Sorbus folgneri ‘Emiel’ was felled in Goretti but now reshooting well.

As is Cornus ‘Gloria Birkett’.

I surprise a squirrel eating the flowers on Heptacodium miconioides.

Acer mandshuricum looks drought struck but is still alive.

The clump of Rhododendron ‘Winsome’ on the drive is dead in the back and I would expect to grub out the front plants too by next spring.

Hydrangea aspera subsp. ‘Robusta’ on the drive and looking well.

Hydrangea aspera Kawakamii Group from Formosa rather more drought affected.

2025 – CHW

Hydrangea ‘Générale Vicomtesse de Vibraye’ was cut down last year. Now flowering sparsely after the drought.

An unknown rhododendron covered in flower below HQN.

Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Snow Bird’ has made tremendous growth despite the drought.

Euonymus tonkinensis with still green seed pods.

Picconia excelsa has enjoyed the dry summer.

Viburnum luzonicum ‘Oblongum’ with a few orange berries.

Morotropsis petiolata seems identical to Euonymus tonkinensis. Neither are listed in Hilliers.

Euonymus oxyphyllus from Crug Farm with ripe seed dropping.

2024 – CHW
The bananas in the Burncoose Nurseries car park have grown exponentially.

The elderly Magnolia soulangeana on the Burncoose drive has many, dark purple, secondary flowers.

Last few flowers on Weigela coraeensis at the entrance to Burncoose gardens – these age from white to pink and then red.

Cotoneaster bullatus covered in berries which are already ripe by the KPK offices.

Gigantic seed heads of white seeds on the pot grown Cordyline banksii.

Viburnum tinus ‘Lisarose’ in full flower. It normally performs in December – March.
A good lot of home grown climbing plants re-potted, trimmed and re-tied to new canes ready for sale next spring.

2023 – CHW
Thuja koraiensis dead in the Isla Rose. Too hot and dry. The 3 in the Rookery are fine despite the roe deer liking them.

A secondary flower or two on Rhododendron yakushimanum.

The original pre-1910 clump of white arboreum has finally died in the drought. Asia has seedlings but the plant still has much seed to give from its final terminal flowering. Thankfully self-sown seedlings are doing well beside it.

One Camellia reticulata ‘Captain Rawes’ ringbarked by a strimmer but still alive. Its neighbour is not. Strimmer not drought! Keep the wire netting surrounds for longer even if clearing them out once a year produces more work.

Drought struck rhododendrons tyring to reshoot half way down the stems.

Eupatorium ligustrinum nearly over on Bond Street.

Another suddenly dead oak tree between the Ferneries. I fear that we do need to fell this one.

2022 – CHW
My gardening friend, Peter Shotter, sends me this wonderful picture of a (pale) Lapageria rosea in flower growing up through his Magnolia doltsopa! Quite a sight! He wants to propagate Lapageria rosea ‘Picotee’ and we are doing so.

I will do a video soon on how to propagate Lapageria from layers or layered tendrils from small plants in Asia’s propagation unit. It is a slow process, taking a couple of years, with very small numbers of results but Peter is top of the list for ‘Picotee’ if we can produce one of a decent size. A loss leader of course but important to propagate something as rare and beautiful as this. We looked at pictures of ‘Picotee’ a few days ago but here it is again.

Concrete laying nearing completion at White Styles.

2021 – CHW
Calliandra surinamensis was planted out three years ago for want of something to do with it when it was too big to remain in the greenhouse. As its name implies, it is clearly a conservatory plant. Nevertheless here it is in rude health on a sunny but sheltered bank.

Indigofera howellii ‘Reginald Cory’ is perhaps the best thing in flower today in the garden.

A seedling tree paeony has appeared under a Rosa roxburgii. Unusual!

Pheasants eating the ripe juicy blue-black berries on Cornus controversa.

A rather better flower now on Hedychium spicatum ‘Liberty’ (BWJ 8116). Last week’s picture did not do it justice. A very intricate flower.