24th October | The Garden Diary

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CONTRIBUTORS:

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2023 – CHW

A day or two in bed with a lurgy. Not a cold, not flu, and just a severe headache with sore throat. I had the COVID jab a fortnight ago but suspect I have still had mild COVID. Lizzie fine.

Jaimie has picked the first Camellia x williamsii ‘November Pink’ and Camellia ‘Polar Ice’.

Reasonable (Cornish) autumn colour on Rhododendron canadense.

Colour showing on Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’.

The large clump of unnamed Camellia x williamsii on the drive is well out in October which is a new first for me. November usually – October never! A single storm battered flower or, possibly, the passing tarmac machine.

Tarmac relaying and potholes all now repaired.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Hugh Evans’ now full out but not nearly as good a show as last year albeit a month later.

Reasonable autumn colour on Lindera umbellata.

The evergreen Stachyurus yunnanensis with spring flowers readily apparent.

2022 – CHW
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Red Star’ has improved markedly in a week above 4-in-Hand.

Overnight Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Aureovariegata’ has started to turn yellow as a result of the northerly winds recently.

Camellia ‘Snow Flurry’ well out now at the top of Burns Bank. The other 6 sasanqua varieties here are not showing yet.

Two of the four Nyssa’s on Burns Bank starting to turn lower down. One is ‘Wisley Bonfire’ but not on the planting plans.

Neither is this Viburnum species and label gone. Much eaten by deer. In fact none of this area has been properly mapped and recorded (unless I am missing a page of the planting plans c.2000 – 2010).

A 2017 planted Malus hupehensis with its fruits now completely red. Unlike those we saw in Old Park last week.

Malus ‘Comtesse de Paris’ with its fruits turning yellow. Also 2017 planted but has not fruited properly before.

Fagus longipetiolata has little autumn colour of note.

Stewartia monadelpha not quite there yet.

First flower buds on a recently planted Polyspora speciosa (KWJ 12204).

We now have 4 different species of Polyspora but the identification remains confused and the taxonomists will have a field day soon changing names.

First flowers now out in the sun high up on one of the Camellia taliensis. I have missed these flower earlier this week.

Next February’s flower buds on Magnolia zenii swelling up already.

2021 – CHW
I think this fungus is birch polypore or Piptoporus betulinus which is relatively common in the UK but only growing on dying or dead birch trees.

I am less sure of this one but I think it is grey spotted amanita – Amanita excelsa var. spissa – if only because of the white frills which you can just see on its stem here. Another widespread and common species in deciduous or mixed woodland.

One seldom sees ‘runner bean’ seedpods like this on our wisterias.

2020 – CHW
Sorbus helenae again producing a marvellous autumn show (from Mt Omei 17/2/16 via Roundabarrow nurseries and planted out September 2018).

This may be Xeromphalia campanella near an old dead conifer root. However it is very rare outside Scotland and N England so I am probably quite wrong! The pictures in the Collins Guide are excellent but fungi, as everything else, grow and develop into maturity and these may be more easily identifiable in a few days.

The very first, and early, flower high up on Camellia x williamsii ‘St Ewe’ a week after ‘November Pink’. All on the day that the clocks change. The birds have attacked the flower for the nectar when you look closely.

Corylopsis sinensis ‘Spring Purple’ starting a good show with more to come.

Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ (‘Senkaki’) in the evening sun. Some leaves falling.

A large oak branch has fallen on the Acer faberi and Camellia noblissima near Georges Hut since last Sunday.

Seedpods on Hoheria sextylosa ‘Pendula’.

Absurd secondary new growth on Podocarpus henkelli. Another nearby plant has none.

Enkianthus serrulatus with a fine mix of colours.

Carpinus tschonoskii (BSWJ 10800) planted in 2010 with its autumn show.

Stewartia x henryae again showing just how good it is.

Stewartia monodelpha has improved greatly in a week or so.

Evening sun on Meliosma veitchiorum (planted close to Styrax veitchiorum).

Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Atropurpureum’ outstanding today above the sales point.

2019 – CHW
Still plenty of raspberries on the Rubus tricolor.

A leak on the water line from the top lodge to Karol’s house has wasted £1,200 of water. The leak was outside Karol’s backdoor where the old alkathene pipe had split. He had noticed a ‘damp patch’!

This is the brick lined well culvert below the Cart House holiday let which was investigated along the way.

Just across from Georges Hut Hoheria populnea ‘Alba Variegata’ in full flower. This tender plant has revived from the 2012 coldish winter and the March 2018 Beast from the East which largely defoliated it.

Gevuina avellana just coming out into flower also by Georges Hut.

Tim has cut the banks for the second time leaving the cyclamen to be lightly strimmed over rather than mown.

2018 – CHW
Eriobotrya japonica flowering away in a garden in the village. Far too late for there to be any production of fruits despite the dry summer. Only once have we seen loquats produced on the plant at Burncoose.

Hydrangea aspera ssp. robusta is still full out in late October. The only hydrangea species to achieve this.

Good autumn colour on Rhododendron mucronulatum.

2017 – CHW
Sorbus folgneri ‘Emiel’ now has many ripe red berries.

The strawberries on the cornus beside it, whose name I forget, are huge and numerous.

2016 – CHW
More autumn colour today. However the first subject has hardly turned yet although it appears autumnal.Cercis ‘Forest Pansy’ is most striking on the drive.

The schima is still full out and receiving the strong winds.

Calycanthus raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’ is turning a vibrant yellow. Again I have not seen this autumn performance before.

A young Magnolia ‘Caerhays Belle’ is two thirds dead opposite. Flowering last autumn may well be the reason. It will have to be cut down sadly.

Lindera umbellata var lancea is also a vibrant yellow by Tin Garden. New Trees says this is in fact Lindera sericea but I bet Crug Farm and the Wynn-Joneses who collected it would not agree.

2015 – CHW
I have always read about the blue berries on Symplocos paniculatus but never actually seen them in the flesh. This is a record tree, or rather a clump, according to the Tree Register. Actually I am too late and many of the berries have already dropped leaving only stalks behind. The pictures are not that great but you can see the ultramarine blue fruits – or just a couple actually.

Wind and rain forecast for tomorrow after a very lengthy spell of dry which has been great for farmers drilling their autumn crops but less good for shooting while all the leaf remains on the trees and the pheasants cannot easily fly out. I fear we are in for an unsettling wet spell in November as nature always catches up. The lapageria by the front door is still full out.

2001 – FJW
Flowers on November Pink – dryish September, wet October.

1989 – FJW
Flowers on November Pink.

1933 – JCW
As in 1933.

1932 – JCW
Some flowers on the Mag delavayi near Engine House.

1930 – JCW
The first of Prunus mignelleana shows flower. Many buds and flowers on Mag grandiflora. Rhodo lutescens, dahuricum, tethropeplum etc show some flowers.

1924 – JCW
Just as in 1920 including no frost but much rain since the spring. Lately harvest in for about a week. Haematodes and hippophaeoides are the best rhodo’s. No C sasanqua yet. Election next week.

1920 – JCW
Hydrangea are good. Lapagerias and roses are nice. Say 30 rhodo’s one could get pollen off including Maddeni x Roylei. No frost as yet.

1902 – JCW
Came back last night, away since June 14th (Nauheim), a few Soleil d’Or above ground. An odd seedling in the pans. Woodwardias have done well, it has been a raw cold season. Roses nearly a failure except on the wall. Primula megasoefolia is out.