8th 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

2023 – CHW

A dead Aesculus hippocastanum at the end of Sinogrande Walk. It, and its already dead colleague, took the initial hit when in leaf in March 2018 and the Beast arrived.

dead Aesculus hippocastanum
dead Aesculus hippocastanum
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’ fades to green rather than pink here on Hovel Cart Road.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’
An unnamed rhododendron with a decent autumn show.
unnamed rhododendron
unnamed rhododendron
Rhododendron ‘Michael’s Pride’ with secondary flowers in a nursery bed. I have not seen this before.
Rhododendron ‘Michael’s Pride’
Rhododendron ‘Michael’s Pride’
Rhododendron ‘Bowjingles’ with a flower or two.
Rhododendron ‘Bowjingles’
Rhododendron ‘Bowjingles’
Microtropis petelotii covered in seed heads.
Microtropis petelotii
Microtropis petelotii
Viburnum x hillieri ‘Winton’ with a few red seeds.
Viburnum x hillieri ‘Winton’
Viburnum x hillieri ‘Winton’
Secondary flowers in Rhododendron elliottii.
Rhododendron elliottii
Rhododendron elliottii

2022 – CHW
Tom Hudson gave us ripe seeds today at the Great Gardens of Cornwall meeting of:– Meliosma cuneifolia – Maurice Foster’s collection No. MF97137 from Baoxing, Sichuan
– Meliosma cuneifolia – Tom Hudson’s collection No. TH0G97 from Caojiam, Yunnan

Also a plant of Meliosma dentata from Mexico together with a spray of nicely scented flowers as you see here. On our Meliosma day at Tregrehen on 21st July we saw the spikes of flower buds. These have taken 6 weeks to open and they are not fully open yet. The Chinese species are setting seeds while this Mexican species is in flower.

Meliosma dentata
Meliosma dentata
Meliosma dentata
Meliosma dentata
Meliosma dentata
Meliosma dentata
Torreya nucifera covered in fruits which are already ripe and dropping. This young plant has never set seed before and has enjoyed the drought. The nearby Cephalotaxus fortunei has hated the heat and has dieback.
Torreya nucifera
Torreya nucifera
Torreya nucifera
Torreya nucifera
Torreya nucifera
Torreya nucifera
Its not going to be a great seed year after the drought but here are a few things for Asia and Cressy to collect for sowing currently in Kennel Close.
Tilia maximowicziana
Tilia maximowicziana
Tilia maximowicziana
Sorbus aff. ligustrifolia
Sorbus aff. ligustrifolia
Sorbus aff. ligustrifolia
Sorbus aff. ligustrifolia
Sorbus aff. ligustrifolia
Tilia zamoyskiana
Tilia zamoyskiana
Tilia zamoyskiana
Sorbaronia ‘Liquorice’
Sorbaronia ‘Liquorice’
Sorbaronia ‘Liquorice’
Sorbaronia ‘Liquorice’
Sorbaronia ‘Liquorice’
Just a few fruits on Torreya grandis which are not yet ripe.
Torreya grandis
Torreya grandis

2021 – CHW

The second grass cut of the garden is well underway and perhaps half complete. After a wet July most areas will need a second cut so that the public can view the garden and its wild primroses, garlic, violets and bluebells unencumbered by grass growth next spring. After a much drier August shady areas will not need a second cut but the newly planted and more open areas definitely do.

