PGG Diary on the National Botanic Gardens of Wales

The Professional Gardeners’ Guild
Three Years Traineeship in Horticultural Practices
HORTICULTURAL DIARY
on The National Botanic Gardens of Wales
by Giulio Veronese
Period of traineeship
2011 – 2014

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© Giulio Veronese
Printed: April 2014, 1 Highgrove Cottages.
All photographs and pictures used in this report are by Giulio Veronese.

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The National Botanic Garden of Wales
exists to develop a viable world-class national botanic garden
dedicated to the research and conservation of biodiversity and its sustainable utilisation,
to lifelong learning, and to the enjoyment of the visitor.
Mission statement of The National Botanic Gardens of Wales

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Contents
Diary
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
9
23
41
54
68
82
100
129
155
167
176
187
Appendices
Twelfe months at the NBGW
The NBGW Horticultural Department 2012/2013
Map of the NBGW
Plant list
199
201
203
205
Acknowledgments 215

9
September
Monday 3rd
September
Sunny and warm.
11.5 °C
Practical: Having a first induction to the NBGW under the guide of Dawn, Office Administrator.
In the second part of the morning Martin, Senior Horticulturalist responsible for the Walled Garden, gives me an
introduction to the area under his responsibility.
In the afternoon I finally start my practical activities at the NBGW. For these first three months (September to
November) I am going to work with the Outside Team, mostly in the Double Walled Garden, where of Martin
Knowles, Senior Horticulturalist, is in charge.
I work with Martin in the circular beds of the Walled Garden, stripping off the previous perennial planting
which we need to replace with hellebores. I dig out standing Boxus sempervirens, Viburnum davidii and strip off
a few bracket ferns. The tools I use are a border fork, a rake for clearing up the surface and some plastic bags.
Everything has to go in the bin apart from a variegated, well-shaped specimen of Boxus sempervirens, which I
move to the hell area outside the polytunnel.
Tuesday 4th
September
Nice and warm.
15.4 °C
Practical: Carrying on stripping out the circular beds in the Walled Garden.
Having a short tour with Daryll, Senior Horticulturalist, through the areas under her responsibility, which are the
Broad Walk, the Bog Garden, the Sculpture Garden and the Japanese Garden. I am introduced to the specific
nature and concept behind those sites, as well as the several problems of maintenance and care they represent.
Observations: In these days I have the opportunity to admire the beautiful Viburnum davidii, which is
cultivated at the NGBW both in the Walled Garden and in the Broad Walk.
This is a popular, small spreading evergreen shrub,
with elliptic, deep green, leathery, three-veined leaves
and flattened heads of small dull white flowers
followed on cross-pollinated plants by long-lasting
“metallic” blue-black berries.
One of the most interesting aspects is about the non-
stop flowering and fruiting season. In the matter of
fact, viburnums are day-neutral plants (like
cucumbers, roses and tomatoes), which means that
they not initiate flowering based on photoperiodism
(i.e. the physiological reaction of organisms to the
length of day or night); they flower regardless of the
night length. They may initiate flowering after a
certain overall developmental stage or age, or in
response to alternative environmental stimuli, such as
vernalisation (a period of low temperature), rather
than in response to photoperiod.
One of the specimens of Viburnum davidii

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Wednesday 5th
September
Bit cloudy, few drizzle but still warm.
11.7 °C
Practical: Having a guided tour through the gardens
with Simon Goodenough, Curator of Horticulture at
NBGW. I’m introduced to the story of the site as well
as the several projects for the near future.
In the afternoon, I start trimming the hornbeam trees
(Carpinus betula) in the Walled Garden. This job will
keep me busy for a week if not more. I use an electric
trimmer for the first time. I find this type of
machinery quite handy.
Pros: no exhausts, less weight, noise and vibrations
than the ordinary petrol trimmers. Absolutely ideal for
amenity horticulture.
Cons: the electric cable tends to stay in the way and, if
the operator gets distracted or tired, can be cut while
carrying on the job.
Observations: In the Wild Garden and in the car park
beds, it’s displayed an interesting dogwood.
This is Cornus kousa var. chinensis (Chinese
Dogwood). It’s a broadly conical, deciduous tree with
flaking bark and ovate, smooth margined, dark green
leaves which turn deep crimson-purple in autumn. In
early summer, green flowers are produced in flower
heads and are followed by strawberry-like fleshy red
fruits. It provides an all-year round interest. Several
cultivars are available.
Plants are slow-growing when young, but they speed
up after a few years. It’s best left to develop with a
central-leader or as a branched-head standard with
minimal intervention. Gradually clear a short trunk
when young by pruning in the autumn or spring and
then keep pruning to an absolute minimum. Dead
wood should be removed after flowering but it does
not tolerate hard pruning.
Dogwoods are rarely affected by pests and diseases,
though some may suffer from Cornus anthracnose.
This fungal infection is most prevalent in cool, damp
weather, with infections showing as spots on the
leaves in late spring. Affected branches should be
pruned out and burnt.
They may also succumb to honey fungus. Cornus kousa var. chinensis

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Thursday 6th
September
Still nice and warm.
12.2 °C
Practical: Carrying on the same job of yesterday.
Today I trim the inside and lateral sides of the four
hornbeam’s hedges.
Tools are always the electric hedge trimmer, a tall
ladder and my secateurs for finishing off. I also use a
small gator with the trailer in order to keep the area
clear from the cuttings and presentable at any time.
The use of the secateurs is essential if a top-quality
trimming is desired. In the matter of fact, the
hornbeam’s broad foliage is quite fiddly to trim by
using only a hedge trimmer, as some leaves can stick
out and spoil the desired effect. A good operator
should finish off the hedge by using his (or her)
secateurs.
While I trim the hornbeams, Martin does the boxes of
the four circular beds, always by using an electric
hedge trimmer.
Martin Knowles, Senior Horticulturalist, and I in the Walled Garden
Friday 7th
September
Beautiful end-of-summer day. Sunny and warm.
14.3 °C
Practical: Carrying on the same job of yesterday.
Still keep going with the trimming of the insides and laterals.
The central circle of the Walled Garden with the formal topiary of boxes and hornbeams

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Monday 10th
September
Cloudy, rainy. First signs of autumn.
15.7 °C
Practical: Martin is off today, so I suspend the work on the hornbeam trees and trim the remaining dwarf boxes
instead. Because of the wet weather, I use a petrol trimmer.
In the afternoon I join Daryll, Sandy and Jenny for some border maintenance in the Apothecaries. It’s mainly
about spot weeding, cutting down herbaceous and general tidying up. I use secateurs, border fork, fan rake and
landscape rake, bucket and wheelbarrow.
I look after a section of the bed number 6, which is about plants having an economic interest.
Tuesday 11th
September
Very changeable, but dry.
15.9 °C
Practical: Mulching with woodchip the Ghost Forest.
This is an area hosting tree stumps which have come from the tropical rainforest of Ghana.
They are the inspiration of UK based artist Angela Palmer. She was horrified to learn that a tropical forest the
size of a rugby pitch is destroyed every four seconds.
Apart from the huge loss of species, rainforest loss is contributing to climate change.
Botanical Name Family Common Name Observations
Nesogordonia papaverifera Sterculiaceae
(Cocoa Family
Danta Found from Sierra Leone to Cameron and Northen Gabon.
Evergreen or briefly deciduous and the small crown has a
flush of pale green in otherwise dark foliage. Flowers white
and very fragrant.
Celtis mildbraedii Ulmaceae
(Elm Family)
Celtis Esa Distant relative of elm. Can be evergreen, but many of the
leaves fallen during the dry season.
It bears horizontal thin branches.
Guibourtia ehie Leguminosae
(Bean Family)
Anokye Hyedua Found from Sierra Leone to Gabon, preferring closed
rainforest and transitional rainforest and often growing in
small groups.
It bears tiny flowers and produces flat, papery pods at the
start of the dry season.
Triplochiton scleroxylon Sterculiaceae
(Cocoa Family)
Wawa Widely distributed in tropical West Africa.
It occurs in the semi-deciduous forest along rivers in the
savanna zone (gallery forest) and can regenerate well in
abandoned farms or in logged areas.
Khaya ivorensis Meliaceae
(Mahogany Family)
Mahogany Dubini Common in Ghana, it’s one of the most commercially
popular, attractive and versatile redwoods from the African
rainforest.
Celtis adolfi-friderici Ulmaceae
(Elm Family)
Celtis Esa-kosua It has a dark green, rounded crown, whose branches droop
at the ends. Fruits, when dry and partly rooted on the forest
floor, look like white shells with a pitted surface.
Celtis zenkeri Ulmaceae
(Elm Family)
Celtis Esa-kokoo This very large, dry deciduous tree is widely distributed in
tropical Africa and an important timber tree with excellent,
very durable, insect resistant wood used for construction,
furniture, tools and the like.
Cylicodiscus gabunensis Leguminosae
(Bean Family)
Denya Commonly found from Sierra Leone to Cameroon and
Gabon. Here it favors growing on red soil and along ridge-
tops.
It has short, fat buttresses and an enormous evergreen
crown, from which hang meter long fruit pods.
Piptadeniastrum africanum Leguminosae
(Bean Family)
Dahoma Large, briefly deciduous tree, to 45 m tall, 2.0 m diameter
above the large buttresses, often in drier or disturbed forests.
Flowers bisexual, pods flat, thin, 20-30 cm long, splitting to
release the flat, winged, wind-dispersed seeds.

