…– FJW Last corn cut and brought in – very wet from mid August – weeds very bad. 1971 – FJW David shot his first blackbird before my very eyes….

…28°C as we hit the second heatwave and real deaths now. Out best blue mophead hydrangeas shrivel before our eyes. blue mophead hydrangeas Clethra tomentosa ‘Cottondale’ now full out and…

…‘Pickards Garnet’ Magnolia denudata ‘Forrests Pink’ has also been more or less blasted away. Interesting to remember that we saw secondary (and darker) flowers on the same tree only last…

…subsp. yunnanensis (SBEC 1022) I cannot remember the name of this excellent dark red evergreen azalea. dark red evergreen azalea dark red evergreen azalea Camellia japonica ‘Mathotiana Alba’ still in…

…Phymosia umbellata Phymosia umbellata x Sycoparrotia ‘Purple Haze’ unbelievably good with several colour changes before we get to the final dark red. x Sycoparrotia ‘Purple Haze’ x Sycoparrotia ‘Purple Haze’…

…Magnolia ‘Dark Bird’ Magnolia ‘Dark Bird’ 2022 – CHW The three-phase electric cables awaiting connection outside the back yard. electric cables Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ showing its full colour…

…as dark a purple as Rhododendron niveum in its darkest form. Mike Robinson is sadly missed as one of the greatest rhododendron experts I have had the pleasure of knowing….

…deciduous ones to flower and a very good dark red it is. Not listed in Hillier’s. Planted 2009. Azalea ‘Jane Fire’ The dark orangy-red Azalea indica by the front door…

…Silk’ – very dark. Agapanthus ‘Dark Silk’ Echinacea ‘Green Twister’ – very odd. Echinacea ‘Green Twister’ Angelica gigas ‘Ebony’ – strange but a blackish flower covering rather than the green…

…and fade into such extraordinary dark colour a blue hydrangea can turn and fade into such extraordinary dark colour a blue hydrangea can turn and fade into such extraordinary dark…

…by Maurice Foster who sends me three pictures from his garden in Kent. Magnolia sargentiana robusta (Caerhays Dark Form), Magnolia ‘Philip Tregunna’ and Magnolia campbellii ‘Trelissick Alba’. Magnolia campbellii ‘Trelissick…

…pictures of Rhodoleia aff. parvipetala. The red buds turn dark pink as they open fully and the petals drop down from the opening bud. (The Hillier’s Manual says the flowers…

…(HWJK 2213) with its very dark flowers. Holboellia latifolia var. chartacea Berberis hypokerina – a small plant just in flower. Berberis hypokerina Pimelia drupacea Pimelia drupacea 2021 – CHW Allen…

…early. unnamed magnolia unnamed magnolia The darker one was the 3rd January 2016 opener which we have now photographed three times in the last fortnight. The darker one The darker…

…first three dark flowers. Never seen Dark Purple Dream and Black Tulip not out yet to compare. MAGNOLIA ‘Petit Chicon’ MAGNOLIA ‘Petit Chicon’ e) Magnolia ‘ Petit Chicon’ is nothing…

…This is another first flower (unimpressive) on Magnolia ‘Darkest Purple’ x ‘Betty Jessel’ (2017 planted). Doubt it is true to name. Magnolia ‘Darkest Purple’ x ‘Betty Jessel’ Rhododendron edgeworthii x…

…so ago. Perhaps Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ is however the best single dark red? Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’ Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’ Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’ Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’ 2017 – CHW Amazingly, and…

…come out badly as it is a very dark shady place. Camellia reticulata ‘William Hertrich’ Camellia reticulata ‘William Hertrich’ This is a Pickard magnolia below Slip Rail which I have…

…woodland valley garden. The dark one may well be ‘Bishop Michael’. Magnolias Magnolias Magnolias Camellia ‘Fairy Wand’ Camellia ‘Fairy Wand’ Cotoneaster floccosus with berries. Cotoneaster floccosus Cotoneaster floccosus Cotoneaster floccosus…

…is producing a wonderful new crop of magnolias with smallish but very dark red flowers. ‘Venus’ (Tulip x Ruby) is an exceptional plant with great commercial potential. Others, which are…