26th September

FJ Williams Profile Picture
FJW 1955-2007
CH Williams Profile Picture
CHW 2015-
JC Williams Profile Picture
JCW 1897-1939
C Williams Profile Picture
CW 1940-1955

2024 – CHW

A day looking at the progress with some of our newly planted and new to us Camellia species.

Camellia edithae is going on nicely and making a decent shaped plant.

Camellia edithae
Camellia edithae
Camellia yunnanensis is not at all compact but has very distinct new growth.
Camellia yunnanensis
Camellia yunnanensis
Camellia chekiangoleosa has good secondary new growth but is quite slow to get going.
Camellia chekiangoleosa
Camellia chekiangoleosa
Camellia trichocarpa is now well established.
Camellia trichocarpa
Camellia trichocarpa
Magnolia virginiana ‘Pink Halo’ has had a growth spurt this summer.
Magnolia virginiana ‘Pink Halo’
Magnolia virginiana ‘Pink Halo’
The last flower on Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’.
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear'
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’
‘Polar Bear’ flowers being devoured by slugs.
slugs
slugs
Camellia forrestii only 1 year on from planting is getting going.
Camellia forrestii
Camellia forrestii
Viburnum henryi seed’s are as impressive as its flowers even if I have missed the best of them.
Viburnum henryi seed’s
Viburnum henryi seed’s
Camellia minutiflora is far from being a compact grower but is making floppy headway.
Camellia minutiflora
Camellia minutiflora
Camellia costei has tiny leaves and rather slow to get established.
Camellia costei
Camellia costei

2023 – CHW
To the Kitchen Garden to see how the Malus collection is performing after the drought in their first year after planting.Black fruits on Cornus walteri.

Cornus walteri
Cornus walteri
Secondary flowers (and no fruit) on Malus ‘Dr Campbells’.
Malus ‘Dr Campbells’
Malus ‘Dr Campbells’
Malus ‘Red Sentinel’.
Malus ‘Red Sentinel’
Malus ‘Red Sentinel’
Malus x robusta ‘Fruitilicious’.
Malus x robusta ‘Fruitilicious’
Malus x robusta ‘Fruitilicious’
Malus ‘Comtesse de Paris’ which I have not seen fruiting before.
Malus ‘Comtesse de Paris’
Malus ‘Comtesse de Paris’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’.
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Neville Copeman’.
Malus ‘Neville Copeman’
Malus ‘Neville Copeman’
Malus ‘Neville Copeman’
Malus ‘Neville Copeman’
Malus hupehensis.
Malus hupehensis
Malus hupehensis

2022 – CHW
A pole cat caught in one of our squirrel traps in Old Park. Until 18 months ago pole cats had never been found at Caerhays. Sightings are now quite regular and we clearly have a large population which will inevitably impact on other species in the food chain. Rabbit numbers still to recover and this may well be one key reason as they are likely to be the primary prey. A farmers chicken coup of 30 birds wiped out last week not by a fox or badger but by a pole cat.
Polecat
Polecat
Two young roe grazing happily along the Main Ride and taking no notice of the quad bike.
Deer on the path
Deer on the path
Deer on the path
Deer on the path
Deer on the path
Deer on the path
A squirrel investigating one of our new box traps.
Catching squirrels
Catching squirrels
Hydrangea sp (5247 N.E. Vietnam) with its first decent flowers.
Hydrangea sp (5247 N.E. Vietnam)
Hydrangea sp (5247 N.E. Vietnam)
Hydrangea sp (5247 N.E. Vietnam)
Hydrangea sp (5247 N.E. Vietnam)
First berries ever seen (and only 3) on Ilex ficoides.
Ilex ficoides
Ilex ficoides
The trunk of a young Nothofagus which I pushed over today. Another drought casualty.
trunk of a young Nothofagus
trunk of a young Nothofagus
Eucryphia moorei full out high up, but going over lower down.
Eucryphia moorei
Eucryphia moorei
Eucryphia moorei
Eucryphia moorei
Acer henryi has now gone red all over in under a week.
Acer henryi
Acer henryi
Arundinaria vagans can be a nuisance and grow to a smothering 1½ – 2 feet tall but an annual strimming readily keeps it under control.
Arundinaria vagans
Arundinaria vagans
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’ with much smaller panicles of flowers in a drought year and a rather quicker change from white to pink.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’