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Loading the gator with woodchip Untipping and spreading the woodchip around the stumps
Wednesday 12th
September
White cloudy but still dry.
14.3 °C
Practical: Carrying on mulching and raking by the
Ghost Forest.
Observations: Celtis is the most-represented genus in
the Ghost Forest (with three species C. adolfi-
friderici, C. zenkeri and C. mildbraedii). This gives
me the opportunity to do some research about the
genus, until now known only for Celtis australis
(European Hackberry), which is a common choice for
parks and avenues in Italy.
Celtis, commonly known as Hackberries, is a genus of
about 60-70 species of deciduous trees wide spread in
warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere
(southern Europe, southern and eastern Asia, southern
and central North America, south to central Africa,
and northern and central South America).
The genus can usually be recognised by the
combination of two main lateral nerves branching
from the midrib at the base of the leaf and the short
petiole. The leaves and fruit are rather small and not
very helpful for identification. Fortunately each
species can be identified quite easily from a
combination of bark, slash, venation and leaf shape
characters.
Several species are grown as ornamental trees, valued
for their drought tolerance. They are a regular feature
of arboreta and botanical gardens, particularly in
North America.
Woodchip mulching around the Ghost Forest’s stumps
Chinese Hackberry (C. sinensis) is suited for bonsai culture, while a magnificent specimen in Daegu-myeon is
one of the natural monuments of South Korea. Some, including Common Hackberry (C. occidentalis) and C.
brasiliensis, are honey plants and pollen source for honeybees of lesser importance. The berries are often eaten
locally (Korean tea contains C. sinensis leaves).

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Thursday 13th
September
Same weather conditions of yesterday. Light cloud, dry.
11.2 °C
Practical: Working with Daryll, Sandy and Jenny at
the Apothecaries. We are now moved in the Bed 7,
which is about culinary plants.
Weeding and clearing the beds by using secateurs,
hand and border forks, rakes, sheers, buckets and
wheelbarrows.
Observations: I remove and keep greater burdock’s
roots (Arctium lappa) for some culinary experiments.
This plant is sometimes cultivated in gardens and used
as a vegetable, although here is actually an unwanted
weed. It can be invasive of high-nitrogen soils.
The root is very crisp and has a sweet, mild and
pungent flavour with a little muddy harshness that can
be reduced by soaking the roots in water.
Burdock is very popular in Japanese cuisine. Arctium lappa (Greater Burdock) roots
Friday 14th
September
Quite warm today. Still dry.
15.1 °C
Practical: Trimming an edge by the Aqualab “Welsh Water Discovery Center” with Sean and Adrian.
Second part of the morning trimming another edge by the service road with Andrew, one of the volunteer.
I used secateurs and loppers for the first edge, hedge trimmer for the second one.
Rest of the day by the Apothecaries’ Garden, doing some border maintenance (spot weeding and clearing off).
We work in the Bed 9, theme being “Doctrine of Signatures”. This bed is intended to display a collection of
plants sporting their “Signatures”. It should be an interactive display showing people why certain plants were
chosen for particular ills. This bed also includes several plants used in sympathetic magic.
We aim to maintain the current concept of the bed. The birches will be left in and possibly also the bay tree in
order to add highness and to provide an interesting backdrop for what is a rather limited collection of plants.
I dig out specimens of Melilotus officinalis, dig out and display in clumps Pulmonaria “Trevi Fountain”, dead
head Calendula officinalis and Sanguisorba officinalis.
Observations: I become interested in Sanguisorba
officinalis (commonly known as burnet bloodwort or
greater burnet). This is in the Rosaceae family. It is
native throughout the cooler regions of the Northern
Hemisphere in Europe, northern Asia and northern
North America.
It is an herbaceous perennial plant growing to 1 meter
tall, which occurs in grasslands, growing well on
grassy banks, it flowers June or July. Hardiness zone
7 (very hardy).
It forms a compact clump of pinnate leaves with
rounded or oblong leaflets, and maroon flowers in
dense, rounded or oval spikes in summer and early
autumn. The leaves are good for salad and smell of
cucumber when crushed.
There are a few variety available, such ase “Red
Thunder”, “Tanna” and “Arnhem”.
Suggested planting locations could be prairie planting,
herb gardens, flower borders and beds or wildflower
meadows.
Sanguisorba officinalis
(imagine from internet database)

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Following the list of plants of the Bed 9 (Signatures and Sympathies) in the Apothecaries.
The list is dated 09/12/2005.
Botanical Name Family Common Name
Agrimonia procera Rosaceae Fragrant Agrimony
Anagallis arvensis Myrsinaceae Scarlet Pimpernel
Aphanes arvensis Rosaceae Parsley Piert
Aristolochia fimbrata Aristolochiaceae Birthwort
Berberis vulgaris Berberidaceae Berberis
Calendula officinalis Asteraceae Marigold
Capsella bursa-pastoris Brassicaceae Shepherds Purse
Cardiospermum halicacabum Sapindaceae Heartseed
Chelidonium majus Papaveraceae Greater Celandine
Cyclamen sp. Primulaceae Cyclamen
Drosera rotundifolia Droseraceae Sundew
Echium vulgare Boraginaceae Viper’s Bugloss
Euphrasia Orobanchaceae Eyebright
Hepatica nobilis Ranunculaceae Liverwort
Hypericum perforatum Hypericaceae St John Wort
Mandragora autumnalis Solanaceae Womandrake
M. officinalis Solanaceae Mandrake
Ophioglossum vulgatum Ophioglossaceae Adders Tongue
Orchis mascula Orchidaceae Early Purple Orchid
Parietaria judaica Urticaceae Pellitory of the Wall
Populus tremula “Pendula” Salicaceae Poplar
Prunella grandiflora Lamiaceae Seal Heal
Pulmonaria “Trevi Fountain” Boraginaceae Lungwort
Ranunculus acris Ranunculaceae Buttercup
R. ficaria Ranunculaceae Pilewort
Rumex sanguineus Polygonaceae Bloody Veined Dock
Salix sp. Salicaceae Willow
Scutellaria galericulata Lamiaceae Skullcap
Tanacetum parthenium Asteraceae Tansy
Trifolium pratense Fabaceae Red Clover
Urtica dioica Urticaceae Nettle
Viola tricolor Violaceae Heartsease
Saturday 15th
September
Misty, cool.
12.2 °C
Practical: Today I’m off from work and go for a nice stroll around the garden with Paul, the other trainee.
We do some “shopping” from the Walled Garden (carrots are amazing this year) and also visit the
Chrysanthemum Show, which is run by the National Chrysanthemum Society.
Modern cultivated chrysanthemums are showier than their wild relatives. The flower heads occur in various
forms, and can be daisy-like or decorative, like pompons or buttons. This genus contains many hybrids and
thousands of cultivars developed for horticultural purposes. In addition to the traditional yellow, other colors are
available, such as white, purple and red. The most important hybrid is Chrysanthemum x morifolium (syn. C. x
grandiflorum), derived primarily from C. indicum, but also involving other species.
Beautiful, ornamental chrysanthemum displayed at the NBGW

