23rd October | The Garden Diary

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CONTRIBUTORS:

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2023 – CHW

Pam Hayward found an amusing exchange between JC Williams, my great grandfather, and Captain Collingwood Ingram (‘Cherry’ Ingram) when the latter sought advice as to what to next when pensioned from serving in the British Indian Army at a young age. (This was mentioned in Conifer Quarterly in 2005).

JCW’s reply was “You should start crossing rhododendrons. It is the greatest fun – you have 10,15 or 20 years of joyful anticipation and only one day of disappointment – the day they open their first flowers!”

2022 – CHW

A compilation of Autumn seeds collected from the garden this week. Most will go onto the RMC Group seed distribution list for group members.

A large wasps nest on one of the islands on the lake which drove the gardeners back into the boat when starting to trim the grass. The entrance larger than a gum boot as you can see here.

Crataegus x Lavalleei ‘Carrierei’ with its first crop of (at present) still orange fruits. Planted a year ago.

Cotoneaster thimphuensis still with plenty of ripe berries.

Cotoneaster Hillieri now fully ripe and dropping fast.

Jaimie has found four ripe and fully developed acorns below the original Lithocarpus cleistocarpa. We have found seed clusters on the younger (cutting grown) plant from the older plant in recent years but I can never remember finding properly developed seeds on the 1901 Wilson introduction. Hopefully they will germinate.

2021 – CHW

A fine flower on Magnolia grandiflora ‘Russet’.

The fallen Quercus ilex branch close up.

Decent colours on Cornus ‘Eddie’s White Wonder’.

Variations in autumn colour on Rhododendron schlippenbachii.

Colour coming on Acer palmatum ‘Ozakazuki’.

Evening light on Hydrangea paniculata ‘White Lace’.

Young Acer campestre showing autumnal yellow.

Hydrangea ‘Fireworks Blue’ turning to reddish purple.

First yellowing on Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Aureomarginata’.

2020 – CHW
I just found Hemiptelea davidii on an availability list from Pavia nurseries and ordered it up. A new genus to me completely which is related to Zelkova. Totally hardy, a shrubby tree with spine tipped branchlets and small yellowish-green fruits. Introduced from Korea/China in 1908.Also on the Pavia list were up to 50 species of Crataegus so I could not resist ordering a batch of these as well for the new collection here. C. schraderiana has proved to be exceptional in its first time fruiting and several other species good too. An expanding patch of Crataegus species at the bottom of Kennel Close in a couple of years.Burncoose on a day of sun and showers.Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ nicely out.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Rosea Plena’ looking good too.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Waterfall Pink’ has a drooping habit which hides its flowers but is a new one to us from Stervinou nurseries in France.

Camellia japonica ‘Shin-Akebono’ also out rather early.

Pachystegia insignis – another new plant for 2021.

Rhododendron edgeworthii with a couple of flowers.

Ceanothus x pallidus ‘Perle Rose’ in full flower.

The first time I have noticed autumn colour (of sorts) on Melliodendron xylocarpum.

Outstanding yellow on Ginkgo ‘Saratoga’.

Cercis canadensis ‘Appalachian Red’ turning nicely.

Asterotrichon discolor in full flower as usual.

Maclura pomifera with attractive autumn colour.

Stewartia pseudocamellia doing its usual good stuff.

Quercus imbricaria even better than a week ago.

Quercus coccinea stunning too.

Lagerstroemia indica ‘Red Emperor’

Fothergilla intermedia ‘Blue Shadow’

2019 – CHW
The Tetrapanax papyrifer ‘Rex’ outside the Old Packing Shed at Burncoose has decided to put up a huge flower spike very late in the year and from a four to five year old plant growing on top of a stone faced earth bank.

Nearby a Correa “Marian’s Marvel” is covered in pretty pink and yellow tubular flowers. About 3ft tall with a similar spread.

Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ with flowers and splendid autumn colour in the nursery. Quite dazzling even before we get the effect from the later bare stems.

Splendid reddish colours on Oxydendrum arboreum in the sunlight. One of the very best performers.

Parrotia persica ‘Persian Spire’ had absolutely breathtaking autumn colours too with the unusual mixture of red and yellow.