These two pictures show how the larger rhododendrons have fared since they were moved out from the Rookery Nursery bed in late March. Some watering was necessary in a dry May. They need rain now, as the pictures demonstrate, but plenty of new growth none the less and a good start for these rarer species.

rhododendrons
rhododendrons
rhododendrons
rhododendrons

2020 – CHW
Crataegus schraderiana with its fruits now coloured up.
Crataegus schraderiana
Crataegus schraderiana
Crataegus schraderiana
Crataegus schraderiana
Crataegus schraderiana
Crataegus schraderiana
Photinia villosa var. coreana absolutely laden with berries.
Photinia villosa var. coreana
Photinia villosa var. coreana
Photinia villosa var. coreana
Photinia villosa var. coreana
Photinia villosa var. coreana
Photinia villosa var. coreana

2019 – CHW
Hedychium densiflorum ‘Assam Orange’ was a gift from Leslie Baker last year. It is establishing well.
Hedychium densiflorum ‘Assam Orange’
Hedychium densiflorum ‘Assam Orange’
Lapageria rosea ‘Flesh Pink’ is just out with plenty more buds developing on what is a young plant.
Lapageria rosea ‘Flesh Pink’
Lapageria rosea ‘Flesh Pink’
The ancient Lapageria rosea has been out for a while with one flower low down and embedded in the Alstroemeria.
Lapageria rosea
Lapageria rosea
Lapageria rosea ‘Picotee’ beneath the scaffolding with a good show of flowers despite its current affliction.
Lapageria rosea ‘Picotee’
Lapageria rosea ‘Picotee’
Lapageria rosea ‘Picotee’
Lapageria rosea ‘Picotee’
I think the Lapagerias are a little later into full flower this year than last but need to check back in the diary. When I do, with Edwina’s help, I find I am talking piffle and that ‘Picotee’ was out last year on 24th September and still had flowers on 29th November! However ‘Flesh Pink’ was out on 21st August so my memory is not yet quite as defective as all that!
Plenty of seed pods on the original Camellia saluenensis.
Camellia saluenensis
Camellia saluenensis
Rhododendron schlippenbachii starting to show its autumn colours.
Rhododendron schlippenbachii
Rhododendron schlippenbachii
The first time I have seen a plethora of chubby six-sectional seed heads forming on Hoheria angustifolia.
Hoheria angustifolia
Hoheria angustifolia

2018 – CHW
This is a discovery! A mature evergreen euonymus species which I had never noticed before and will need to get identified. Can anyone help? One obvious seed pod but none I could see higher up the tree.

euonymus species
euonymus species
euonymus species
euonymus species
euonymus species
euonymus species
Rhododendron kiyosumense with attractive autumn colour and a few still green seed pods forming. A good deciduous species.
Rhododendron kiyosumense
Rhododendron kiyosumense
Rhododendron kiyosumense
Rhododendron kiyosumense
Acer sikkimense has survived the drought but made little new growth in its second year from planting.
Acer sikkimense
Acer sikkimense
Acer sikkimense
Acer sikkimense

