29th February 1897 – 2020

…‘Felix Jury’ Rhododendron Golden Oriole Group – raised here as ‘Golden Oriole var. Busaco’. Rhododendron Golden Oriole Group Rhododendron Golden Oriole Group A grafted Magnolia ‘Lanarth’ above the greenhouse from…

10th September

…sargentiana lives rather longer. Hydrangea aspera Villosa Group Hydrangea aspera Villosa Group One forgets just how attractive the leaf arrangement is on Ginko biloba even before the brilliant autumn yellowing….

27th July

…Hoheria glabrata The mature stem on Catalpa bungei Duclouxii Group is splitting and fissuring at the base. Catalpa bungei Duclouxii Group Last flowers on Magnolia x foggii ‘Jack Fogg’. Magnolia…

28th May

…Rhododendron concinnum Pseudoyanthimum Group Rhododendron concinnum Pseudoyanthimum Group A nice new clump at the entrance to Old Park of Rhododendron ‘Penvose’ which is a Caerhays hybrid between tethropeplum and cinnarbarinum….

27th May

…cross actually involved cinnarbarinum xanthocodon and cinnarbarinum blandfordiflorum. Anyway nice to know that cinnarbarinum and concatenans are both again flourishing at Caerhays. Rhododendron cinnarbarinum Concatenans Group Rhododendron cinnarbarinum Concatenans Group

25th December

…in recent gales. Pinus insignis Pinus insignis Rhododendron Golden Oriole Group – ‘Busaco’ with its first flowers on a newly planted group on the Main Ride. Rhododendron Golden Oriole Group

11th May

…‘Lemon Meringue’ Rhododendron ‘Lemon Meringue’ Rhododendron ‘Lem’s Cameo’ Rhododendron ‘Lem’s Cameo’ Rhododendron cinnarbarinum Concatenans Group Rhododendron cinnarbarinum Concatenans Group Rhododendron vaseyi was exceptionally good in shade. Rhododendron vaseyi Rhododendron vaseyi…

24th April

…Rhododendron veitchianum Cubittii Group just coming out. Rhododendron veitchianum Cubittii Group Rhododendron veitchianum Cubittii Group Rhododendron edgeworthii x leucaspis and Rhododendron augustinii together – scent beyond belief. Rhododendron edgeworthii x…

23rd April

…clump of Rhododendron davidsonianum behind the Tin Garden shed. Rhododendron davidsonianum The two clumps of Camassia leichtlinii Caerulea Group are performing well and the pheasants appear to have left the…

22nd April

…(perhaps now called Viburnum chingii). Viburnum erubescens Viburnum erubescens Rhododendron seingkhuense (in the Rhododendron edgeworthia group). Rhododendron seingkhuense Rhododendron seingkhuense An old plant with a label saying, ‘Hodges Pink Argenteum’….

1st April

…the bottom of the Auklandii Garden. Magnolia campbellii ‘Alba Group’ seedling Magnolia campbellii ‘Alba Group’ seedling The huge Drimys winteri var. latifolia nearby is full out. Drimys winteri var. latifolia…

20th April

…Clarke with his collector’s number AC 5663. In the Pocket Guide To Rhododendron Species it is listed as ‘a rarity and/or of doubtful provenance’ (irrorata Group). Anyway these are its…

29th April

…Blue’ is a different cross but we could both be correct! Rhododendron augustinii ‘Electra Group’ Rhododendron augustinii ‘Electra Group’ The Azalea ‘Babeuffs’ outside the back yard is perfect in the…

14th October

…Stewartia pseudocamellia ‘Koreana Group’ with remarkable colouring. Much better than S. pseudocamellia. Stewartia pseudocamellia ‘Koreana Group’ Seed catkin clusters on Carpinus betulus ‘Purpurea’. Carpinus betulus ‘Purpurea’ Sorbus hupehensis covered in…

8th August

…As we saw in the spring this group flowered exceptionally well. Rhododendron ‘Sir Charles Lemon’ Still flowers on Magnolia sieboldii ‘Genesis’ x M. virginiana. Magnolia sieboldii ‘Genesis’ x M. virginiana…

26th August

Group’. Hydrangea paniculata ‘Polar Bear’ and Hydrangea aspera ‘Villosa Group’ Hydrangea paniculata ‘Skyfall’, some flowers still pure white, some older ones pink tinged. Hydrangea paniculata ‘Skyfall’ Hydrangea paniculata ‘Skyfall’ Hydrangea…

3rd September

…is making serious new growth after the drought has now ended. Cedrus brevifolia 2017 – CHW Astonishingly good blue new growth on Rhododendron cinnabarinum concatenans Group. Rhododendron cinnabarinum concatenans Group

7th October

…Cotoneaster ‘Rothschildianus’ More fungi to try to identify but I now have experts to consult after the Cornwall Fungus Group visit here in the last few days. fungi fungi fungi…

17th March 1897 – 2020

…how to carry on. £400-500k in tourist income probably down the drain with the group tours, weddings, holiday lets and The Vean. Do we keep the gardens open but stop…

3rd November

…cinnabarinum subsp. xanthocodon Concatenans Group. What a mouthfall of a name. It was once just Rh. concatenans! Rhododendron cinnabarinum subsp. xanthocodon Concatenans Group Nyssa sylvatica ‘Wisley Bonfire’ getting going properly…