7th March

…‘Donation’ Camellia x williamsii ‘Donation’ Camellia x williamsii ‘Donation’ Could not resist Daphne bholua ‘Mary Rose’ yet again! Daphne bholua ‘Mary Rose’ Daphne bholua ‘Mary Rose’ New growth coming already…

25th June

…and neither had I even before lunch. unknown rose unknown rose unknown rose 2016 – CHW A visit from Lizzie’s mother (Alice), her long-time nurse (Olivia) and gardener (Hugh). Alice…

9th May

…not the pink one next to it. yellowish royalii hybrid yellowish royalii hybrid This is another Rhododendron ‘Loderi King George’. I was looking for ‘loderi’ ‘Pink Diamond’ but this is…

1st May

…garden is full of surprises.A Wisteria floribunda ‘Rosea’ looking perfect. Wisteria floribunda ‘Rosea’ A hedging Mahonia in full flower with small leaves. Growing to 6-8ft with a similar spread. One…

27th August

…growth. Rhodendron sinogrande Virtually leafless Sophora ‘Sun King’. Probably dead. Sophora ‘Sun King’ Sophora ‘Sun King’ Ligustrum confusum has shed nearly all its seed head in the drought. Normally a…

1st June

…magnolias. Many changes and improvements planned to our propagation facilities.Rhododendron ‘Gwilt King’ flowering late as usual. Three clumps in the garden at Burncoose. Rhododendron ‘Gwilt King’ Rhododendron ‘Gwilt King’ The…

10th February 1897 – 2020

…on Sophora microphylla ‘Sun King’ which we planted out last spring in a very sheltered spot at the top of the garden. Sophora microphylla ‘Sun King’ Sophora microphylla ‘Sun King’…

2nd April

‘King George’ Rhododendron loderi ‘King George’ First flowers showing colour on Michelia ‘Mixed up Miss’. Lots more still to come. Michelia ‘Mixed up Miss’ First flowers on this Rhododendron rothschildii….

17th November

…the five different original 1895 sasanqua plants growing on the castle wall. ‘Navahoe’ ‘Navahoe’ ‘Navahoe’ ‘Silver Dollar’ ‘Silver Dollar’ ‘Silver Dollar’ ‘Rosea Plena’ – very yellow foliage ‘Rosea Plena’ ‘Rosea…

4th October

…after this peculiar summer. Malus ‘Jelly King’ Malus ‘Jelly King’ Sorbus commixta var. sachalinensis heavily laden with fruit. The largest crop so far on this 13 year old tree. Sorbus…

31st May

…Chelsea. Azalea ‘Orange King’ Azalea ‘Orange King’ A rogue Rhododendron ponticum is suddenly visible opposite Rhododendron stenaulum. It must go! Rhododendron ponticum Rhododendron ponticum Podocarpus ‘Blue Gem’ has the most…

27th March 1897 – 2020

…½ of (Narcissi) King A open. 1907 – JCW Well ahead of 1900, 1901, 1902 and 1904. Citron is opening. Monarch open and nearly all King A. 1904 – JCW…

13th May

…brood of cygnets. Not sure how many yet. 3 of the last years brood are still sulking in the lower moor. Saw 2 Kingfishers in their full plumage.We only have…

10th March

…Perfume’ in the Isla Rose Plantation really does have a gorgeous scent and is making a nicely shaped tree. Very floriferous at a young age. Magnolia ‘Rebecca’s Perfume’ Magnolia ‘Rebecca’s…

19th February

…off. Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’ Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’ Daphne bholua ‘Mary Rose’ perhaps the best thing in the garden today in the cold wind. Daphne bholua ‘Mary Rose’ Acacia cultriformis with…

22nd June

…Tilia carolina subsp. heterophylla Tilia carolina subsp. heterophylla Styrax faberi just coming out. Styrax faberi Ilex kingiana with berries already setting. Ilex kingiana Ilex kingiana Jaimie and Michael just back…

9th June

…what a flower show normally is! beached whale Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata the King’ and Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’. Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata the King’ Pinus parviflora Pinus parviflora Pinus parviflora Podophyllum…

19th May

…lawrencei ‘Purple King’ purchased at Hampton Court in 2019. Podocarpus lawrencei ‘Purple King’ Rhododendron ‘Graziella’ can be a shy flowerer but not this year. Rhododendron ‘Graziella’ Rhododendron ‘Graziella’ A 2017…

3rd April

…at the Top Lodge but there used to be a clump opposite the front door. Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ Camellia ‘Dear Jenny’ still looking good this late in the camellia season….

17th August

…swollen seed heads on Stewartia rostrata. Stewartia rostrata A few secondary flowers on Rhododendron ‘Winsome’. Rhododendron ‘Winsome’ Sorbus ‘Pearly King’ already starting to show up well. Sorbus ‘Pearly King’ Flowers…