Deer have smashed Acradenia frankliniae. We need to keep the wire netting on evergreens for longer.

A recently planted Viburnum prunifolium ‘Mrs. Henry’s Large’.

Sorbus dunnii with plenty of fruits.

Tristaniopsis laurina has just about finished flowering and seed heads forming.

Halesia macgregorii with seed heads which are still unripe.

The fourth ancient Camellia sasanqua by the ladies loos is suddenly full out.

2025 – CHW

Solomon’s seals (Polygonatum x hybridum) with ripe seeds.

Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’ just starting to make a good show outside the Drawing Room. After the drought it is two feet shorter than usual.

Roy Lancaster’s unnamed Chinese species of climbing rose died but has reemerged from the dead in the form of root suckers. We have just tied it up to the wall and I see some hips.

Vaccinium urceolatum with ripe black fruits.

The usual (poor) secondary flowers on Rhododendron ‘Norfolk Candy’.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Variegata’ with 3 flowers – very early indeed into flower.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Variegata’ and Rhododendron mucronulatum.

White and pink Lapagerias out together.

Lapageria rosea and Camellia sasanqua – single white.

Globular seed heads on Aristolochia sempervirens (BSWJ 13600) – not yet ripe.

2024 – CHW
Very heavy rain overnight but I should think we missed the worst of the thunderstorms.Multiple seed pods on Hypericum forrestii. The first time I have seen these on the young plant given to us by Maurice Foster. The plant is easy enough from cuttings so perhaps no need to gather the seed?

Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Gold Rush’ and Araucaria araucana look good together in the pale light.

The trouble with Liquidambars is that they are constantly splitting out.

Nevertheless not bad early colour high up on Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Red Star’ nonetheless.

No fruits at all this year on Asimina triloba.

Lots more dead Aucuba below Hardy and Berts Nursery.

Magnolia ‘Coral Pink’ has always looked sickly. I had thought someone had shot out the top of the tree as you can see. Now I wonder if the pruning of the lower branches has caused the rot and infection which you now see?

I went to see if there were any small black cherries left on Prunus pilosiuscula. I was too late!

2023 – CHW
Acanthus sennii in flower.

Copious seed heads on Pittosporum adaphniphylloides in the show tunnel.

Field grown Amaryllis belladonna below the show tunnel.

Osmanthus heterophyllus just out at Caerhays – the record tree.

First flowers that we have ever seen on Tristaniopsis laurina. Five years after planting out and two drought summers.

Acanthopanax aff. sessiliflorus covered in black fruit as usual.

Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ with yet more secondary flowers. Two crops of these in reality.

Rhus chinensis just out in flower – a little earlier than usual?

2022 – CHW
Hydrangea aspera (from Lord Howick) in full flower today.

Rather small flowers this year on Gevuina avellana after the drought.

A few tail end flowers on Rhododendron ‘Pink Polar Bear’. They appear now after rain.

Flower buds nearly out on Camellia taliensis

In Tin Garden excellent secondary flowers on Rhododendron davidsonianum ‘Caerhays Pink’. I have not seen this on these plants before.

Huge ripe berries on Prunus laurocerasus which the pheasants are enjoying.

A good show of berries on several species of Crataegus:-

Crataegus wattiana – already shrivelling and over

Crataegus ellwangeriana ‘Fire Ball’ – best show so far

Crataegus ‘Combyi’

Crataegus chilensis – performing for the first time properly here and most impressive

Cupressus torulosa with numerous cones still green as yet.

The best show of berries so far seen on Cornus hemsleyi. The bush is now tall enough to escape clear nibbling lower down.

Also Cornus iberica with similar black berries.

Recent deer nibbling all too obvious on this drooping Prunus.

First flowering here in a young Clethra fabri (FMWJ 13037). Some drought damage to the plant and flowers. Upright flower spikes. If it survives another interesting addition to our Clethra collection

2021 – CHW
I forgot to mention that I last saw a swallow or a house martin here on 20th September. Our swallows in the dog kennel only fledged a very few days before that.A small lead valley to replace above the Georgian Hall where we had a bad leak into the archive room in the spring.

A leak above the museum shows a rusty metal girder in the roof. All we can do for now is mend the leadwork and replace the rotten timbers.

Dry rot that had been treated in a beam and is not ‘active’.

This lead pipe had bowed out and was leaking badly into the cellar. Now re-supported and refixed as it was originally.

A never ending series of minor leadwork repairs as the castle window painting nears completion.

Strangely a five minute radio interview with Radio Stoke about how to grow magnolias!

Clematis armandii with, as usual, a few autumn flowers on the castle front.

Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’ just coming out at about 8-9ft in height in front of the drawing room where it was planted only a year ago.