20th April

…‘Patriot’ is blue in bud (but not as blue as ‘Blue Opal’) opening as you see. Different! Magnolia ‘Woodsman’ x ‘Patriot’ Magnolia ‘Woodsman’ x ‘Patriot’ Magnolia ‘Sensation’ is good and

10th April

…‘Johnny Johnstone’ Magnolia ‘Rose Marie’ x ‘M. ‘Black Tulip’ is developing well into a decent tree. Magnolia ‘Rose Marie’ x ‘M. ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Rose Marie’ x ‘M. ‘Black Tulip’…

23rd May

…Crataegus brachyacantha, the Blueberry hawthorn, from the southern US states. We have yet to see any blue-black fruits. Crataegus brachyacantha Crataegus brachyacantha Crataegus ambigua – Russian hawthorn. Very similar to…

8th August

…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 top lodge as good as…

17th August

…flower heads on Araucaria araucana Fuschia ‘Blacky’ – should sell well! Fuschia ‘Blacky’ A pied wagtail fledgling in the Back Yard. pied wagtail pied wagtail pied wagtail 2022 – CHW…

8th March 1897 – 2020

…Zandee’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Purple Dream’ – first flowering here Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Purple Dream’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Purple Dream’ Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x ‘Vulcan’ – first flowering…

17th March 1897 – 2020

…trunk Nothofagus dombeyi Camellia ‘Black Lace’ Camellia ‘Black Lace’ Camellia ‘Black Lace’ Dacrycarpus dacrydioides trunk. These are growing as a clump of five trees. Dacrycarpus dacrydioides Dacrycarpus dacrydioides Rhododendron frangipanensis…

30th July

…‘Iveyi’ and Buddleia ‘Black Knight’ 2020 – CHW An old clump of Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’ on the drive. Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’ Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’ The Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’ are now…

10th May

…for us. Sorbus matsumurana Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’ looking as its name would have you believe. Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’ Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’ Sapium sebiferum very late into leaf…

19th March

…‘Pickard’s Ruby’. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ Magnolia ‘Rebecca’s Perfume’. Magnolia ‘Rebecca’s Perfume’ New…

4th March 1897 – 2020

…yet. Magnolia ‘Vairano’ Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’ (Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia ‘Deep Purple Dream’) just coming. Planted 2013. Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’ Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’ Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x ‘Black Tulip’ has…

12th May

‘Blue Shadow’ is about right. Not quite sure about the name yet? Where is the ‘blue shadow’ the judges will say. Cornus kousa ‘Blue Shadow’ Cornus kousa ‘Blue Shadow’ Magnolia…

31st July

…too in the drought.Sambucus niger ‘Black Lace’ under-planted with Dahlia ‘Moonfire’ was a most effective combination of foliage and flower colours. Sambucus niger ‘Black Lace’ Sambucus niger ‘Black Lace’ Sorbus…

21st April

…but have failed miserably up to now. Blue-green young foliage and tiny rockery plants really which I believe have now been reclassified as rhododendrons. Menziesia ‘Honshu Blue’ Menziesia ‘Honshu Blue’…

17th March

…Magnolia ‘China Town’ (syn. ‘Jing Ning’) in full flower. Magnolia ‘China Town’ (syn. ‘Jing Ning’) Podocarpus elongatus ‘Blue Chip’ badly frosted above the mist houses. Podocarpus elongatus ‘Blue Chip’ Magnolia…

27th May

…in the nursery have finished flowering already in the heat. Viburnum dentatum ‘Blue Muffin’. Viburnum dentatum ‘Blue Muffin’ Viburnum dentatum ‘Blue Muffin’ Syringa tomentella subsp. yunnanensis (SBEC 1022). Syringa tomentella…

5th April

…‘Innocence’ just coming out above Bond Street. Staphylea holocarpa ‘Innocence’ The first full out bluebell I have seen with true blue colours. Bluebells In the old Hardy & Bert’s nursery…

21st July

…the Auklandii Garden. A better blue than Hydrangea ‘Benelux’ or ‘Nikko Blue’ I think? Perhaps or perhaps the perfectly acidic soil here? Dad never gave it a name. best blue

9th June

…a gold medal only £575! Burncoose stand Burncoose stand Distylum myricoides ‘Blue Cascade’ Distylum myricoides ‘Blue Cascade’ Distylum myricoides ‘Blue Cascade’ Cyathia cooperi Cyathia cooperi Good use of Primula and

3rd March 1897 – 2020

…coming out and not as dark in bud as Magnolia ‘Genie’ from a day ago. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’…