…trees which will hopefully produce edible fruit occasionally in this hot spot. aroma and currants to go in now with a few lotus trees Nearest the Jacobean watch tower will…

…weighted across the road by the Tower. Without this uplift it would have eventually collapsed. pruned Prunus mahaleb The largest tree in the new Rookery clearing is now down so…

…the greenhouse. Crassula arborescens Acanthus mollis and Anemone hupehensis ‘Queen Charlotte’. Acanthus mollis and Anemone hupehensis ‘Queen Charlotte’ Kirengeshoma palmata nicely in flower. Kirengeshoma palmata The viaduct towers over Leslie’s…

…‘Black Knight’ looking good together. Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ and Buddleia ‘Black Knight’ 2020 – CHW An old clump of Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’ on the drive. Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’ Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’…

…in juicy black fruits in the Isla Rose. Berberis xanthoclada Berberis xanthoclada Berberis subacuminata (FMWJ 1329) with fruits also just turning black. Berberis subacuminata Callicarpa dichotoma just coming into flower…

…it is in August. Fuchsia and Echium seedlings The evergreen Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ is excellent as well. Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ Garrya…

…surprising white with, I admit, a blackish velvety stem. Wrongly named? No idea as it is entirely new to me and not in any reference book. Magnolia ‘Black Velvet’ Magnolia…

…starts for our new glasshouse along the top wall. Clearance work Canna ‘Tropicanna Black’ and Acacia longifolia out together. Canna ‘Tropicanna Black’ Aronia melanocarpa ‘Autumn Magic’ with ripe, black berries…

…shop. daffodils Fine colours too on Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ just before the leaves fall. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ The squirrels are munching out the bigger acorns from the…

…recent cold up country and snow in the Midlands.Saxifraga ‘Black Ruby’ looking good in flower. Saxifraga ‘Black Ruby’ Saxifraga ‘Black Ruby’ Helleborus ‘Annas Red’ just coming out. A fine batch…

…a small rounded flower. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Deep Purple Dream’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Deep Purple Dream’ Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Titan’ – first flowering and not quite what I…

…edging to the petals as you would expect from a Ruby. Planted 2015. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia ‘Pickards Ruby’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia ‘Pickards Ruby’ Magnolia dawsoniana ‘Chindit’…

…a quite extraordinary colour. Rhododendron dichroanthum ssp. scyphocalyx (F6761) Rhododendron ‘Award’. Rhododendron ‘Award’ Rhododendron ‘Black Magic’. Rhododendron ‘Black Magic’ Rhododendron ‘Glebe’s Surprise’ – there are very few double flowered rhodos…

…the Rookery are Ilex kingiana. Nobbles on the trunks, a black hue to this year’s new growth and two year old stems developing a light brown ‘woody’ covering. Ilex kingiana…

…years and they seen to develop a black fungal infection in the main trunk. Two others nearby are about to go the same way. Snakebark maple The Exochorda are romping…

…‘Black Beauty’ still in bud is darker (in bud) than ‘Genie’ or ‘Black Tulip’. MAGNOLIA ‘Sunray’ Magnolia ‘Sunray’ is not as poor as I thought 10 days ago and has…

…Cutting back laurel and rhododendron above Hovel Cart Road. laurel and rhododendron A clump of six Enkianthus chinensis on Hovel Cart Road. Enkianthus chinensis Enkianthus chinensis Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’…

…Hillier’ showing a little more pink than usual. Magnolia campbellii ‘Sir Harold Hillier’ Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x ‘Black Tulip’ – excellent! Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x ‘Black Tulip’…

…‘Black Tulip’ with five flowers. This one the best with least wind damage. Very good indeed! Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ First flowers (three) on Magnolia ‘Kitti Wake’ of…

…of Magnolia ‘Rose Marie’ x ‘Black Tulip’. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ After all last week’s excitement over the Cephalotaxus fortunei I thought I would have a look at the related species….