17th October

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

The October heatwave continues and we start out on our autumn planting.

Berberis xanthoclada (NJM 11007) covered in juicy black fruits in the Isla Rose.

Berberis xanthoclada
Berberis xanthoclada
Berberis xanthoclada
Berberis xanthoclada
Berberis subacuminata (FMWJ 1329) with fruits also just turning black.
Berberis subacuminata
Berberis subacuminata
Callicarpa dichotoma just coming into flower in the Isla Rose.
Callicarpa dichotoma
Callicarpa dichotoma
Callicarpa psilocalyx with bud, flower and berry. Only 1 survives from the 5 planted in 2017 but this shrub is now 6ft x 6ft and looking well even if it probably is tenderish. Another plant doing well in Tin Garden.
Callicarpa psilocalyx
Callicarpa psilocalyx
Callicarpa psilocalyx
Callicarpa psilocalyx
Callicarpa psilocalyx
Callicarpa psilocalyx
The start of the new planting in the Rookery.
new planting in the Rookery
new planting in the Rookery
new planting in the Rookery
new planting in the Rookery
Meliosma parviflora was a gift from the Botanic Garden in Nantes. A new species to us and it looks to be two former root suckers in the pot. Some yellowing of the leaves.
Meliosma parviflora
Meliosma parviflora
Plenty of seed on Photinia davidiana.
Photinia davidiana
Photinia davidiana

2022 – CHW
Leslie Baker told me he had his first flower on his Camellia x williamsii ‘November Pink’ so I visited our original tree (as it now is) today in the Main Quarry. Nothing doing here yet and no hint of colour.

Sapium sebiferum hated last winter and looked sickly in the spring but has enjoyed the heat and recovered well.

Sapium sebiferum
Sapium sebiferum
Melicytus crassifolius with white fruits which have black markings. Despite its scruffy and leafless appearance this has doubled in size in 3 years. More fruits than ever before.
Melicytus crassifolius
Melicytus crassifolius
Melicytus crassifolius
Melicytus crassifolius
A young Quercus greggii with its dangerous autumn new growth. Multi stemmed habit.
Quercus greggii
Quercus greggii
Quercus greggii
Quercus greggii

2021 – CHW
New growth on Carpinus caroliniana.
Carpinus caroliniana
Carpinus caroliniana
Flowers and fruits on Fuchsia hatschbachii.
Fuchsia hatschbachii
Fuchsia hatschbachii
Fuchsia hatschbachii
Fuchsia hatschbachii
Cladastris kentuckea now fully autumnal.
Cladastris kentuckea
Cladastris kentuckea
Seeds still not ripe on Magnolia globosa.
Magnolia globosa
Magnolia globosa
A well nibbled and fallen magnolia seedpod from the Queen Mother’s tree.
magnolia seedpod
magnolia seedpod
Teddy adds more nibbling but does not like the taste which is just as well.
Teddy
Teddy

2020 – CHW
A hornet drinking the sap from a fissure in an old oak tree. As it turns colder the wasps are getting dopey and one latched onto one of the dogs stinging it all the way back to breakfast.
hornet
hornet
Saw two swallows and several house martins at Treveor and beyond the church earlier this week. Nothing around the house for three weeks or so now.
Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ starting to perform on the drive.
Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’
Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’
Ripe and overripe fruits on the top grafted Crataegus laevigata ‘Gireoudii’.
Crataegus laevigata ‘Gireoudii’
Crataegus laevigata ‘Gireoudii’
Firstly a 30 year old clump of Rhododendron schlippenbachii in full sun on the drive.
30 year old clump of Rhododendron schlippenbachii in full sun
30 year old clump of Rhododendron schlippenbachii in full sun
Secondly 15 year old plants in semi shade behind the above.
15 year old plants in semi shade
15 year old plants in semi shade
Thirdly 100 year old plants in shade on the other side of the drive.
100 year old plants in shade
100 year old plants in shade

Three very different autumn colour themes from reddish to pinkish to yellow in this species.

Lindera umbellata with a stunning show.