2021 – CHW
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’ just developing its pink tints.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’
Hydrangea aspera (a gift from Lord Howick in 2018) about to make a good late show.
Hydrangea aspera
Hydrangea aspera
Hydrangea aspera
Hydrangea aspera
Early autumn colour as usual on Cladastris kentukea.
Cladastris kentukea
Cladastris kentukea
A few more x Cupyrocyparis leylandii (to give it its latest botanical name) got cut down in Kennel Close. The foliage goes to a supermarket foliage supplier so less to burn and some minor income.
x Cupyrocyparis leylandii
x Cupyrocyparis leylandii
The few hips on Crataegus aprica are still not ripe.
Crataegus aprica
Crataegus aprica
Callicarpa shirasawanum in full flower in Tin Garden.
Callicarpa shirasawanum
Callicarpa shirasawanum
A few more seedpods showing up now on Michelia doltsopa but not yet ripe.
Michelia doltsopa
Michelia doltsopa
Michelia doltsopa
Michelia doltsopa
Hand weeding around the base of newly planted trees most important at this time of the year. Sadly it has revealed a few deads smothered in grass.
newly planted trees
newly planted trees
Acers starting to show autumn colour above the greenhouse.
Acers
Acers
Acers
Acers
Pinkish and white pampas grass flowers in profusion on the lake.
pampas grass
pampas grass
pampas grass
pampas grass

2020 – CHW
A visit to Leslie Baker’s garden at Brookvale near St Austell to see the early autumn colour which was fantastic.A second flowering on Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum as the leaves turn purple.
Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum
Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum
Amaryllis belladonna and Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’ make a wonderful September combination.
Amaryllis belladonna and Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’
Amaryllis belladonna and Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’
As do Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’ and Verbena bonariensis intertwined.
hanging basket
hanging basket
Anemone hopehensis ‘Hadspen Abundance’ was very fine and Leslie gives us a plant. One of the very best of the Japanese anemones – five petals.
Anemone hopehensis ‘Hadspen Abundance’
Anemone hopehensis ‘Hadspen Abundance’
Anemone hopehensis ‘Hadspen Abundance’
Anemone hopehensis ‘Hadspen Abundance’
A fine hanging basket.
hanging basket
hanging basket
Aster novi-belgii ‘Patricia Ballard’ just coming out.
Aster novi-belgii ‘Patricia Ballard’
Aster novi-belgii ‘Patricia Ballard’
Aster ‘Little Carlow’ was making a stunning show. About 3-4ft tall as a huge clump.
Aster ‘Little Carlow’
Aster ‘Little Carlow’
Aster ‘Little Carlow’
Aster ‘Little Carlow’
Aster ‘Little Carlow’
Aster ‘Little Carlow’
Unable to identify this which grew to 6ft or more. [It is Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’]
Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’
Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’
Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’
Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’
A 35 year old Malus ‘Golden Hornet’ laden to the gunnels with fruit.
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’ with nuts on an old tree pruned up to give summer shade to his dogs.
Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’
Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’
Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’
Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’
An odd secondary flowering on Rhododendron yakushimanum. I do not remember ever seeing this species do this before.
Rhododendron yakushimanum
Rhododendron yakushimanum
A fine combination of Dicksonia antarctica and Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’.
Dicksonia antarctica and Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’
Dicksonia antarctica and Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’
A fine mature plant of Thujopsis dolbrata with a little irregular leaf variegation here and there as is normal.
Thujopsis dolbrata
Thujopsis dolbrata
Pulmonaria longifolia standing out as a foliage plant even now. Impressive!
Pulmonaria longifolia
Pulmonaria longifolia
Two fine pink waterlilies.
waterlilies
waterlilies

