14th February

…leaves laurel leaves A windblown twig from the Trevanion Holly on the drive for identification. I had earlier thought it might be Ilex altaclarensis ‘Balearica’ but it is also pretty…

20th February

…come down when the Thuja are cleared up. rotten Quercus ilex rotten Quercus ilex Corylopsis pauciflora just starting to show flowers. Corylopsis pauciflora Extensive secondary new growth on Rhododendron oldhamii…

13th March

…koehniana – a very upright habit. Ilex koehniana Ilex koehniana Magnolia maudii – very different to the Tregrehan plants. Magnolia maudii Schefflera macrophylla at about 10-12ft in height. Schefflera macrophylla…

4th April

…House Ghost’ still out in full flower. Daphne bholua ‘Garden House Ghost’ Picea schrenkiana purchased from Mallet Court. Picea schrenkiana Another new ilex species for the collection – Ilex colchica….

13th April

…drupacea Pimelia drupacea Ilex x meserveae ‘Casanova’ nearly in flower and a great contrast. Again, never seen before. Ilex x meserveae ‘Casanova’ Ilex x meserveae ‘Casanova’ Back home the laurel…

16th April

…but that looks like the age of the plant. Not planted by me I suspect but can readily check. Ilex ficiodes Ilex ficiodes A nice 10 years old group of…

18th April

Ilex corallina Ilex corallina Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Woodsman’ x ‘Patriot’ has extraordinary colours in its bud and flowers as they open. Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Woodsman’ x ‘Patriot’ Magnolia x brooklynensis…

4th May

…Sequoiadendron giganteum Ilex dipyrena Ilex dipyrena Ilex dipyrena Rhododendron ‘Jubilee Queen’ (loderi ‘Venus’ x Rose du Barri – 1935) Rhododendron ‘Jubilee Queen’ (loderi ‘Venus’ x Rose du Barri – 1935)…

29th July

…whiteish speckling on the fruits. Early berries forming on Ilex kingiana. Most years these only go red in the New Year but I cannot see this not happening much earlier…

6th May

…unnamed Wild Ajuga growing in meadowland. Ajuga Ajuga Ilex castaneifolia in flower – once from Burncoose I think. Ilex castaneifolia Ilex castaneifolia A newly installed driftwood pig! driftwood pig Camellia…

1st June

…felled and found to be rotten. clearing the fallen Ilex oak clearing the fallen Ilex oak Deutzia subulata is fairly small growing and compact. Just a tinge of very pale…

15th June

…on the top drive do not all flower at the same time nor do all the trees yet seem to be old enough to do so. Quercus ilex Quercus ilex

16th June

…gift from Windsor planted in 1991 and now a 30-40ft upright tree. Ilex latifolia Ilex latifolia The wonderful red new growth on Reevsia sinica which is now growing well after…

17th June

…Quercus glauca Ilex hookeri which once grew at Caerhays but never seen before by me. Ilex hookeri Ilex hookeri Cistus salviifolius ‘Prostratus’. Cistus salviifolius ‘Prostratus’ 2022 – CHW Exciting news…

26th June

…holly leaves today. Quercus ilex Quercus ilex Another wedding. Another wedding 2023 – CHW Juglans ailantifolia is producing walnuts for the second year but no more than 2 or 3…

17th July

…pinnativenulosa planted very recently in the Rookery. Attractive red new growth. Quercus pinnativenulosa Quercus pinnativenulosa Holly berry forming on the ancient Ilex dipyrena above Rookery Nursery bed. Holly berry Cotoneaster…

21st July

…on Ilex aff. gagnepainiana (FMWJ13168) Planted last autumn. Ilex aff. gagnepainiana Ilex aff. gagnepainiana Flowers coming on Schefflera pauciflora (WWJ1199) and very different leaves to our other S. paucifloras. Schefflera…

17th May

…species seen in a few days. Carya cordiformis Ilex cerasifolia from Brazil which has survived the winter and now with red new growth. Ilex cerasifolia Ilex cerasifolia I have stated…

9th August

…triphyllum Plenty of berries on a female form of Ilex cornuta. Ilex cornuta Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’ covered in secondary flowers as it was last year. Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’ Hoheria stylosa ‘Snow White’…

17th November

…europaeus A fine show of berries on a group of Ilex aquifolium near Rescassa which the birds have so far left alone. Many of our hollies have few berries this…