…earlier than some years. Lizzie saw a kingfisher on the watermeadows yesterday and heard a skylark on Tuesday. Spring is here! 2015 – CHW Specimen tree ferns planted Planting of…

…good both Japonica and Wilsoni. Also Eriogynum excellent. No Auriculatum white hybrids out yet. After a long cold dry spring much rain for weeks. Tree ferns beginning to move but…

…two mature tree ferns of this species here. Cyathea medullaris The scented Rhododendron liliflora which I had never seen. Amazing scent and peeling bark. Rhododendron liliflora Rhododendron liliflora This rhododendron…

…well not turn out to be true. Schefflera gracilis Schefflera gracilis Schefflera gracilis Schefflera gracilis Schefflera taiwaniana we know to be perfectly hardy. It is already 15-20ft tall at Caerhays…

…and Penjerrick House Gardens. It is of course limited by the occurrence of the Dicksonia. There is still more to this as there are no tree ferns in Forty Acres…

…and some existing catalogue plants looking exceptional.Begonia ‘Betitochiba’ looks to have a nice red flower and is apparently hardy to -5°. We will see! Begonia Rex like perhaps? Begonia ‘Betitochiba’…

…Perfectly hardy. Rhododendron nuttallii Rhododendron nuttallii Rhododendron nuttallii Rhododendron nuttallii Rhododendron maddenii (from Taiwan). Rhododendron maddenii Rhododendron maddenii Hydrangea aspera Villosa Group Hydrangea aspera Villosa Group Hydrangea aspera Villosa Group…

…populnea ‘Alba Variegata’ in full flower but very late in the year. H. populnea was out ages ago. This is a borderline hardy plant with lots of green reversions but,…

…seen with true blue colours. Bluebells In the old Hardy & Bert’s nursery (former gardeners) I find a Magnolia sprengeri ‘Diva’ seedling still full out in the sun which is…

…back down through Hardy and Berts Nursery between the two ferneries. Who Hardy and Bert were I have no idea nor do I ever remember the nursery bed which is…