1st November

…autumn colour on Rhodotyphos scandens which I had not taken in before. Rhodotyphos scandens Rhodotyphos scandens Arbutus unedo ‘Rubra’ with fruits. Arbutus unedo ‘Rubra’ Eucommia ulmoides with good autumn colour….

13th June

…(as usual) on Camellia ‘Mathotiana Rubra’ in mid-June. Camellia ‘Mathotiana Rubra’ The whole garden has perked up with the recent rain after a drought of six to eight weeks with…

22nd May

…just caught the best Azaleas, that is the deciduous ones. Magnolia wilsoni is at its best. 1917 – JCW C m rubra about out. R yunnanense is good in the…

20th May

…EGG in Maurices suite (George Blandfords bedroom). 1909 – JCW R roylei nice, C montana rubra good, bluebells nearly at the top, Montana ¾ of its best. Van Tubergens Iris…

8th May

…very good indeed, not quite its best, M rubra nearly at its best, 481 half open, all recurvas open. 1910 – JCW Most of the recurvas, late and cold under…

13th April

…a gentle pink. Camellia japonica ‘Elegans Splendour’ Camellia japonica ‘Elegans Splendour’ Camellia japonica ‘Comte de Gomer’. Camellia japonica ‘Comte de Gomer’ Camellia japonica ‘Mathotiana Rubra’ (otherwise known as ‘Te Deum’…

5th March

…x soulangeana ‘Rustica Rubra’ x M. ‘Lanarth’. Magnolia ‘Eleanor May’ Magnolia ‘Eleanor May’ Magnolia ‘Judy Carlson’. Magnolia ‘Judy Carlson’ Magnolia ‘Judy Carlson’ Magnolia ‘Fireglow’, M. cylindrica x M. ‘Sawada’s Pink’…

18th February

…‘Porlock’ just starting to flower as normal. Genista ‘Porlock’ Kalmia angustifolia ‘Rubra’ still showing its dislike of the recent cold weather with droopy leaves. It will soon pick up. Kalmia…

31st May

…x micromalus Camellia japonica ‘Mathotiana Rubra’ still full out on 1st June. Camellia japonica ‘Mathotiana Rubra’ Deciduous azaleas at the Green Gate to welcome visitors. Deciduous azaleas Rhododendron stamineum, the…

23rd May

…turn, C montana rubra going, Roylei very good, sweet scented azaleas are nice. 1907 – JCW Auklandii’s going back fast. Mrs Butler opening. R roylei is very good. Edgeworthi is…

10th May

…and Devonshire Recurvas good. Standishii, C montana rubra good, also Auklandii above frost line and some white Broughtonii x’s. 1908 – JCW The Tubergen Iris have been splendid, 50 or…

15th May

…brooklynensis ‘Woodsman’) x (Magnolia ‘Gold Stars’ x Magnolia stellata Rubra). By yellow magnolia standards not near the top but this small tree is now putting on a very decent show…

1st February 1897 – 2020

…is a hybrid between Magnolia soulangeana ‘Rustica Rubra’ and Magnolia x veitchii. Clearly blown open early but it is still a rather dull and turgid colour with x veitchii colouring…

24th May

…as in 1908. Viburnum just starting – C montana rubra gone. Maples over ripe. P pulverulenta very good, R gibsoni open. 1908 – JCW Primula Cockburniana open. Azaleas at their…

30th May

…dry May. The Azaleas well over. 1909 – JCW Viburnum plicatum nearly at best, Auklandii’s over, Azaleas very good, Fortunei sweet scented good but passing. C montana rubra over, Dalhousi…

12th September

…Quercus imbricata with nice tints too. Quercus imbricata Arbutus unedo ‘Rubra’ nearly over with most flowers already dropped. The New Zealand acers only arrived here dormant and leafless in the…

6th May

…Rookery Cherries next, R alpanicum is nice and the Oarbiculare are very good indeed. 1911 – JCW Bardon just open some, Clematis m rubra half open, ⅔ of the cushion…

25th March 1897 – 2020

…bit like ‘Mathotiana Rubra’ but rather larger. ‘C M Hovey’ looks close but that is a much more recently bred hybrid. Well worth Asia propagating anyway. Paeony form double red…

9th May

…things ruined by the sun and dry wind. C reticulata over, Montana rubra coming, Auklandii ⅓ open, Recurvas open, other things (daffs) over. 1901 – JCW Picked the first seed…

21st April

…very good, the rest over. Camellias over, Iris (van Tubergen) very good. Rho falconeri is opening. Montana rubra nice. 1910 – JCW Came back from Dinton having bought Green Eye….