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Sunday 16th
September
Overcast, damp. Brighter in the afternoon.
15.0 °C
Practical: Day out with Paul, the other PGG trainee, visiting Aberglasney Garden.
This is one of the finest gardens in Wales, with the most-photographed Cloister Garden in the heart of the
composition. The Yew Tunnel is also another remarkable feature.
New interesting groundcovers / bedding plants: Tiarella wherryi, Astilbe simplicifolia, Persicaria affinis
“Superba”. Actea simplex “Brunette” was one of the stars in the woodland gardens. Also used in the lower
walled garden. Alocasia macrorrhiza is displayed in the Nymphaeum. It was long this since I’ve seen it (my
period in Rome). Some nice interesting plants in the Asiatic Garden: Sciadopotys verticellata and
Cercidiphyllum japonicum (which is very similar to Cercis siliquastrum, but Cercidiphyllum japonicum has
opposite leaves, Cercis siliquastrum has alternated leaves). Cercidiphyllum japonicum has autumn interest as
well.
Aberglasney House and Gardens (South Wales)
Observations: The box hedges in the Walled Garden got
the box blight.
Box blight is a fungal disease of box resulting in bare
patches and dieback of box, especially in topiary and
parterres.
It is cause by two fungi, Cylindrocladium buxicula and
Volutella buxi, which are often found together.
The disease seems to be more likely to succeed where
plants are clipped really tidy and short. It is believed to be
more present among specimens of Boxus fruticosa.
Once the disease is established, it’s impossible to deal or
get rid of it.
It’s worth to think alternatives. Good alternatives are:
Berberis thunbergii “Atropurpurea Nana”, Ilex crenata,
Teucrium chamaedrys, Myrtus communis “Tarentina”,
Loniceara pileata, Hebe pinguifolia. Box blight effects on leaves and stems

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Monday 17th
September
Cloudy but dry. Few showers in the afternoon.
11.9 °C
Practical: Weeding and ordinary border maintenance in the Apothecaries.
Observations: In the evening I go to the Wallis’ for a dinner.
Robert and Rannveig Wallis were the tour guides during the Alpine Garden Society and the Merlin Trust
expedition to Turkey I took part the year before. I met them again last week while doing the hornbeams in the
Walled Garden (they live two miles from the NBGW!). We first have a little walk with them around their
garden. Bob shows me his favorite grass, which is Hakonechloa macra “Aureola”. A fantastic plant indeed.
Then I have the privilege to see their nurseries, which – among the other things – display one of the world’s
biggest Fritillaria collections. I become aware about twin-scaling, a method of propagating plant bulbs have a
basal plate, such as Hippeastrum, Narcissus, Galanthus (and other members of the Amaryllidaceae), some
members of the Liliaceae and Lachenalia, Veltheimia (and other members of the Hyacinthaceae).
Later on we finally have some dinner (my first ever Welsh lamb) and a look to my last-year report of Turkey.
Border maintenance in the Apothecaries (view of the bed from two different angles)
Tuesday 18th
September
Same weather as yesterday. Clear, damp.
11.4 °C
Practical: Always border maintenance in the Apothecaries’ beds.
Some of the most common weeds I can find here are Scrophularia nodosa (Common Figwort), Scutellaria
lateriflora (Lesser Skullcap), Oenothera biennis (Common Evening Primrose).
Observations: I do some research on the three “weeds” of the day.
Scrophularia nodosa (also called figwort, woodland figwort and common figwort) is a perennial herbaceous
plant found in temperate regions of the Northern hemisphere except western North America. It grows in moist
and cultivated waste ground.
It grows upright, with thick, sharply square, succulent stems up to 150 cm tall from a horizontal rootstock.
Its leaves are opposite, ovate at the base and lanceolate at the tip, all having toothed margins. The flowers are in
loose cymes in oblong or pyramidal panicles. The individual flowers are globular, with five
green sepals encircling green or purple petals, giving way to an egg-shaped seed capsule.
Folklore-wise, the plant was thought, by the doctrine of signatures to be able to cure the throat
disease scrofula because of the throat-like shape of its flowers.
Scutellaria lateriflora, known commonly as blue skullcap and mad dog skullcap, is a hardy perennial herb of the
mint family, Lamiaceae, native to North America. It has an upright habit, growing 60 to 80 centimeters in
maximum height. It is a wetland-loving species and grows near marshes, meadows, and other wet habitat. The
blue flowers are just under a centimeter long. Most of the flowers do not appear at the top of the main stem, but
are produced along the length of side branches that grow from the leaf axils.

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Scutellaria lateriflora is used in herbal medicine as a mild sedative and sleep promoter. Other skullcaps used for
similar purposes include common skullcap (S. galericulata), western skullcap (S. canescens), and southern
skullcap (S. cordifolia). In a small-scale double blind, placebo-controlled study, blue skullcap had anxiety-
reducing effects in 19 volunteers.
Oenothera biennis (Common evening primrose, Evening star, or Sun drop) is a species of Oenothera native to
eastern and central North America, from Newfoundland west to Alberta, southeast to Florida, and southwest
to Texas, and widely naturalized elsewhere in temperate and subtropical regions. Evening primrose oil is
produced from the plant.
Oenothera biennis has a life span of two years (biennial) growing to 30–150 cm (12–59 in) tall. The leaves are
lanceolate, 5–20 cm (2.0–7.9 in) long and 1–2.5 cm (0.39–0.98 in) broad, produced in a tight rosette the first
year, and spirally on a stem the second year. Blooming lasts from late spring to late summer. The flowers
are hermaphrodite, produced on a tall spike and only last until the following noon. They open visibly fast every
evening producing an interesting spectacle, hence the name “evening primrose”.
The blooms are yellow, 2.5–5 cm (0.98–2.0 in) diameter, with four bilobed petals. The flower structure has an
invisible to the naked eye bright nectar guide pattern. This pattern is apparent under ultraviolet light and visible
to its pollinators, moths, butterflies, and bees.
The fruit is a capsule 2–4 cm (0.79–1.6 in) long and 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) broad, containing numerous 1–
2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long seeds, released when the capsule splits into four sections at maturity.
Scrophularia nodosa (Common Figwort) Hornbeams trimming
Wednesday 19th
September
Some light frost in the fields this morning. Sunny, cool later.
10.3 °C
Practical: Trimming the hornbeams hedges in the Double Walled Garden.
I finish the first of four circular beds. Trimming the outsides is a very time-consuming job, because of the
position of the ponds. I need to cover them with a big plastic sheet and use two wide wooden boards as supports
for the ladder.

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Thursday 20th
September
Cloudy in the morning. Rainfall in the afternoon.
12.3 °C
Practical: Always hornbeams trimming. I manage to Finish the tops of the all three hedges remained, but Also I
have to stop with the outsides because of the rain.
Last part of the day is spent in the potting shed for some general clearing and tidying up.
Friday 21st
September
Sunny and reasonably warm. Dry.
12.0 °C
Practical: Today I aim to finish the hornbeams hedges in the Walled Garden.
At the end of the working day, only one quadrant will be left.
The lawns around the Great Glass House are mowed just in these days by external contractors. Many hay bales
are on the lawn all around the Great Glasshouse and the view is now more beautiful than ever.
Observations: Noticing the beautiful Hesperantha coccinea “Major” in the Double Walled Garden.
Hesperantha coccinea (commonly known as cape lily, river lily or crimson flag; syn. Schizostylis coccinea) is a
flowering plant in the family Iridaceae, native to South Africa and Zimbabwe.
It is a semi-evergreen perennial growing to 60 cm (24 in) tall, with slender lanceolate leaves up to 40 cm (16 in)
long and 1 cm (0.4 in) broad. The flowers are red, occasionally pink or white, 30–35 mm long, with six petals;
they are produced four to ten alternately on a spike in late summer to autumn.
It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens for its flowers, used in floristry. It is only hardy to between
−5 to −10 °C (23 to 14 °F); in colder regions it is grown under glass. It is sometimes known in cultivation as
“Kaffir lily”; this name is best avoided as “kaffir” is considered an offensive ethnic slur in Africa.
Numerous cultivars are available, of which the following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society AGM:
“Jennifer”, “Mayor” and “Sunrise”.
Hesperantha coccinea “Major” Hay bales on the lawn around the Great Glasshouse
Monday 24th
September
Very rainy and wind.
11.0 °C
Practical: First day working indoor for me since my start at the NBGW.
I spend most of the day working in the polytunnel. I also dig out a group of Sterlitzia reginae (Walled Garden,
Zingiberales bed), which I pot on for the winter. I also pot on some irises and as well as Veronicastrum
virginianum.