Lindera umbellata
Lindera umbellata
Lindera umbellata
Lindera umbellata
Acer takesimense (BSWJ 8500) with a mixture of colours today in the sun. Planted 2010.
Acer takesimense
Acer takesimense
Acer takesimense
Acer takesimense
Acer takesimense
Acer takesimense
Acer japonicum (BSWJ 8417) also turning nicely. Planted 2010.
Acer japonicum
Acer japonicum
Zanthoxylum coreanum with ripe peppers and nasty prickles.
Zanthoxylum coreanum
Zanthoxylum coreanum
Zanthoxylum coreanum
Zanthoxylum coreanum
Zanthoxylum coreanum
Zanthoxylum coreanum
Zanthoxylum piperitum var. inerme with a few rather different peppers and attractive yellow autumn colours just starting.
Zanthoxylum piperitum var. inerme
Zanthoxylum piperitum var. inerme
Zanthoxylum piperitum var. inerme
Zanthoxylum piperitum var. inerme
For the record a few views of the first section of Kennel Close planting.
Kennel Close
Kennel Close
Kennel Close
Kennel Close
Kennel Close
Kennel Close
Kennel Close
Kennel Close

2019 – CHW
The youngish Aesculus wilsonii at the entrance to Old Park are still laden with conkers but they remain unripe.

Aesculus wilsonii
Aesculus wilsonii
Aesculus wilsonii
Aesculus wilsonii
According to the plans this is Podocarpus nivalis ‘Kralingen’. It is plastered in podocarps as you can see.
Podocarpus nivalis ‘Kralingen’
Podocarpus nivalis ‘Kralingen’
Podocarpus nivalis ‘Kralingen’
Podocarpus nivalis ‘Kralingen’
Ross has now finished the new clearing beyond Higher Quarry Nursery. A bit wet for a perfect tidy up but it can now settle over the winter although I am tempted to get a few trees in quickly now to get them going early next Spring. A bit of tidying up of the somewhat battered laurel hedges but plenty of time to get this done before we open. The trunk with the bees in it has been left where it fell and they are still active. Ross thinks they may well swarm and move.
new clearing beyond Higher Quarry Nursery
new clearing beyond Higher Quarry Nursery
new clearing beyond Higher Quarry Nursery
new clearing beyond Higher Quarry Nursery
new clearing beyond Higher Quarry Nursery
new clearing beyond Higher Quarry Nursery
new clearing beyond Higher Quarry Nursery
new clearing beyond Higher Quarry Nursery
Despite searching I cannot find any fallen seed pods below the Manglietia insignis below Donkey Shoe. I can see a couple just turning pink on the tree but nothing on the ground. You need binoculars to check the top of this tree properly and it doesn’t help that the area below the crown on the ground is think rhododendron.

2018 – CHW
The weekend gales did not actually cause that much damage but a beech tree above Crinodendron Hedge split in half. Whenever you get two leaders in a young tree there is always a risk of such splits where the water gets between the two leaders. This is clearly evident in the two photographs here.

beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
A fine crop of fungi of various sorts on a pile of wood – I wish I knew more about fungi!
fungi
fungi
fungi
fungi
fungi
fungi
Clerodendron trichotomum is producing a wonderful crop of blue seeds inside red calyxes. An attractive tree at this time of the year but it suckers everywhere and can be a nuisance.
Clerodendron trichotomum
Clerodendron trichotomum
Clerodendron trichotomum
Clerodendron trichotomum
Clerodendron trichotomum
Clerodendron trichotomum
Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Argenteomarginatus’ in full flower.
Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Argenteomarginatus’
Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Argenteomarginatus’
Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Argenteomarginatus’
Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Argenteomarginatus’

2017 – CHW
Asia has very cleverly spotted that what is labelled Lardizabala biternata in the greenhouse does not conform with a Google search. Although it does look quite similar until it is actually in flower. What we have I think, as Asia has correctly identified, is something called Boquila trifoliolata. I had not realised we had a picture of the boquila actually in flower but here it is. I cannot remember who gave us this plant originally, which we had been propagating for the last three years. Two have been planted out this spring so we will have to check if they are hardy enough to survive!

