16th December

…Echium Dead Echium Cotoneaster horizontalis has a fine show of autumn colour now the berries have gone. Cotoneaster horizontalis Cotoneaster horizontalis Echinops battanicus still has a surviving pale blue flower…

21st December

…polyanthus and blue primulas. 1903 – JCW Coums begin to look well, three or four polyanthus daffs open, and have been some of them since October. Cam sasanqua just over,…

24th December

…than the nearby Rhododendron nobleanum which is one of the parents in my father’s original cross. Rhododendron ‘Winter Intruder’ Rhododendron ‘Winter Intruder’ Still some blue or bluish-green flowers on the…

29th December

…years ago. Almost a hint of blue in the petals and a different shape to ‘Caerhays’ which is not out yet. Camellia x williamsii ‘George Blandford’ Camellia x williamsii ‘George…

4th January

…‘Adelina Patti’ Last year I was rather impressed with this chance seedling found growing under Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Prince’. It is clearly predominantly C. saluenensis but with some addition…

8th January

…Despite the frost Magnolia campbellii ‘Strybing White’ flowers on against a blue sky. Magnolia campbellii ‘Strybing White’ Camellia japonica ‘Mary Costa’ untouched by frost. Camellia japonica ‘Mary Costa’ Next to…

23rd January

…last week. Rhododendron stenaulum (Rh. moulmainense) Rhododendron stenaulum (Rh. moulmainense) 2023 – CHW Cold weather has departed.Rhododendron mucronulatum at its very best. Rhododendron mucronulatum Rhododendron mucronulatum Spanish bluebells sprouting already….

17th September

…other blue lights. Air ambulance incident Air ambulance incident Air ambulance incident Air ambulance incident Can one guess the cost to the UK taxpayer? £30-£50k? I have no knowledge of…

Visit to Tregrehan – 3rd November 2018

…Nyssa leptophylla Nyssa leptophylla Decaisnea insignis with its compact yellow fruit clusters which I had never seen before. Very different to the blue seed pods nearby of Decaisnea fargesii. D….

Best February 2019 Magnolias

…just starting. Magnolia zenii ‘Pink Parchment’ showing the pink in the buds. Magnolia ‘David Clulow’ perfect against a blue sky. Magnolia ‘Delia Williams’ full out and an absolute picture. Magnolia…

8th January 1897- 2020

…‘Coppertone’ Eriobotrya ‘Coppertone’ Mahonia nitens ‘Cabaret’ with a few blue seeds left. I have missed the flowers but the leaf structure is pleasant. Mahonia nitens ‘Cabaret’ Mahonia nitens ‘Cabaret’ Mahonia…

19th January 1897- 2020

…humilis ‘Volcano’. I will need to investigate the invoice from 2015 from The Palm Centre. The leaves do have a silvery blue indumentum on the undersides. Clearly this plant too…

22nd February 1897 – 2020

…usual. Billy Magnolia campbellii ‘Strybing White’ is finally out in full with a blue sky behind it. The ‘dog shit on stalks’ has largely blown away. Magnolia campbellii ‘Strybing White’…

24th February 1897 – 2020

…that is should be out now in the tunnels but I have seen this elsewhere recently. A delicate light blue tinge. Rosemarinus officinalis ‘Severn Sea’ Rosemarinus officinalis ‘Severn Sea’ Calceolaria…

19th September

…Camellia sasanqua ‘Rainbow’. Camellia sasanqua ‘Rainbow’ Tibouchina urvilleana and Tweedia caerulea out together. Tibouchina urvilleana and Tweedia caerulea Viburnum setigerum covered in seeds. 2022 – CHW A strange weekend as…

7th July

…within the flower are normally hidden when on the tree as they were at Lanhydrock 10 or so days ago. Very blue indumentum on the undersides of the huge leaves….

15th September

blue-black berries on Cornus controversa. Cornus controversa A rather better flower now on Hedychium spicatum ‘Liberty’ (BWJ 8116). Last week’s picture did not do it justice. A very intricate flower….

16th May

…species of Carpinus well into leaf on Sinogrande Walk. Carpinus henryana ‘Simplicidentata’ (a gift from Bluebell Nursery) – now that the huge suckers from the graft have been removed we…

1st January

…from under the Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Prince’ which now looks rather scruffy. removed the ivy Camellia ‘Dewatairin’ (‘Hatsu Zakura’ as we have always called it) is very early for…

2nd February

…than the common wild ones (Galanthus nivalis). These eventually have 8-10in long, broad, flat, light blue-green leaves after flowering. Galanthus elwesii I assume planted 100 years or so ago under…