19th October

…smelling unpleasant. Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Geisha Girl’ Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Geisha Girl’ Symphoricarpos albus has clusters of white ‘snowberries’ on the lawn although in full shade here. My mother made us dig…

27th April

…‘Alison Johnstone’. This is labelled Rhododendron bauhiniflorum below Hovel Cart Road but it is not! Looks more like Rhododendron ‘Alison Johnstone’. Prunus ‘Gyoiku’ is a wonderful green and white and…

1st February

…Caerhays. It is interesting to see the shelterbelt at the top of the old deer park only just established. The pink and white Rhododendron arboreums featured are still (exactly) there…

10th February

…of Magnolia campbellii flowers half open and, inevitably, when out prematurely, they are white not pink. The rest of the higher up buds seem ok for now. Magnolia campbellii Magnolia…

14th February

…is not pure white at Donkey Shoe. Magnolia campbellii Alba seedling The New Zealand form of Magnolia ‘Lanarth’ is now showing high up. Magnolia ‘Lanarth’ The Magnolia campbellii above Crinodendron…

19th February

…some smallholding land. Penvergate There is an excellent Eucalyptus pauciflora in the Penvergate garden with masses of flower bud and old seed heads. The peeling brown and white bark is…

21st February

…N Roses’ has a pleasant flower with a pink picotee edge. Helleborus ‘Ice N Roses’ Saxifraga ‘Early Carnival’ starts red and fades to white with a pink stripe. Saxifraga ‘Early…

22nd February

…Magnolia campbellii (ACUG 5330) planted in 2010 with rather small white flowers. Magnolia campbellii (ACUG 5330) Magnolia ‘Laura Saylor’. Magnolia ‘Laura Saylor’ Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x ‘J.C. Williams’ a rich…

24th February

…on Rhododendron ‘Emma Williams’ on the drive. Rhododendron ‘Emma Williams’ Jaimie’s magnolia cross at the entrance to White Stiles. Good enough but not worthy of a name. magnolia cross Magnolia…

1st March

…originally but true to name. Magnolia campbellii var. mollicomata Surprising to see Azalea ‘Palestrina’ out so early. Azalea ‘Palestrina’ Camellia x williamsii ‘Francis Hanger’ is still the best single white

5th March

…pretty near all white Gresham hybrid. Magnolia ‘Manchu Fan’ Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Snow Queen’ not very floriferous. Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Snow Queen’ Magnolia ‘Big Dude’ – despite its name this is not…

10th March

…A wonderful contrast between the white undersides of the leaves and the reddish-pink bark on the newer growth. Rhodoelia parvipetala Thirty-three people visited the gardens yesterday which shows that families…

12th March

…does list ‘Soho’ (page 229) but the description is ‘white with vivid red variations’.While I can quite see that the ‘Don Quixote’ would be a good name for an azalea…

13th March

…Magnolia sprengeri var. diva Magnolia campbellii var. mollicomata ‘Burncoose Tennis Court’ is nearly white. I saw a good plant at Tregothnan recently beside their tree paeony bed. Magnolia campbellii var….

14th March

…through the best places for them.Nothaphoebe cavaleriei – greenish white undersides to the leaves. SW China – laurel family. Nothaphoebe cavaleriei Calocedrus formosana – rather more tender than Calocedrus decurrens….

8th June

…mix of deep reddish-purple leaves and green new growth. This will become a conical small tree with racemes of small white flowers in may and dark red fruits. Prunus virginiana…

10th October

…nearest side door seen. 1949 – CW A very long dry summer. Big leaf rhododendron growth small. The 2 Sinogrande by big group of Barbatum about dead. White Sasanqua by…

20th August

…door. Rho auriculatum going over but many of the white hybrids at their best. Magnolia delavayi, grandiflora and grandiflora var Goliath all good. A few Parviflora left. Odd out of…

3rd September

…Magnolia virginiana ‘Satellite’ The smooth grey-white bark on the original Magnolia salicifolia stands out in the early evening light. One branch is rotting on the inside and woodpeckers have been…

6th September

…robusta out late as usual in September. A good mauve and white combination. We need to propagate this as it is a winner! Hydrangea aspera ssp. robusta Hydrangea aspera ssp….