2019 – CHW
Interesting to see what is still nicely in flower in the nursery in late September on a day of meetings at Burncoose.Kniphofia rooperi has regularly been the last of the red hot pokers to flower.
Kniphofia rooperi
Kniphofia rooperi
Lobelia ‘Compton Pink’ was still looking splendid in the cash point.
Lobelia ‘Compton Pink’
Lobelia ‘Compton Pink’
Lobelia ‘Compton Pink’
Lobelia ‘Compton Pink’
Colutea arborescens nearly over.
Colutea arborescens
Colutea arborescens
Calliandra surinamensis with its first ever flowers at Burncoose. A delicate ‘fluff’ of pink on a two year old plant. Tender but well worth it.
Calliandra surinamensis
Calliandra surinamensis
Grevillea ‘New Blood’ which was a new introduction for us a couple of years ago is a splendid red.
Grevillea ‘New Blood’
Grevillea ‘New Blood’
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Rosea’ just coming out. Superb at this time of the year.
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Rosea’
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Rosea’
Berries galore on Pyracantha ‘Saphyr Red’ and ‘Saphyr Orange’ as usual even on small plants in pots.
Pyracantha ‘Saphyr Red’ and ‘Saphyr Orange’
Pyracantha ‘Saphyr Red’ and ‘Saphyr Orange’
Pyracantha ‘Saphyr Red’ and ‘Saphyr Orange’
Pyracantha ‘Saphyr Red’ and ‘Saphyr Orange’
And early autumn colours too starting to appear here and there.
Asimina triloba has leaves which are nearly yellow as those on the Cladastris kentuckea. They go yellow then nearly white before dropping.
Asimina triloba
Asimina triloba
Carya ovata turning early too.
Carya ovata
Carya ovata
Acer freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’ quite superb on the tree lines.
Acer freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’
Acer freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’
Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’ not yet quite doing its stuff.
Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’
Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’

2018 – CHW
A morning in the nursery.Kniphofia rooperi in full flower and much later out than most of the other forms.
Kniphofia rooperi
Kniphofia rooperi
Kniphofia rooperi
Kniphofia rooperi
Abutilon ‘Red Hot Lava’ with its curiously veined orange flowers. A nice new batch for sale from our own cuttings.
Abutilon ‘Red Hot Lava’
Abutilon ‘Red Hot Lava’
Abutilon ‘Red Hot Lava’
Abutilon ‘Red Hot Lava’
Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala just starting its vivid red autumn colours at the tips of some twigs.
Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala
Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala
Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala
Acer tataricum subsp. ginnala

2017 – CHW
Sparse seeding on the wild collected form of Magnolia cylindrica. Some seed pods are rounded with only a few seeds. Others a more normal magnolia seedpod shape.
Magnolia cylindrica
Magnolia cylindrica
Magnolia cylindrica
Magnolia cylindrica
Fruits on Cornus wcberi which is clearly a misspelling which I once sorted out but now forget. They are very red and rounded. Lots of new growth here from below the graft to remove or this plant will die.
Cornus wcberi
Cornus wcberi
Cornus wcberi
Cornus wcberi

2016 – CHW
Another mature castanopsis which may well be Castanopsis cuspidata has seed forming but not yet mature.
Castanopsis cuspidata
Castanopsis cuspidata
Sassafras tzumu has very distinct leaves and was well known to James in France.
Sassafras tzumu
Sassafras tzumu
Sassafras tzumu
Sassafras tzumu
Clethra pringleyi is another (the second) new species which we have missed in flower. Clearly tender, this plant has taken a while to get going.
Clethra pringleyi
Clethra pringleyi
Clethra pringleyi
Clethra pringleyi

2015 – CHW

One of the debates of the last decade has been when will the large Cryptomeria japonica which has been leaning and defying gravity for many years finally succumb to gravity? A tough old historic tree which can certainly be seen in pre World War I pictures of the castle.

Cryptomeria japonica
Cryptomeria japonica
Cryptomeria japonica
Cryptomeria japonica
A plant you often see in formal designed landscapes. We all enjoyed the Alan Titchmarsh programme on Belvoir Castle last Thursday outlining the Duchess of Rutland’s attempts to recreate the 200 plus year old Capability Brown landscape which never got beyond the design and mapping stage. Emma Rutland’s book is due out soon with, we hope, credits to Burncoose for creating a new woodland garden at Belvoir. Lots of photos of Burncoose planting at Belvoir can be found on the Burncoose landscaping section.
Verbena bonariensis is another ‘last of the summer’ herbaceous plant to cheer us up as well as the butterflies which seemed to be having a day off today which is rather overcast.
Verbena bonariensis
Verbena bonariensis
Verbena bonariensis
Verbena bonariensis
Verbena bonariensis
Verbena bonariensis

2002 – FJW
Very dry since mid August – a few showers but main rain has fallen elsewhere in the country. Not too hot but east wind.1969 – FJW
All grain and straw in – big rain hold up for fortnight and last 3 ½ acres.

1916 – JCW
The following rhodo’s with bits of flower open – R scintillans, 10333. fastigiatum, racemosum, flavidum, intricatum, rupicolum, decorum, ponticum, and chrysanthum hybrids nobleanum and mikado.