20
In the evening I do some work in my own garden. I double dig section of 10 square meters in order to prepare
the ground for a future allotment. I need to get the job done before the weather will turn wetter and colder. Some
frosts are expected in the next few days.
Observations: Unfortunately, on many plants in the polytunnel there are evidences of damages caused by the
totrix moth caterpillar. Many species of tortrix moth caterpillars feed on the foliage of fruit trees, but most are
not regarded as important pests. Certain species do attack apples, pears, plums and strawberries, feeding on the
fruit and causing economic damage where they occur.
Apples are the most susceptible crop as they can be attacked by caterpillars of fruitlet mining tortrix
moth (Pammene rhediella), summer fruit tortrix moth (Adoxophyes orana) and fruit tree tortrix moth (Archips
podana). The fruitlet mining tortrix moth also attacks plums and the summer fruit tortrix moth will attack pears.
Strawberry tortrix moth (Acleris comariana) is an important pest of strawberries, occurring throughout the main
strawberry growing regions of the UK.
One of the potting benches in the polytunnel Totrix moth caterpillar’s damages
Tuesday 25th
September
Overcast. Dry in the morning, wet in the afternoon.
10.7 °C
Practical: Finally finishing the trimming of the hornbeam hedges just before rain (it took more than two
weeks). I work in the polytunnel for the rest part of the day, potting on Phlomis russeliana and P. purpurea
“Alba”. Watering and general tiding up in the last hour.
Observations: A couple of instructions by James Beavis about the
greenhouse duties. The labels have to be one per row and always facing the
front. Plant names pencil written. It is also important to have pots of the
same size for the same plants: it helps for watering and also makes the
display tidier.
I also have an interesting chat with David, who is a long serving volunteer,
about native trees. I become aware that Alnus glutinosa (the black alder) is a
good plat for re-nitrogenizing the ground.
In the matter of fact, Alnus glutinosa is most noted for
the symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Frankia alni, which forms
nodules on the tree's roots. This nitrogen-fixing bacterium absorbs nitrogen
from the environment and fixes it into a form available to the tree. In return,
the bacterium receives carbon which is produced by the tree
through photosynthesis. This relationship, which improves the fertility of
the soil environment, has established A. glutinosa as an important pioneer
species in ecological succession.
Before to leave the messroom, I speak with Sally about my allotment. She
tells me to put some muck (cow shit) on the top of the surface of the ground
I dug in the last few days in order to break it up.
Alnus glutinosa (internet database)

21
Wednesday 26th
September
Overcast, showery.
11.7 °C
Practical: Finishing off the clearing in the last circular bed in the Walled Garden.
Also digging out Reineckia carnea, Carex oshimensis “Evergold”, Danae racemosa, Boxus sempervirens and
Pulmonaria spp. Last part of the day potting on Echinacea purpurea “Magnus” in the Polytunnel.
Reineckia is a genus of a single herbaceous perennial native to Asia, in the family Asparagaceae. It is
challenging to keep up with botanists’ changes to this family. The current trend in botany is to include several
families previously separated from the Asparagaceae. This expanded family includes many interesting garden
genera, including Agave, Asparagus, Aspidistra (cast iron plant), Chlorophytum (spider plant), Cordyline,
Hosta, Liriope (mondo grass), Nolina, Sansevieria and Yucca.
Reineckia carnea is a small, evergreen herbaceous perennial that makes a grass-like clump to about ten inches
tall. Small pink buds open into white to pink flowers almost hidden among the leaves on upright spikes in
spring. Flowers are followed by dark pink, almost red, berries. It is reported to grow best in a shady, moist site.
It is recommended for zones 6 to 9. Reineckia carnea is uncommon in local nurseries but may be found in
perennial catalogs. It is easily propagated by division and by seed.
Carex is a huge genus of more than 1,500 species of perennials with triangular, grass-like stems and panicles of
flower heads in short spikes. Most species are from wet areas such as bogs or damp woods. There is a Carex
species to suit almost any garden situation. Carex oshimensis “Evergold” is an evergreen sedge, forming a
clump to 30cm in height, the narrow arching leaves each with a central yellow stripe. The flower spikes are
brown, inconspicuous.
Observations: Having the visit of Ivon (former curator of NBGW) and having an interesting chat about
horticultural careers opportunities.
He also recommends me to visit Picton Castle. This is a 40 acres estate situated close to the Cleddau Estuary,
known locally as the “hidden waterway”. It comprises some of the most beautiful woodland gardens and
grounds in West Wales. Late April to early June is certainly the best time of the year for visiting Picton, because
of the spectacular display of Rhododendrons and Azaleas.
Reineckia carnea Carex oshimensis “Evergold”

22
Thursday 27th
September
Cloudy, damp.
11.7 °C
Practical: Starting stripping off the plants in the last
circular bed in the Walled Garden.
We are going to replace the present mixed herbaceous
planting with a display of Helleborus x hybridus
“Helen Ballard” (Mix), which are expected to be here
tomorrow (600 plants, coming in plugs).
I dig out: Vinca minor “Aureo-variegata”, Vinca
minor f. alba “Gertrude Jekyll”, Hedera helix
“Erecta”, Polysticum satiferum, Sarcococca
hookeriana var. humilis, Pieris japonica “Purity”,
Lobelia fulgens “Queen Victoria”, Leucothoe
fontanesiana “Rainbow”, Acanthus mollis, A.
spinosus, Chrysanthemum maximum “Starbust” and
several bracket ferns.
In the Polytunnel, I transplant Phlox paniculata
“Coral” (Flame series), P. paniculata “White Eye
(Flame series), Phygelius “Funfare Cream”,
Veronicastrum virginicum, Veronica pinnata “Blue
Festival”.
Observations: Acorus and Carex genera are really
similar. But the former smells like liquorice.
Acorus is a genus of monocot flowering plants. It was
once placed within the family Araceae (aroids), but
more recent classifications place it in its own family
Acoraceae.
On the other hand, Carex is a vast genus of over 1500
species of grassy plants in the family Cyperaceae,
commonly known as sedges. Other members of the
Cyperaceae family are also called sedges, however
those of genus carex may be called “true” sedges and
it is the most species-rich genus in the family.
Echinacea purpurea “Magnus”
Carex oshimensis “Evergold”
Friday 28th
September
Cloudy start of the day. Clear and warm later.
12.8 °C
Practical: Finishing the clearing of the last circular
bed of the Walled Garden.
I also dig out for overwintering Canna cultivars from
the Zinginberales and Commelinales Bed.
Observations: Zingiberales is an order of flowering
plants that has been widely recognised by the
taxonomists, at least for the past few decades.
This order includes many familiar plants like
ginger, cardamom, turmeric, galangal and myoga of
the Zingiberaceae, and bananas and plantains of the
Musaceae, along with arrowroot of the Marantaceae.
It is considered that the Zingiberales together with
the Commelinales evolved around 80 million years
ago during the Late Cretaceous.
Digging out and overwintering cannas