2017 – CHW
Surprising what is still in flower while autumn approaches.Cornus amomum ‘Blue Cloud’ with wonderful autumn colour.
Cornus amomum ‘Blue Cloud’
Cornus amomum ‘Blue Cloud’
Cornus amomum ‘Blue Cloud’
Cornus amomum ‘Blue Cloud’
Cornus amomum ‘Blue Cloud’
Cornus amomum ‘Blue Cloud’
Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Sun’ looking very fine.
Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Sun’
Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Sun’
Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Sun’
Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Sun’
Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Stephi’ now full out.
Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Stephi’
Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Stephi’
Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Stephi’
Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Stephi’
Agastache fren. ‘Blue Fortune’ likewise.
Agastache fren. ‘Blue Fortune’
Agastache fren. ‘Blue Fortune’
Agastache fren. ‘Blue Fortune’
Agastache fren. ‘Blue Fortune’
Dichroa febrifuga
Dichroa febrifuga
Dichroa febrifuga
Dichroa febrifuga
Dichroa febrifuga
A new species of tender beschorneria – Beschorneria albiflora.
Beschorneria albiflora
Beschorneria albiflora
Beschorneria albiflora
Beschorneria albiflora
Beschorneria albiflora
Beschorneria albiflora
Colletia hystrix
Colletia hystrix
Colletia hystrix
Paeonia potanini
Paeonia potanini
Paeonia potanini
Illicium oligandrum – a new species of illicium for the 2018 catalogue.
Illicium oligandrum
Illicium oligandrum
Illicium oligandrum
Illicium oligandrum
Aralia elata in full flower.
Aralia elata
Aralia elata
Aralia elata
Aralia elata
Zenobia with ripening seeds.
Zenobia
Zenobia
Buddleia ‘Silver Anniversary’ – in flower. An attractive combination with the leaves.
Buddleia ‘Silver Anniversary’
Buddleia ‘Silver Anniversary’
Buddleia ‘Silver Anniversary’
Buddleia ‘Silver Anniversary’
Pseudopanax with seeds.
Pseudopanax with seeds
Pseudopanax with seeds
Rudbeckia triloba ‘Prairie Glow’ in full flower.
Rudbeckia triloba ‘Prairie Glow’
Rudbeckia triloba ‘Prairie Glow’
Rudbeckia triloba ‘Prairie Glow’
Rudbeckia triloba ‘Prairie Glow’
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpurea
Kniphofia ‘Little Maid’ rather late in the season.
Kniphofia ‘Little Maid’
Kniphofia ‘Little Maid’
Kniphofia ‘Little Maid’
Kniphofia ‘Little Maid’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’ laden down with fruit as usual.
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Acer freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’ living up to its name.
Acer freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’
Acer freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Early Sensation’ fading off to pink.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Early Sensation’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Early Sensation’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Early Sensation’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Early Sensation’
Arundo donax ‘Golden Chain’ outside the converted barns which is clearly in the wrong place but looking very fine indeed. Loads of new shoots.
Arundo donax ‘Golden Chain’
Arundo donax ‘Golden Chain’
Arundo donax ‘Golden Chain’
Arundo donax ‘Golden Chain’
Arundo donax ‘Golden Chain’
Arundo donax ‘Golden Chain’
Ligustrum japonicum ‘Aureum’ in full flower.
Ligustrum japonicum ‘Aureum’
Ligustrum japonicum ‘Aureum’
Ligustrum japonicum ‘Aureum’
Ligustrum japonicum ‘Aureum’
Dregea sinensis
Dregea sinensis
Dregea sinensis
Dregea sinensis
Dregea sinensis

2016 – CHW
Mespilus germanica with a good crop of fruit which is not yet ripe. The tree is putting on secondary new growth after the rain.

Mespilus germanica
Mespilus germanica
Mespilus germanica
Mespilus germanica

2015 – CHW

Outside the front gates Hydrangea aspera ssp robusta (ex Crug) is flowering for the first time. Very late and long after the other aspera villosa group flowers have faded. It looks rather like a white form of Hydrangea sargentiana but now the botanists strike again and Hydrangea sargentiana is now reclassified as Hydrangea aspera subsp. sargentiana. On what basis was this change made I wonder?

Hydrangea aspera ssp robusta
Hydrangea aspera subsp. robusta
Hydrangea aspera ssp robusta
Hydrangea aspera subsp. robusta
Hydrangea aspera ssp robusta
Hydrangea aspera subsp. robusta

Some redcurrant berries on Viburnum betulifolium but the pheasants are demolishing the lot. Supposedly this viburnum species does not fruit at a young age.

Viburnum betulifolium
Viburnum betulifolium

1988 – FJW
All corn in – and most of straw.

1976 – FJW
Another drop of rain in the evening – 3rd spell in 3 months.

1968 – FJW
All straw in.

1962 – FJW
All corn gathered in.

2 thoughts on “8th September

  1. Thank you for nice pictures! But I think the top right picture of the 8th of September is wrong. It says Cornus amomum but shouldn’t it be Cercis (perhaps canadensis) ?
    Greetings from Sweden!

    1. Thank you for your comment. You are indeed correct and the picture on the right is NOT Cornus amomum ‘Blue Cloud’. We will get the correct pictures up as soon as our webmasters are back from their well deserved Christmas break!

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