2026 – CHW
The first storm for months is brewing and rain on the way tonight.
Ross progresses with the storm clearance above the drive.
Ross believes that he can drag these roots and stumps up the steep bank by the Fernery and onto the fire.
Two huge windblown Abies on a steep bank above Trevanion holly may well have to wait until next year as it will soon be too wet to risk it.
Jaimie and Ross reviewing the next lot of storm damaged trees to come down.
The fourth ancient Camellia sasanqua now full out.
Did a video today about three species of Strobilanthes – S. rankanensis, S. wallichii and S. flexicaulis.
The first seed has dropped under the original Magnolia ‘Caerhays Belle’. I look hard but can see no seed heads.
2025 – CHW
A red kite spotted by the Green Gate where it has been for a day or two.
An ignorant dog owner allows their dog to chase cygnets out to sea and onto the road. The dog then lost in Penvergate. No hint of an apology of course.
Rhododendron ‘Mrs J. C. Williams’ with a full secondary flowering.
Quercus chapensis from the International Oak conference in the USA in 2015 doing well.
Another branch off one old Magnolia salicifolia.
An elderly Magnolia sprengeri var. diva with hollowed out trunks.
Very few berries this year on Ilex verticillata.
Plenty of seed clusters under the Lithocarpus pachyphyllus with large viable seeds.
Acer palmatum ‘Senkaki’ in the afternoon sun.
Huodendron tomentosum placed out for planting – N. Vietnam.
Seed heads on Exochorda tiachanica.
2024 – CHW
The trunk of the mighty Turkey Oak is down.
The trunk of the mighty Turkey Oak is down.
Rising sap literally dripping from the end of this branch.
The base of the trunk was completely rotten on one side but trying to age the tree by counting the tree rings was looking difficult.
It really was a whopper! Ross estimates 25 tonnes.
Then on to the first bit of autumn planting.
Flowers on Neolitsea sericea (CWJ 12800) which was only planted a year ago.
Magnolia figo x Magnolia champaca with a flower as its gets planted. A gift from Raf.
Reddish secondary new growth on Phoebe sheareri (bought from Nick Locke).
Morella pensylvanica – the Kartesz Bayberry, a hardy, semi-evergreen shrub which spreads by suckering (ex-Mark Bulk).
Six Hydrangea sargentiana ‘Gold Rush’ planted below Rookery Nursery.
Ross has also removed a rather floppy large Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans’ to make room to plant a Nothofagus.
2023 – CHW
An inspection of Kennel Close today.
A superb showing from Cotoneaster moupinensis planted in 2010 (BWJ 8167). I have never seen it looking better. One of the best 3 cotoneaster species for fruiting after C. wilsonii and C. hillieri I think.
Cotoneaster hualiensis (BSWJ 3143) looking rather old and tired on what I suspect is far too hot a location in Kennel Close.
Idesia polycarpa loaded with fruit. I have never seen this before on this tree. Our other older trees in the garden do not fruit and may not be dioecious as this one clearly is. Apparently some trees are dioecious and some not. Odd!
Common laurel flowering in early October! What a seasonal muddle!
The Hydrangea aspera unknown form Lord Howick may well be the best thing in the garden today.
2022 – CHW
Cotoneaster ‘hillieri’ is a stand out species as I said a year ago when I first saw it in action. Not quite as beautiful as Cotoneaster wilsonii perhaps but a close second in our collection of 30 or so young species of Cotoneaster which are staring to perform well after planting in only 2019.
Cotoneaster ‘hillieri’ is a stand out species as I said a year ago when I first saw it in action. Not quite as beautiful as Cotoneaster wilsonii perhaps but a close second in our collection of 30 or so young species of Cotoneaster which are staring to perform well after planting in only 2019.
Myrceugenia ovata var. nannophylla is a dwarfish Chilean plant also put out in 2019. It had flowered and berried as you can see but I have missed it – one berry only! Odd to find it sitting in the mainly Chinese Cotoneaster species collection but that will puzzle a few plant experts one day. Hardy say Hilliers.
Cotoneaster parneyi – a gift from Fromefield Nurseries with the clear caveat that it is not to be confused with Cotoneaster lacteus. Tremendous growth in 3 years!
Cotoneaster naujanensis far from ripe when I look at the Fryer & Hylmo guide to Cotoneaster species.
How good to see a yellow berried Cotoneaster amid all the reds! Cotoneaster ‘Rothschildianus’.
Cotoneaster erratus.
Cotoneaster teijiashanensis not yet ripe by any means but the leaf looks correct from the reference books. What a name!
Cotoneaster tengyuehensis also appears to true to name. Well done Mark Bulk Nurseries from whom all these new (to us) species came. Another tongue twister!
Cotoneaster ‘St Andrews Blaze’ – a welcome Christmas gift from Fromefield Nurseries which is growing away well.
Cotoneaster silvestrii with just a single berry and a rather odd and distinctive new growth and leaf formation. Once seen easily recognisable again. I fear you are bored with red berried Cotoneasters so I will spare you the rest!
2021 – CHW
The mycologists left this strange orange fungus for us to have a look at. When I try to look it up I do not get very far! More information awaited.
The mycologists left this strange orange fungus for us to have a look at. When I try to look it up I do not get very far! More information awaited.
Gaultheria mucronata ‘Bell’s Seedling’ looking plump and attractive in the nursery.
Cyclamen coum with very varied leaf forms.
Cyclamen hederifolium has attractive leaves too!
A new clematis for the catalogue – Clematis ‘Romantica’.
Ficus carica ‘Ice Crystal’ with yellow autumn tints.
The new bench in the large greenhouse is complete and already full as the other benches get new insulation.
Rhus ‘Tiger Eyes’ with its developing autumn glow.
Another new plant for the website – Ceratostigma plumbaginoides ‘Summer Skies’.
The late flowering Kniphofia rooperi.
Eleagnus x ebbingei ‘Gilt Edge’ with some leaves entirely yellow makes a startling show in the nursery car park on a drab day.