23
October
Monday 1st
October
Showery and cloudy in the morning. Brighter later.
13.5 °C
Practical: Martin is not here today, so I join Daryll, Sandy and Jenny for some border maintenance in the Broad
Walk. It’s mainly about weeding, reducing and tidying up plants.
Observations: in the Broad Walk is Dasiphora
fruticosa (syn. Potentilla fruticosa), commonly
known as “shrubby cinquefoil”. This is native to the
cool temperate and subarctic regions of the northern
hemisphere, often growing at high altitudes in
mountains.
It’s a popular ornamental plant in temperate regions.
Different cultivars are variable with flowers ranging
from white to yellow, orange and pink, but they are
all hardy plants that produce flowers for much of the
summer. The flowers are always small, flat, and
round, but there are many dozens on each bush. It is
very often used by cities and businesses for
landscaping because of its hardiness and low
maintenance. It was introduced into cultivation in the
Dasciphora fruticosa (syn. Potentilla fruticosa)
18th century, but many of modern cultivars, particularly those with orange or red flowers, derive from
collections by Reginald Farrer in western China in the early 20th century. The vast majority of sellers and
gardeners still use the old name Potentilla fruticosa.
Tuesday 2nd
October
Blustery, showery
12.0 °C
Practical: Same job as yesterday.
Observations: There is a plant which stands out in
the Broad Walk’s borders in these days. This is
Ceratostigma willmottianum (Chinese plumbago),
native to Western China and Tibet, family
Plumbaginaceae.
It is a small deciduous shrub with lanceolate leaves,
turning red in autumn. At the same time the rich blue
flowers appear, arranged in attractive, dense terminal
clusters.
“Forest Blue” is probably the most common cultivar. Ceratostigma willmottianum
Wednesday 3rd
October
Cloudy and showery in the morning, getting thundery in the afternoon.
10.4 °C
Practical: Morning in the Broad Walk, carrying on the border maintenance.
Afternoon in the potting shed for some tiding-up (too wet to stay outside).
Observations: Persicaria microcephala “Red Dragon” is the plant I choose as “plant of interest” for my talk
during the PGG seminar, next week. Following the notes I prepared about it.

24
Persicaria microcephala “Red Dragon”
(Bistort - Knotweed “Red Dragon”)
Herbaceous, trailing perennial
Formally called Polygonum
Flower: clusters of white flowers in late summer and autumn. Tiny but enhance the overall appearance
Foliage: lance-shaped, purplish-green leaves with a bold central splash of purple bordered by a silver chevron
marking. Colour is better if planted in partial shade
Hardiness: H4 (hardy)
Pests and diseases: free
Soil: any kind of moist soil, even clay soil
The pretext came from the variety’ name “Red Dragon”.
This is of course a tribute to Wales and the National Botanic Garden of Wales, where I currently work.
The first time I came across this plant was last year, during my period at Osborne House, Isle of Wight. During
a tea break, the volunteers were discussing and trying to key-out a small sample from a volunteer’ pocket.
Finally one of them proclaimed “Red Dragon”.
This well shows how important and vital volunteers are in every garden.
Meanwhile, I carried on my studies about prairie planting and the so called “New Perennial Movement”,
especially referring the ideas and projects of Piet Oudolf and Ohme – Van Sweden.
This is a new style of planting, which gives as much emphasis to form, texture, light and movement as it does
to colour. But the true revolution is probably in the use of easy-care perennial plants…
I’m interested in this approach to gardening not because of laziness, but because I do think this is a real
revolution respect the traditional, very demanding Jekyll’s herbaceous planting scheme.
To achieve the best effects plant it with contrasting foliage plants such as silver-leaved Plectranthus or golden
leaved grasses. It also looks good in jungle planting schemes, where it associates well with cannas, bamboos
and bananas.
Persicaria are good plants for woodland gardens.
P. affinis “Superba” is a well-known groundcover.
P. amplexicaulis “Alba” is a great border plant.
P. bistorta “Superba” AGM has pink bottle brush flowers on tall spikes.
Persicaria microcephala “Red Dragon”

25
Thursday 4th
October – Sunday 7th
October
Attending the PGG and HGBG annual seminar in West Sussex.
This is a fantastic opportunity to meet for the first time my colleagues and shared impressions on plants, gardens
and career opportunities.
In the program of the seminar are also two garden visits at Parham House and Gardens, and Arundel Castle and
Garden. They both are historic properties in West Sussex, not far from our place.
Parham’s Gardens consist of seven acres of Pleasure Grounds and a four acre Walled Garden.
The Walled Garden originates from the 18th century, although it is likely that the ground had been cultivated for
centuries before that. Vibrant with colour, it is run on organic principles, and is designed for a long season – its
romantic mixed and herbaceous borders are of an Edwardian opulence, and look good until the first frosts. The
tapestries of plants and their colours echo the embroidery within the house.
Over the last twenty years the planting has been the work of Parham’s Head Gardeners.
An orchard contains traditional varieties of apple and other fruit trees. The Herb Garden grows medieval and
Tudor medicinal and culinary herbs. In the ornamental vegetable garden, whose patches are enclosed by box
hedging, a mixture of vegetables and flowers is grown.
Mrs Pearson started the tradition of fresh flower arrangements all through the House for visitors to enjoy. Large
quantities of flowers are cut from the garden each week. They are arranged in the special “Parham way”, as
they always have been, filling the rooms with colour.
The grounds at Arundel Castle have been open to visitors since 1800 and the gardens since 1854.
Today the stunning and inspirational walled gardens include the internationally renowned Collector Earl’s
Garden, The Stumpery; the hot and cool Herbaceous Borders with contrasting foliage plants; and the Cut Flower
Garden and Organic Kitchen Garden that supply the Castle with fresh fruit, vegetables and cut flowers.
A rare lean-to peach house and vinery, originally built in 1850 by Clarke & Hope, has been restored to its
former glory and houses exotic fruit and vegetables.
The sheltered location of the gardens makes it possible for many of the tender perennials such as cannas, salvias,
bananas and palms to remain in the ground throughout the winter. Some very clever planting is displayed here
and the pollarded specimens of Paulownia look absolutely remarkable.
The Fitzalan Chapel has its own delightful garden planted charmingly in white, and there is also the Rose
Garden, in what was once a medieval bowling green, which has been newly planted with old-fashioned English
roses.

26
Parham House (courtyard) Parham House (the nursery)
Parham House (head gardener showing double digging technique) Arundel Castle
Arundel Castle Arundel Castle (low-maintenance banks trimming)

27
Following the plants of interest discussed from the trainees during the PGG and HGBG Seminar.
Plant of interest Family Common Name Type of Plant
Clematis tangutica “Bill MacKenzie” Ranunculaceae Clematis “Bill MacKenzie” Deciduous climber
Wollemia nobilis Araucariaceae Wollemi pine Evergreen conifer
Bryonia alba Cucurbitaceae White bryony Perennial vine
Sedum telephium “Red Cauli” Crassulaceae Autumn stonecrop Herbaceous perennial
Vaccinium myrtillus Ericaceae Bilberry Perennial
Banksia baxteri Proteaceae Bird’s nest banksia Woody shrub
Echinacea pallida Asteraceae Pale purple coneflower Herbaceus perennial
Colutea arborescens Papilionaceae Common bladder senna Decidous shrub
Colchicum spp. Colchicaceae Autumn crocus (naked lady) Bulbous perennial
Calluna vulgaris Ericaceae Heather Perennial shrub
Erica carnea Ericaceae Heath Perennial shrub
Daboecia cantabrica Ericaceae Irish heath Perennial shrub
Calamus longipinna Arecaceae Rattan Climbing palm
Lapageria rosea Philesiaceae Chilean bellflower Evergreen climber
Prunus sargentii Rosaceae Sargent’s cherry Decidous tree
Athyrium filix-femina “Victoriae” Dryopteridaceae Lady fern Hardy deciduous fern
Mahonia x Savilleana Berberidaceae Sansivilli Mahonia Evergreen shrub
Salvia discolor Lamiaceae Andrean silver-leaf sage Erect perennial
Echium pininana Boraginaceae Tree echium Biennial or triennial
Silene suecica Caryophyllaceae Alpine catchfly Wildflower
Heptacodium miconioides Caprifoliaceae Seven son flower tree Decidous shrub
Oxydendrum arboreum Ericaceae Sorrel tree Decidous shrub
Inga edulis Fabaceae Ice-cream bean Evergreen tree
Ornithogalum thyrsoides Asparagaceae Star of Bethlehem Bulbous perennial
Heliotropium arborescens Boraginaceae Garden heliotrope Perennial shrub
Quercus semecarpifolia Fagaceae Brown oak Evergreen tree
Sycoparrotia semidecidua Hamamelidaceae Sycoparrotia Semi-evergreen shrub
Sorbus bristoliensis Rosaceae Bristol whitebeam Deciduous tree
Quercus suber Fagaceae Cork oak Deciduous tree
Q. x hispanica “Fulhamensis” Fagaceae Fulham oak Deciduous tree
Cotoneaster horizontalis Rosaceae Wall cotoneaster Deciduous shrub
Persicaria microcephala “Red dragon” Polygonaceae Knotweed “Red Dragon” Herbaceous perennial
Rosa “Precious love” Rosaceae Rosa “Precious love” Decidours perennial
Myrtus communis ssp. tarentina Myrtaceae Tarentum myrtle Evergreen shrub
Buxus sempervirens Buxaceae European box Evergreen shrub
Symplocos paniculata Ericaceae Sapphireberry Deciduous shrub
PGG and HGBG trainees at Arundel Castle (Giulio Veronese is second row, second from right)