Quercus liaotungensis leaves turn brown and hold on the younger trees but the colours along the way are not bad either. An intricate mix.

Asterotrichon discolor was full out today (as it was last November). Another odd autumn flowerer.

2018 – CHW
On the way to the greenhouses a large branch of the original Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ has been broken off in the storms. The buds show some colour and are nearly out.

A fine tray of Decaisnea fargesii seedlings grown this year in the new greenhouse.

These Cornus kousa var. chinensis seedlings were dug from the side of the drive and are doing well.

A good batch of cuttings of Viburnum sieboldii.

The best thing today was Callicarpa shirasawana. These got missed from the Isla Rose planting but are big plants absolutely laden with mauve-purplish berries. A better show than Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ I think today. An entirely new and unknown species here.

Next year’s magnolias for planting out starting to drop their leaves.

2017 – CHW
Rhododendron ‘Michaels Pride’ with a few secondary autumn flowers outside the front gate.

Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’ showing colour on an odd branch as it was last autumn.

2016 – CHW
The new plaque is now in place and the medlar has several fruits.

A cold east wind and much leaf coming off. A day to capture some autumn colour with a thick jumper on! Forsythia ‘Lynwood’ has surprising red/bronze turning leaves.

Rhododendron fragrantissimum is shedding its older leaves in an attractive way.

The second single white sasanqua camellia is just out. Larger and flatter opening flowers than the next door one last week.

Rhododendron quinquefolium ‘Fire Arrows’ is a very fine red. I have not seen this before.

A young clump of Rhododendron schlippenbachii is quite superb and almost glow in the watery sunshine.

An older clump opposite has totally different yellow autumn colouring. Strange. They are the same species!

Stewartia rostrata is starting to drop its spectacular leaves and the seed pods have turned brown and are splitting open.

Enkianthus are a similarly gorgeous colour with their unripe as yet green seeds showing out strongly.

2015 – CHW

I was attracted to excellent autumn colour on the deciduous Rhododendron mucronolatum. However, on closer inspection, I discover a few dark purple flowers hidden amid the colourful foliage. Since this species normally has light pinkish flowers on bare stems in December/January this must presumably be a second flowering. I have never seen this before. This plant is the only survivor of a once large clump. The rest have died of old age but there are several clumps of replacements with slightly different coloured flowers and flowering times. Mainly from Glendoick but some from Crug which have fared poorly in a coldish spot near Red Linney.

Next door Hydrangea aspera subsp. robusta is still in full but fading colour. Very late out and still attracting comment from shooting parties as they arrive. Quite a plant which I photographed earlier in the year as it came out pure white.

1978 – FJW
Very dry since August 15th.

1960 – FJW
Planted 7 bulbs of GHJ’s 4957 by Front Gate (8 bulbs and stock). The weather has been bad all the month. Little gale damage to date. Bad year for horse chestnuts but good for beech nuts and acorns.

1957 – FJW
Grandiflora by Play House has flowered almost non-stop for 12 months.

1932 – JCW
Much as in 1931, see above.

1931 – JCW
Mag delavayi and grandiflora a few nice blooms. PD’s vinca very good by the big wire fence. Some Camellia sasanqua and lapageria. PDW reports that 500 golden plovers have arrived there.

1926 – JCW
Lapageria nice and so fuchsia. Hydrangeas only fair. No Nobleanum. Some bits on the Maddeni hybrids. Camellia sasanqua fair.

1913 – JCW
Cassia and lapagerias are good – not a Polyanthus showing anywhere. Fuchsias good, the big lot of stuff from Coombe Wood came.C sasanqua coming on. Rho primulinum, solanum good. A lot of R nobleanum open.

1911 – JCW
A few daffs show in the beds, mostly jonquil crosses. The old Berberis in the Kitchen Garden is fruiting in a remarkable way. Acorns are nearly double the normal size. It has been an abnormal summer for sun and heat.

1904 – JCW
Polyanthus dyere several of them up. Polyanthus primus many in flower. No seedling daffs showing yet in pans or in beds.

(Hand written note attached to Garden Book page)
re tasks to be done.