…but very blue buds. Magnolia acuminata ‘Variegata’ Rhododendron griffithianum full out. Sadly last year’s layers have been nibbled off by something – deer I assume. Rhododendron griffithianum Rhododendron griffithianum A…

…Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue Opal’ at its best although I have missed the true blue early buds. Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue Opal’ Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue Opal’ Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue Opal’ Magnolia ‘Ossie’s…

…sun Salix udensis ‘Golden Sun’ Salix udensis ‘Golden Sun’ Elymus arenarius ‘Blue Dune’ – incredibly blue foliage in full sun Elymus arenarius ‘Blue Dune’ Elymus arenarius ‘Blue Dune’ Geranium pratense…

…have died out as I discovered this morning. Rhododendron yunnanense Rhododendron yunnanense A visit to meet Lamorna Edith Cross, my third granddaughter aged one week. We did wet the baby’s…

…cold winds. Hydrangea lobbii Baby lambs in White Styles filed. Our shooting parties are often surprised to see them in November but autumn lambing of Dorset ewes has always been…

…out but Serena and I got a good dunking. Not ideal for her unborn baby and nearly ‘curtains’ at the bottom of the river for me. A bridge I have…

…mucronulatum Rhododendron mucronulatum Spanish bluebells emerging strongly. Spanish bluebells The wind has deflowered the record sized Camellia x williamsii (unnamed) outside the front gates but there is still a fine…

…was a new species to enjoy. Rehmania henryii Rhododendron pentaphyllum or perhaps Rhododendron vaseyi? Rhododendron pentaphyllum Rhododendron pentaphyllum Redcurrants already forming. Redcurrants Redcurrants Blueberries in an enclosure. Blueberries William Robinson…

…and Magnolia ‘Yellow Lantern’ – blue and yellow work well together here. Ceanothus ‘Trewithen Blue’ Ceanothus ‘Trewithen Blue’ and Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Gold Rush’. Ceanothus ‘Trewithen Blue’ Prunus ‘Gyoiko’ with its…

…phellos Pink and blue Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’ together. Pink and blue Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’ Pink and blue Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’ See what a hit this clump of red hydrangea took in the drought…

…Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Stephi’ Agastache fren. ‘Blue Fortune’ likewise. Agastache fren. ‘Blue Fortune’ Agastache fren. ‘Blue Fortune’ Dichroa febrifuga Dichroa febrifuga Dichroa febrifuga A new species of tender beschorneria –…

…Hydrangea ‘Hobella’ Hydrangea ‘Fireworks Blue’ Hydrangea ‘Fireworks Blue’ Hydrangea ‘Fireworks Blue’ The Harrow hybrid rhododendrons on Hovel Cart Road are now full out. Harrow hybrid rhododendrons Harrow hybrid rhododendrons In…

…nursery bed only 18 months ago. Azalea ‘Rosebud’ A second and larger Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue Opal’. Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue Opal’ Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue Opal’ Our Cornus ‘Venus’ gets more splendid…

…Styrax still in bud. Stewartia pteropetiolata Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue Opal’ flowering well for the first time in Kennel Close. Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue Opal’ Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue Opal’ Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue…

…and very late flowering evergreen azaleas now in the catalogue – Azalea ‘Blue Moon’ and Azalea ‘White Moon’. Azalea ‘Blue Moon’ and Azalea ‘White Moon’ Azalea ‘Blue Moon’ and Azalea…

…looking good on the drive. A better blue than some years and this clump are in full shade. Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’ Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’ Alison’s hanging basket begonias at the…

…x ‘Midsummer Mermaid Blue’ flowering nicely with bluish new growth. A Glendoick cross planted in 2017. Rhododendron viscosum x ‘Midsummer Mermaid Blue’ Rhododendron viscosum x ‘Midsummer Mermaid Blue’ The bed…

…most tender plants. Podocarpus elongatus ‘Blue Chip’ Podocarpus elongatus ‘Blue Chip’ Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Hattie Carthan’ is just coming out. Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Hattie Carthan’ Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Hattie Carthan’…

…Euonymus myrianthus Euonymus myrianthus The very last of the bluebells in full shade. bluebells Last flowers on Michelia crassipes (as we bought it) – now M. laevifolia. Michelia crassipes Sadly…

…Comice’ Polemonium ‘Bambino Blue’ was pretty. Hardy? Polemonium ‘Bambino Blue’ Polemonium ‘Bambino Blue’ Polemonium ‘Bambino Blue’ Helenium ‘Sombrero’ in the rain. Helenium ‘Sombrero’ Helenium ‘Sombrero’ Helenium ‘Sombrero’ Lonicera x americana…