28
Monday 8th
October
Cloudy and damp, light drizzle in the morning.
12.0 °C
Practical: Border maintenance during all day.
Deadheading Coreopsis grandiflora “Sunray”,
Coreopsis grandiflora “Badengold”.
Tiding-up Physostegia virginiana “Summer Snow”.
Ceratostigma plumbiginoides looks still wonderful.
Clearing up Hemerocallis species and cultivars, as
well as Cortaderia selloana.
Sunflowers are still looking fine, so we decide to
leave them for few more weeks.
Observations: Most common weeds I can notice here
are now Figwort (Scrophularia nodosa) and Toadflax
(Cymbalaria muralis).
There is also bindweed (Calystegia sepium) and ivy
(Hedera helix), but thankfully not too much spread
within the border. Ceratostigma plumbiginoides
Tuesday 9th
October
Cloudy, relatively dry. Only a light drizzle in the late afternoon.
11.4 °C
Practical: Moving the potted cannas from the
polytunnel to the nursery greenhouse 3.
Taking the hellebores down to the Walled Garden for
the planting stage.
Unfortunately I can notice crows’ damages to the
sweet corns. So I need to dig up the damaged plants
and tidy up the area.
In the afternoon digging up and repotting for the
greenhouse nursery 3: three specimens of Commelina
tuberosa (Commelinales and Zinginberales Bed), and
individual specimens of Dasylirion serratifolium,
Beschorneria yuccoides, Xeronema callistemon
(Asparagales Bed).
Observations: Commelina tuberosa has quite
distinctive rhizomatous roots. You need to crop down
to the ground level when potting the plants up for
overwintering.
The other plants I dig out are different in structure and
don’t need to be cut down over the winter.
I become aware that banana tree wrapping is best
carried out after one or two frosts. In this way the
plant stops its growing stage and can be better
wrapped and protected over the winter season.
Finally a culinary note. The flowers of Hemerocallis
(Asparagales Bed) are good for deep frying.
Crow’s damages on sweet corn plants

29
Commelina tuberosa Xeronema callistemon
Beschorneria yuccoides Dasylirion serratifolium

30
Wednesday 10th
October
Cloudy, some light drizzle.
11.5 °C
Practical: Digging out Brugmansia knigtii from the
Walled Garden beds. We have the three varieties
“Pink Lady”, “Herzenbrucke” and “Snowdrop”, plus
one unknown (because unlabeled) variegated variety.
Then I pot them up on the potting bench of the
polytunnel and move them in the NG3 for
overwintering.
Last part of the morning I join Tudor for the cutting
down of a small tree (Crataegus monogyna), which
has been damaged by a fungus. I get aware first the
first time about the English expressions: “notch cut”
and “back cut” (or felling cut), whose names were
previously known to me only in Italian.
I patrol the road controlling the traffic of both vehicles
and visitors.
In the afternoon I’m back to the Walled Garden for
more border maintenance.
I carry out some deadheading of Eryngium gigantium
“Silver Ghost”, E. planum “Blue Glitter”, E.
agavifolium, Phlomis samia, Stachys byzantina
“Cotton Boll”.
Proceeding doing my job, I’ve got the feeling that it’s
more a “sowing” than “deadheading” job. In the
matter of fact, because of we are a bit late doing the
job this year, the flower heads are just ready for
spreading their seeds around, and I have to be
extremely careful and quite aware what is best sown
and what is not.
Brugmansia cv. ready to be potted up in the polytunnel
Observations: Just before to pack up, I spend a couple of words with Sally in the garden.
We point out Paulownia imperialis and Rhododendron pachysanthum “Crosswater” as plants which can change
their appearance under different weather conditions or horticultural cares.
Because of its furrowed leaves, Rhododendron pachysanthum “Crosswater” turns greyish when the weather
remains dry for long time. The whole plant’s appearance changes dramatically the rain comes back, with the
rhododendron getting its real, green colour.
Pawlonia imperialis (syn. P. tormentosa) is a fantastic ornamental tree, unfortunately uncommon in the UK
because it needs sun and dislikes high water tables. In the UK it’s almost impossible to get the stunning
inflorescences which give this plant its popularity in China and Japan (but also Italy).
Anyway, there is a horticultural practice that can turn Pawlonia extremely attractive, especially for wide borders
or jungle planting schemes. The characteristic large size of the young growth is exploited by gardeners: by
pollarding the tree and ensuring there is vigorous new growth every year, massive leaves are produced (up to
60 cm across). These are popular in the modern style of gardening which uses large-foliaged and "architectural"
plants.
In the evening I go to the Alpine Garden Society talk “Early Bulbs”, orator being Bob Wallis. This is a digest
about bulbs which flower in wild and in the garden around Feb-Apr. They mainly are Mediterranean bulbs or
snow-melt bulbs. First slides are for the Narcissus species. Narcissus is a genus concentrated in Spain, Portugal
and Morocco. The more you go eastwards, the more their number collapses. Always from a Mediterranean
climate (but this time from California) is the cracking Scoliopus bigelovii. Robert Wallis says it smells like “wet
dog”, but it is a superb plant indeed. Romulea is a predominantly South-African genus with some Mediterranean
species too. Frits, snowdrops, scillas, sternbergias are in this “Mediterranenan-flower-bulbs” category too.
In the other hand, snow melting bulbs are Crocus, Colchicum (and Merendera), Romulea, Iris, Corydalis,
Anemone. Fantastic new entries are for me Puschkinia scilloides and Erythronium multiscapoidem.
I discover that the Californian terrain has snow melting bulbs as well.
Another distinguo is about plants good for the garden and plants good for the pots (and expositions).

31
Rhododendron pachysanthum “Crosswater”
Pollarded Pawlonia imperialis (syn. P. tormentosa)
Bob Wallis’ lecture on “Early Bulbs”

