20th March

…Magnolia campbellii ‘Princess Margaret’ at its best. Magnolia campbellii ‘Princess Margaret’ Magnolia ‘Atlas’ nearly at its best on the way to George’s Hut. Magnolia ‘Atlas’ Magnolia ‘Atlas’ Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum just…

11th April

…caroliniana ‘Red Fall’. Well before the leaves appear. Carpinus caroliniana ‘Red Fall’ A young Magnolia labelled ‘Flamingo’ with 3 flowers. Sadly it is not true to name as ‘Flamingo’ should…

2nd May

…as Rhododendron cubittii or Rosa roxburgii. Polylepsis australis Polylepsis australis Polylepsis australis A good show on Azalea ‘Hotspur Red’ with its orange flash beside the polylepsis. Azalea ‘Hotspur Red’ Azalea…

3rd May

Redcurrants Redcurrants Blueberries in an enclosure. Blueberries William Robinson was the first to identify how to properly train peaches, pears and cherries on kitchen garden walls. A 15x15ft Weigelia with…

10th May

…‘Saffron Queen’ Rhododendron ‘Cowslip’ flowering sparsely. (Rh. wardii x Rh. williamsianum). Rhododendron ‘Cowslip’ The fir tree which fell above Red Linney took out Phellodendron amurense var. sachalinense. I wonder if…

19th February

…issued an amber warning for Wales and the south of England on Thursday. By Friday morning this had become a ‘very rare’ red warning. My guess is that ‘reds’ will…

24th May

…after the digger has cleared the stumps this week. a little planting above Red Linney The Rhododendron davidsonianum above HQN have all now been cut down. Rhododendron davidsonianum The stumps…

4th August

red hydrangea took in the drought last year but it is now recovering. clump of red hydrangea 2022 – CHW We are now in full drought conditions. Younger plants and…

17th June

…CHW Azalea indicum has many coloured forms from mauve-purple to red and dark red. The clumps on the drive, in the Auklandii Garden and outside the front gate are full…

7th October

…has few berries and not yet fully coloured. Cotoneaster rokujodaisanensis Cotoneaster schubertii is well covered in berry and a good orange which will probably get redder yet. Cotoneaster schubertii Cotoneaster…

13th September

…As you can see the cyclamen are being smothered. knapweed seeds Vitis coignetiae has turned red earlier than usual. Vitis coignetiae Vitis coignetiae Astonishing growth on the supposedly very tender…

30th August

…again no prickles to speak of so why the name? Crataegus horrida Crataegus horrida Crataegus jozana with just a few dark purple-red fruits as yet. N.E. Asia. Crataegus jozana Crataegus…

18th September

…superb at this time of the year. Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Heavenly Blue’ Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Heavenly Blue’ Callistemon ‘Red Cluster’ with secondary flowers. Callistemon ‘Red Cluster’ Our new pictorial labelling…

6th July

…is stunning today above Red Linney. Hydrangea serrata ‘Tiara’ Hydrangea serrata ‘Tiara’ 2024 – CHW A local artist based at Tregrehan, Kate Cambridge, is producing a coffee table book of…

12th July

…Snowball’ Verbena ‘Santos Purple’ and Leucanthemum ‘Real Deal’. Verbena ‘Santos Purple’ and Leucanthemum ‘Real Deal’ Salvia ‘Fairy Queen’ not bad at all. Salvia ‘Fairy Queen’ Hydrangea ‘Red Baron’ – another…

8th July

…globose at all. Buddleia globosa Campsis x tagliabuana ‘Grenadene’ is a good new addition to the website. Orange-red on opening then turning redder. Campsis x tagliabuana ‘Grenadene’ Cardiocrinum giganteum in…

30th June

…but is in shade so the bracts could be darker in full sun. Cornus florida ‘Red Giant’ Cornus florida ‘Red Giant’ Cornus florida ‘Red Giant’ Prunus ‘Collingwood Ingram’ has very…

16th July

…the flower remains (in theory) ‘purplish-red’. Not much red really? Buddleia ‘Harlequin’ Buddleia ‘Harlequin’ The Hothead and underground spring with upraised beds for dwarf rhododendrons. Needs a good clean out…

25th June

…show today. Philadelphus pekinensis Large seeds already on Magnolia ‘Princess Margaret’. Magnolia ‘Princess Margaret’ Styrax americanus just about out. Styrax americanus Styrax americanus Rhododendron weyrichii at the entrance to the…

7th November

…tank (and so on to the castle) when we cleared the Tin Garden area last February. old iron pipe Another oak tree fell in the gale last Friday/Saturday below White…