Boquila trifoliolata
Boquila trifoliolata
More damage in the garden from ‘storm’ Ophelia than we thought!
damage in the garden from ‘storm’ Ophelia
damage in the garden from ‘storm’ Ophelia
damage in the garden from ‘storm’ Ophelia
damage in the garden from ‘storm’ Ophelia
damage in the garden from ‘storm’ Ophelia
damage in the garden from ‘storm’ Ophelia
damage in the garden from ‘storm’ Ophelia
damage in the garden from ‘storm’ Ophelia

2016 – CHW
Still carrying on in Bond Street.Clethra delavayi, planted in 2008, is laden with ripening seed. The plant by Higher Quarry Nursery died this year after only about 20 years of over-seeding. One flower remains out hidden in the small tree which this plant now is.
Clethra delavayi
Clethra delavayi
Clethra delavayi
Clethra delavayi
Clethra delavayi
Clethra delavayi
Pterostyrax corymbosus was also planted in 2008 by the clethra. Pterostyrax hispida is much better known than this rarity which has yet to flower. The habit is erect and the leaves not entirely styrax-like.
Pterostyrax corymbosus
Pterostyrax corymbosus
Pterostyrax corymbosus
Pterostyrax corymbosus
Ailanthus altissima var tanake was planted in 2015 but is already quite huge. Something has eaten out the leading leaf bud for next year which I fear is a squirrel. The leaves are even larger than the ‘ordinary’ ailanthus. A ‘tree of heaven’ indeed!
Ailanthus altissima var tanake
Ailanthus altissima var tanake
Ailanthus altissima var tanake
Ailanthus altissima var tanake
A dwarfish sorbus species growing with several stems to 5 or 6ft only has a few small clusters of pure white berries. Cannot find this in the planting records but it has been here for 20 years or more.
a few small clusters of pure white berries
a few small clusters of pure white berries
Cornus florida ‘Daybreak’ is turning colour nicely at the Four in Hand.
Cornus florida ‘Daybreak’
Cornus florida ‘Daybreak’
Cornus florida ‘Daybreak’
Cornus florida ‘Daybreak’

2015 – CHW
Double day let shoot starts today but a quick early sprint to the Rookery finds yet another magnolia with a few shitty secondary flowers. This time Magnolia ‘Apollo’ hidden away beside three rather thriving young Michelia doltsopas which are well on their way.

A good well established Styrax hookeri nearby too. I fear that I made a terrible cock up in the early summer when I called these Styrax hemsleyanus in error. Quite a few times too but no one called me out. The bark colouration is very distinct. It is only when you get together with someone who really knows like Tom Hudson that you can start to correct your own howlers.

Styrax hookeri (1)
Styrax hookeri
Styrax hookeri (2)
Styrax hookeri
Styrax hookeri (3)
Styrax hookeri

I am pretty certain too now that what I photographed as Osmanthus yunnanensis last week was wrong too. Another plant seen today has absolutely no spines on its leaves and what I saw was probably Osmanthus armatus or Osmanthus x burkwoodii. If the former it should flower soon. Another young Osmanthus yunnanensis has been trimmed by deer and is nearly dead.Perhaps, over the weekend, I will photograph all the seven youngish styrax species with leaf and fruit above the Crinodendron Hedge or perhaps all the other new liquidamber varieties planted along Sinogrande Walk. The styrax you will say are rather dull but not to me!

I actually went to the Rookery to look again at the possibility of felling the laurel and four to six over mature beeches castle side of the nursery bed to make a big new planting area. The last surviving mature elm in the garden is hidden away here and it is a cold spot. Perhaps more crucially a big new clearing here would encourage the pheasants to fly the wrong way out of the Rookery. Needs more thought but not a huge job to achieve.

1992 – FJW
First proper frost last night – a good year for Ilex seed.

1987 – FJW
During night major 15/16 great storm hit London and Kent – Kew very badly damaged and Royal Parks.

1927 – JCW
Not so many rhodo’s as in 1917. Hoheria on the wall is good, the hydrangeas in the Drive remarkable, some Maddeni x and a Decorum are in the back.

1917 – JCW
Much as in 1916, we have corn out now, Clematis panniculata is very good indeed.

1916 – JCW
No frost. Solanum, lapagerias, cyclamen, hydrangeas all useful. Rhodo’s neriiflorum, decorum, scintillans, 10333, fastigiatum, raniosisimums, lepidotum and racemosum all show bits of flower, and primulinum.

1906 – JCW
No frost and begonia etc etc V.G. Sweet peas just over.

1905 – JCW
First hard and white frost knocked out the gunnera. No rain for weeks and no daffs but polyanthus in sight. Roses good, all fuchsias and soft stuff cut out.

1901 – JCW
A few daffs besides Polyanthus coming through the ground, mainly maximus. I picked a lot of yellow Polyanthus Primrose. D phaloenopsis is at its best. I saw the first Iris stylosa.

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