32
Thursday 11th
October
Overcast. Drizzly in the morning. Heavy rain from 3pm.
13.4 °C
Practical: Working throughout the Poales Bed. All the plants in this large bed belongs to Poaceae family and
subfamily Bambusoideae.
I work mainly with secateurs, occasionally with loppers and edging shears. Removing deadwood and wonky,
lateral branches and foliage from knee- to eye-level. Keeping only the main stems. The aim is to clear the big,
messy clump in order to have a neater, more upright shape. I try to improve both the visual and the acoustic
effects of the planting. A partial transparency as well as a possibility of the sound of the wind between the stems
is the target.
I find labels of Phyllostachys aurea, P. bambusoides “Castillonis”, Pleioblastus pygmaeus var. distichus
“Murray”, but unfortunately many plants from the original planting have been squashed out by more vigorous
bamboos. Following the original plant list of the bamboo bed.
Botanical Name Common Name Origin
Chimonobambusa quadrangularis Square Bamboo China
Chusquea culeou Chilean Bamboo Chile and Argentina
Fargesia denudata China
Fargesia murielae “Kranich” China
Fargesia nitida “Eisenach” China
Indocalamus tessellatus Giant-leaved Bamboo
Phyllostachys aurea Fish-pole Bamboo China
Phyllostachys bambusoides “Castillonii” Castillon Bamboo Eastern Asia
Phyllostachys bissetii China
Phyllostachys nigra Black Bamboo Central-Eastern China
Phyllostachys nigra “Boryana” Bory Bamboo China
Phyllostachys vivax f. aureocaulis Golden Timber Bamboo China
Pleioblastus pygmaeus var. distichus “Murray”
Sasa tsuboiana Japanese Bamboo Japan
Semiarundinaria fastosa Narihira Bamboo Japan
Semiarundinaria yashdake “Kimmei” Japan
Observations: In a book in the messroom I notice the beautiful
Cunninghamia lanceolata (Chinese fir).
The genus Cunninghamia contains one or two species of
evergreen coniferous trees in the cypress family Cupressaceae.
They are native to China, Taiwan, northern Vietnam and Laos,
where they may reach 50m in height.
The two species are Cunninghamia lanceolata and C. konishii,
often referred to as the China fir and Taiwan fir respectively. In
the matter of fact, C. lancelolata occurs in mainland China,
Vietnam and Laos, whereas C. konishii is restricted to Taiwan.
However, molecular genetic evidence is suggesting that they are
the same species, and that C. konishii of Taiwan derive from
multiple colonizations from the mainland.
The general shape of the tree is conical with tiered, horizontal
branches that are often somewhat pendulous toward the
tips. Cunninghamia bears softly spined, leathery, stiff, green to
blue-green needle-like leaves that spiral around the stem.
This tree can be mistaken for the rare Torreya taxifolia, one
visible difference being the Cunninghamia's bronze autumn
branches which are shed and pile beneath it, as well as the
propensity for this tree to have more than one trunk.
The Torreya is known as "Florida's gopher wood," as well as
“stinking cedar” as the crushed leaves smell like tomato, whereas
the Cunninghamia leaves do not smell.
Cunnighamia is a prized timber tree in China, producing soft,
highly durable scented wood similar to that of Coast Redwood
(Sequoia sempervirens) and Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica). It is
also grown as an ornamental tree in parks and large gardens. Cunninghamia lanceolata (internet database)

33
Friday 12th
October
Bright, sunny.
10.4 °C
Practical: Carrying on working in the bamboo bed.
I notice that some varieties are probably lost (e.g. the beautiful Chimonobambusa quadrangolaris).
Stems are now in show, but in order to make the bed presentable, I need to: a) get rid of the leggy bits at the top
of the clump, b) clearing the floor from leaves and dead stems, c) possibly set up a wire mesh in order to stop
youngest visitors stepping into the bed through the points where there are no knee-high plants to discourage the
passage.
Monday 15th
October
Grizzly. Few showers in the late afternoon.
10.4 °C
Practical: Today I finish the maintenance of the bamboo bed.
It’s mainly about clearing the floor from leaves and twigs and cutting the remaining dead stems.
Bamboo bed before… … and after
Tuesday 16th
October
Cloudy, gusty winds. Warmer later.
9.8 °C
Practical: Cropping down hostas to the ground level in the Asparagales
Bed. They are Hosta “Birchwood Parky’s Gold”, H. “Fire and Ice”, H.
“Golden Tiara”, H. “Brim Cup”, H. “Silvery Slugproof” (Tardiana
Group), H. nigrescens, H. fortunei var. aureomarginata and H. “Veronica
Lake”. Also digging out Cinnamomum camphora (two specimens) from
the Laurales Bed. They are not fully hardy and need to go to the
polytunnel for overwintering. In the afternoon I dig out, pot up and
overwinter Agave Americana and Oxypetalum caeruleum. Last half an
hour is spent deadheading Marrubium bourgai var. bourgai “All Green”.
Observations: Cinnamomum zeylanicum is among the cinnamon species
used for making the culinary spice. In the matter of fact, while
Cinnamomum verum is sometimes considered to be “true cinnamon”,
most cinnamon in international commerce is derived from related species
which are also referred to as “cassia”. C. camphora is used for the
extraction of camphor.
Hosta collection in the Asparagales Bed

34
Wednesday 17th
October
Gusty winds and cold in the morning. Warmer later.
11.4 °C
Practical: Border maintenance in the visitors’ car park.
The plants have been neglected and look overgrown. I need to give the border some balance back. It’s now the
case of pruning and reducing the willows, weeding the perennials and cropping down several ferns.
Working with secateurs, a pruning saw, loppers on Salix candida, Robus cockburnianus, Cornus kousa var.
chinensis, Pteridium spp (bracket ferns).
Car park bed before… …and after
Thursday 18th
October
Very changeable weather. Winds get easier. Showers on/off.
11.4 °C
Practical: Second and last day working down
by the Car Park.
Today I tackle the second section of the long
border. It is a “roughty toughty job” (as Daryll
would describe it). Everything is overgrown
and now I have to deal with brambles which
are squashing everything off.
Last working hour, I have a briefing by Tudor
about safe tree felling by the only use of
pruning saw and rope.
We apply the so-called “timber hitch knot” to
the trunk and then, keeping a safe distance
from the felling tree, we pull the rope.
It’s a two man job: the taller operator has to
be at the front. The end of the rope has also to
be out of the way, in order to avoid stumbling.
Once the tree starts felling, it is necessary to
drop the rope and walk away via pre-arranged
escape routes.
Timber hitch knot (internet database)

35
Observations: Plants of the day are Cercidiphyllum japonicum (in the Broad Walk) and Rodgersia pinnata (in
the car park borders).
Cercidiphyllum japonicum (Katsura, Toffee Tree) is an elegant small- to medium-sized deciduous tree, the
leaves turn a variety of pinks and yellows in autumn, and sometimes have a distinctive caramel scent (or burnt
sugar, as somebody says) when in fresh autumn colours. Flowers and fruits are inconspicuous.
Rodgersia pinnata (featherless rodgersia) is a large deciduous perennial forming clump of large, more or less
pinnately divided leaves, with erect, conical sprays of cream or pink flowers in summer. It grows in humus-rich
soil in full sun or partial shade, sheltered from cold, drying winds. It tolerates drier conditions with more shade.
My personal definition is the “Lilliputian sweet-chestnut”.
Rodgersia pinnata Rodgersia pinnata
Friday 19th
October
Dry, warm, damp.
11.5 °C
Practical: Back working in the Walled Garden, Asparagales Bed.
I dig out Eucomis comosa “Sparkling Burgundy”, E. comosa “Oakhurst” and E. autumnalis. I put the bulbs in
crates without plastic sheet, so they can dry out better. I also dig out one very big specimen of Agave
Americana. I move all these plants to the nursery (NG1) for overwintering. Then I move four pots from the
apiary to the NG1 (three being Leptospermum scoparium and one Echium pininana).
In the afternoon I tackle the Myrtales Bed for some general maintenance job (cropping down, deadheading and
weeding), especially on Oenothera species.
Observations: While working on the Myrtales Bed, my attention is attracted by a specimen of Eucalyptus
perriniana (commonly known as Spinning Gum). This characteristically mallee tree (mallee being the habit of
woody plant that grow with multiple stems from underground lignotubers) is native to New South Wales,
Victoria and Tasmania. It is a sub-alpine species and grows in areas which are normally snow covered for
several months in winter; however domestic cultivars can grow in almost any temperate climate.
Moving Agave americana to the nurseries for wintering Architectural appearance of Eucalyptus perriniana

