x Camellia sasanqua) were planted in 1897 either side of a Magnolia halleana (Magnolia stellata today).The first bush pictured was cut to the ground to make way for scaffolding roof repairs a few years ago. It has regrown vigorously as a dense rounded bush which we now keep clipped to give more light in the back corridor. Some irregular white/yellow variegation or virus present.
The other plant is around 15-18ft tall with loads of buds getting near to opening. The irregular variegation or virus effect is more white than yellow in small parts of the plant. If it is a virus then it has had no impact at all on the vigour of the plant.
Flowers on Clematis armandii which has now grown up to the castellation.
A flower on Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ with three wasps pollinating it.
The first small flower on our new Hedychium greenii. It will get better I suspect!
2019 – CHW
The Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ which looked so fine recently has split in half in the storms.
The Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ which looked so fine recently has split in half in the storms.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Variegata’ is very pretty with the pink ends to its petals set against the white variegated foliage.
This oak below the Four In Hand had drooped alarmingly and was cut down today to prevent it falling on cars or shoot visitors.
2018 – CHW
Last weekend’s gales have left a huge nasty hanging branch on an elderly Pinus radiata below Donkey Shoe. I guess we will have to pull it down with a tractor and rope before the gardens open in February. These old Pinus radiatas disintegrate like this as they near the end of their lives.
A good mature plant of Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’ hidden away above Orchid House Nursery. Planted in 2006 and superb today. Of course there are groggy wasps savouring the nectar too. Another one for Asia to remember to send cuttings to Burncoose from. To my mind this one is even better than Camellia sasanqua ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ from a week or so ago. Perhaps Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ is however the best single dark red?
2017 – CHW
Amazingly, and as last year, Paulownia elongata is out in flower again in the autumn. Loads of buds which look like seeds.
Amazingly, and as last year, Paulownia elongata is out in flower again in the autumn. Loads of buds which look like seeds.
Nice new growth on Persea thunbergii nearby which we clipped three months ago to get just this sort of soft new shoots for late autumn cuttings. Game on!
Camellia ‘Gauntlettii’ is out above the main path by ‘Captain Rawes’ and by Georges Hut but not yet by the front door. Petal blight sadly already evident in the older flowers.
2016 – CHW
Magnolia ‘Yellow Lantern’ has been split asunder into three pieces by the east wind but we have only just noticed. It should shoot again from the small base but will never be a decent shape.
Magnolia ‘Yellow Lantern’ has been split asunder into three pieces by the east wind but we have only just noticed. It should shoot again from the small base but will never be a decent shape.
Camellia oleifera is now full out. A 25ft tall tree.
The long racemes of seeds on Pterocarya fraxinifolia are now brown and ripe. The leaves on the top of the tree have fallen but still nice brilliant yellow colours lower down.
The magnolias outside the back yard are turning fast from green to yellowish to brown. Quite nice but, if you blink, you will miss the autumn colour for which magnolias are not well known.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ is out by the Orchid House Nursery as is the elderly ‘Hugh Evans’ above the quarry.
2015 – CHW
Found the two other small ginkgos! Ginkgo biloba ‘Saratoga’ has narrow leaves and a fairly erect habit although in rather too dark a location to prosper long term. No colour yet.
Found the two other small ginkgos! Ginkgo biloba ‘Saratoga’ has narrow leaves and a fairly erect habit although in rather too dark a location to prosper long term. No colour yet.
Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’ is in a good spot in the open above the drive. Just a hint of yellow here as yet but more colour here than on either of the other juveniles.
1960 – FJW
Took November Pink, 2 seeds of Reticulata Mary Williams and Magnolia Rostrata to Garden Society.
Took November Pink, 2 seeds of Reticulata Mary Williams and Magnolia Rostrata to Garden Society.
1946 – CW
Camellia oleifera out by Engine House. Also are pink hybrid in quarry and a Tea by the Tin Garden.
Camellia oleifera out by Engine House. Also are pink hybrid in quarry and a Tea by the Tin Garden.
1913 – JCW
Cassia good and so solanum, lapagerias and C sasanquas. Roses fair, hydrangeas fair – no frost yet. We are now planting the big plants from Coombe Wood first sale, mainly in the New Planting. Those at Werrington have been in a fortnight.
Cassia good and so solanum, lapagerias and C sasanquas. Roses fair, hydrangeas fair – no frost yet. We are now planting the big plants from Coombe Wood first sale, mainly in the New Planting. Those at Werrington have been in a fortnight.
The magnolias outside the back yard are turning fast from green to yellowish to brown. Quite nice but, if you blink, you will miss the autumn colour for which magnolias are not well known.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ is out by the Orchid House Nursery as is the elderly ‘Hugh Evans’ above the quarry.
2015 – CHW
Found the two other small ginkgos! Ginkgo biloba ‘Saratoga’ has narrow leaves and a fairly erect habit although in rather too dark a location to prosper long term. No colour yet.
Found the two other small ginkgos! Ginkgo biloba ‘Saratoga’ has narrow leaves and a fairly erect habit although in rather too dark a location to prosper long term. No colour yet.
Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’ is in a good spot in the open above the drive. Just a hint of yellow here as yet but more colour here than on either of the other juveniles.
1960 – FJW
Took November Pink, 2 seeds of Reticulata Mary Williams and Magnolia Rostrata to Garden Society.
Took November Pink, 2 seeds of Reticulata Mary Williams and Magnolia Rostrata to Garden Society.
1946 – CW
Camellia oleifera out by Engine House. Also are pink hybrid in quarry and a Tea by the Tin Garden.
Camellia oleifera out by Engine House. Also are pink hybrid in quarry and a Tea by the Tin Garden.
1913 – JCW
Cassia good and so solanum, lapagerias and C sasanquas. Roses fair, hydrangeas fair – no frost yet. We are now planting the big plants from Coombe Wood first sale, mainly in the New Planting. Those at Werrington have been in a fortnight.
Cassia good and so solanum, lapagerias and C sasanquas. Roses fair, hydrangeas fair – no frost yet. We are now planting the big plants from Coombe Wood first sale, mainly in the New Planting. Those at Werrington have been in a fortnight.