The flowering season for camellias at Mount Edgcumbe runs from October to May. Last summer I was still trying to sort out a host of nomenclatural issues from the 2015/16 flowering season. This summer there has not been much that I could add to that, so my last four weekly visits have been spent strimming … Continue reading What happens when nothing’s happening.
Mt Edgcumbe
New shoots.
I have now spent fourteen months trying to identify with certainty the many camellias at Mt Edgcumbe which appear to be wrongly named. I have had my successes but they are woefully outnumbered by my failures. What is lacking is a range of characteristics that, if not set in stone, are at least reasonably consistent … Continue reading New shoots.
A Trio of Awkward Aussies.
'Jean Lyne' is an Australian variety raised in the 1940's. Its register description is semi-double white with pink stripes and flecks. Two sports are listed, 'Edith Linton' and 'Nancy Bird'. There is a plant labelled 'Jean Lyne' in Area 4D. I took these pictures of it yesterday. 'Edith Linton' seems to have been released … Continue reading A Trio of Awkward Aussies.
Unravelling Julia Drayton.
There are some groups of camellias that seem particularly problematic as far as correct naming goes. One such group centres around 'Julia Drayton'. The variety was found and named at Magnolia Gardens, John's Island, South Carolina but is thought to have come from Europe originally. No similar variety has been found in Europe so it … Continue reading Unravelling Julia Drayton.
Doing other things
The last few weeks have been peak camellia season and I should have liked to have spent a little extra time up at the collection checking on things while flowering continued. As it is there have been other things to do and I have instead spent less time on site. All is not lost however. … Continue reading Doing other things
Another small step
I have put pictures up for another section at Mount Edgcumbe, 1L. It is a bit longwinded to slot in pictures to an existing entry so I am waiting until I have the majority in a section before putting anything up. A lot of stuff is starting to flower now and I am snapping away, … Continue reading Another small step
New Year, same objective
It's nearly three weeks since I was up at Mt Edgcumbe: Christmas, New Year and a terrible cold are now history. The forecast was for rain all day, I set out with misgivings. It stayed dry and there was much to see. The sasanquas have finished with the exception of 'Gay Sue'. Some of Dr … Continue reading New Year, same objective
New additions, old problems
Yesterday morning was spent producing labels on a Gravograph machine. Some were for new additions to the collection, others for plants which have lost their labels for one reason or another. Today I went back to attach some of the labels, but more particularly, to put wire around some of the newly planted bushes that … Continue reading New additions, old problems
Mt Edgcumbe update
I have now added Areas H, N and M. Some plants are missing because I do not have photos yet. I think I am now at 262 plants illustrated out of 1606 in the collection. There are currently 865 taxa in the collection that are planted in the park, a few more being grown on … Continue reading Mt Edgcumbe update
Mt Edgcumbe, redrawing the maps
One of the more important tasks I have undertaken over the past few months is to update the maps of the collection. These are hand written and have been much amended and annotated over the years. Each section has been checked, noting where plants are missing, have been replaced or additions made. I have then … Continue reading Mt Edgcumbe, redrawing the maps
Jim's Camellias 