36
Following the list of the plants in the Myrtales Bed (Double Walled Garden)
Latin Name Family Common Name Origin
Chamerion angustifolium “Album” Onagraceae White-flowered
rosebay willowherb
Northern
hemisphere
Oenothera “Crown Imperial” Onagraceae Evening Primrose Americas
Oenothera organensis Onagraceae Organ Mountains
Evening Primrose
New Mexico
Oenothera fruticosa ssp. glauca
“Erica Robin”
Onagraceae Narrow-leaved
Evening Primrose
Americas
Myrtus communis “Variegata” Myrtaceae Variegated Myrtle Mediterranean
Myrtus communis ssp. tarentina Myrtaceae Tarentum Myrtle Mediterranean
Eucalyptus perinniana Myrtaceae Spinning Gum Australia
Callistemon salignus Myrtaceae Willow Bottlebrush Australia
Saturday 20th
October
Light showers and heavy mist in the first morning. Sunny later.
12.5 °C
Practical: Today is Apple Day at the NBGW.
I pop down to the gardens and take part of some of the activities. Many things are going on: apple exposition
and identification in the marquee, cider-making demonstration in the Great Glasshouse and talks in the Inner
Walled Garden.
There is an interesting talk about fruit-pruning and so I have the opportunity to refresh my knowledge in this
matter. I become more aware about training style (standard, espalier, Belgian fence, step-over, etc), fruit trees
suitable for espaliers (apple, pears, chokeberries, etc) or fan-training (plumbs, figs) and good pruning periods.
I get particular attention on the apple stopovers running alongside the vegetable beds.
As gardens get smaller, planting apples trained as stepovers is one of the best and most attractive space-saving
ways to grow fruit. As the name suggests, the stepover is a low-growing, horizontally-trained tree that can
literally be “stepped over”. Stepovers can be planted along an edge of a path or a bed, and make an excellent
divider on an allotment or fruit garden.
The stepover apple (horizontal cordon) is a modified training method of the oblique cordon. It is best suited for
spur-fruiting apple trees. It is necessary to start training on very young trees. Choose a maiden whip that is
supple and can be bent over. A maiden whip is a one-year-old tree with either no side branches or only sparsely
branched. The main stem must not have been pruned to encourage branching.
Make sure that the selected cultivar is grafted onto a M27 rootstock. Although M9 and M26 rootstocks are
suitable for conventional cordon training, they would be too vigorous for stepover training. When selecting a
cultivar, bear in mind that most apples are not self-pollinating and you may need to plant two different
cultivars unless a suitable pollination tree is growing nearby.
Unfortunately stepover apples suffer from the same pest and disease problems as more conventionally grown
trees. These include codling moth, apple canker, apple scab, brown rot and powdery mildew.
Apple espalier Apple stepover

37
Monday 22nd
October
Cloudy, dull, dry.
10.6 °C
Practical: Strimming throughout the Bog Garden.
I pay particular attention not strimming the fern crowns. I also don’t touch the spurges nearby the path edges. I
leave them for two reasons. First reason is in order to leave some clumps of ground covering plants around the
Bog Garden, which is going to look quite bare. Second reason is about the irritating sap of Euhorbia genus.
These plants are close to the Broad Walk (Circle of Decision) where a consistent afflux of visitors arrives every
day.
Observations: In these days I can appreciate the beauty of some of the dogwoods we keep in the garden.
Cornus alba “Sibirica” in particular looks amazing. Following the list of the dogwoods collection at the NBGW.
Botanical Name NBGW Location State Origin
Cornus alba “Sibirica” Broad Walk, Bed 01a Living Siberia, Northern China
Cornus alba “Kesselringii” Broad Walk, Bed 01c Living Siberia, Northern China
Cornus sanguinea “Midwinter Fire” Broad Walk, Bed 01c Living Europe
Cornus controversa “Variegata” Broad Walk, Bed 02 Dead China, Hymalaya, Japan
Cornus alternifolia “Argentea” Broad Walk, Bed 08 Living Eastern North America
Cornus sanguinea “Midwinter Fire” Broad Walk, Bed 22b Living Europe
Cornus kousa “Satomi” Broad Walk, Bed 24a Dead Japan
Cornus alba Broad Walk, Bed 30 Living Siberia, Northern China
Cornus sericea ssp. sericea Japanese Garden, Bed 16 Living N and W Nord America
Cornus stolonifera “Flaviramea” Japanese Garden, Bed 16 Living N and W Nord America
Cornus kousa var. chinensis Car Park Living China
The dogwoods, Cornus, comprise a genus of around 65 species of mostly deciduous shrubs and small trees from
northern temperate grasslands, woodlands and swamps.
Cornus are grown for a wide range of ornamental effects. Dogwoods such as Cornus alba and C. stolonifera are
prized for their brilliant autumn foliage, handsome fruits and outstanding winter beauty provided by colorful
stems which range in colour from yellow, crimson and almost black-purple.
The flowering dogwoods such as C. florida, C. kousa and C. nuttalii are also grown for their autumn foliage but
it is their large white or pink bracts produced in early summer for which the group is most celebrated.
Cornus alba “Sibirica” Cornus controversa “Variegata”

38
Tuesday 23rd
October
Still cloudy and dull. Dry.
12.9 °C
Practical: Second day strimming in the Bog Garden.
Observations: Salix caprea is one of the most common British native willows. It’s self-seeded in the bog
garden and very much tenaciously. I try to pull several stumps out by using the spade or even the hammock.
Another interesting plant in the Bog Garden is Lythrum salicaria (Purple Loosestrife). This is a flowering plant
belonging to the family Lythraceae, native to Europe, Asia, northwest Africa and southeastern Australia. Quite
an ornamental plant, it can be rather invasive (in Canada is considered a real thug).
Stumps of Salix caprea in the Bog Garden Salix caprea inflorescences (internet database)
Colony of Lythrum salicaria (internet database)
Wednesday 24th
October
Brighter, but temperatures are falling down. Dry.
12.9 °C
Practical: Third day in a row strimming the Bog Garden.

39
Thursday 25th
October
Very cloudy in the morning, spells of sun later.
12.5 °C
Practical: First day trimming the box hedges in the Sculpture Garden.
I use the same electric hedge trimmers I used for the hornbeams in the Walled Garden. The box hedges are a bit
neglected and missed their haircut last year. The tops are also uneven.
It’s the case now of some corrective trimming, even if some wood will stay exposed.
Friday 26th
October
Cloudy, spells of sun.
10.4 °C
Practical: Second day of box trimming in the Sculpture Garden.
Observations: In the evening I have a few words with Paul about one of the most pernicious weeds in the
British Isles, Impatiens balsamina (Malayan Balsam). I come to know about the new impatiens disease. This is a
killer fungus which is starting to wipe out the most popular kind of impatiens, the shade-loving annual also
known as “bizzy-lizzy” that is widely used by gardeners and landscape professionals. Experts are starting to say
this will be the death of impatiens as we know them, forcing gardeners to look for alternative plants for growing
in the shade. The pathogen is a form of downy mildew called Plasmopara obducens. It first appears as a white
layer on the underside of leaves. Leaves turn yellow and decay and eventually drop off. Within a few weeks,
flowers and leaves fall off, leaving only bare branches. The stems eventually completely collapse and the plant
dies. The disease is spread by airborne spores that affect perfectly healthy plants within six weeks of the plants
going into the ground. At the moment, the disease only affects certain kinds of impatiens, mostly the popular
varieties of Impatiens walleriana. New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) other flowering bedding plants
and vegetables are not susceptible. The disease first appeared in the Britain in 2002. At first, nurseries there
thought they could control the problem by introducing improved growing strategies, but by 2011 it was apparent
that the disease was unstoppable, being resistant to commercial fungicides. If an impatiens becomes infected,
the plant should be disposed of as soon as possible, but not in the compost where spores can overwinter. An
infected plant should be burned or buried, ideally deeper than 50cm. If this is not possible, then the plants
(including roots and leaf debris) should be bagged and disposed of. There is also a risk of soil contamination, so
areas where they have been grown should be rested for at least a year.
Impatiens balsamina (images from internet database)
Monday 29th
October
Sunny, but colder. We had the first frost last Saturday night.
12.4 °C
Practical: Third day in the Sculpture Garden, hedge trimming.

40
Tuesday 30th
October
Very overcast and miserable weather, heavy rains.
11.0 °C
Practical: Fourth and last day hedge trimming in the Sculpture Garden.
I spent the morning finish off the hedges and the whole afternoon clearing up the area from the box cuttings.
Box trimming in the Sculpture Garden
Wednesday 31st
October
Very variable. Sunny spells and on/off showers.
12.1 °C
Practical: Cutting down Hedychium species and cultivars in Zingiberales Bed.
Also digging out Zea Mays cv. (sweet corn) and potting up Musa basjoo, Onigozanthus flavii and Strelitzia
reginae.
Observations: Noticing ash tree seedling in the Zingiberales Bed.
The ash dieback (Chalara fraxinea) is a lethal disease of ash and represents a substantial threat to the UK’s
forests and amenity trees growing in parks and gardens. Detected at a number of sites in the UK for the first
time in 2012, the fungus is a noticeable pathogen and suspected cases of the disease must be reported to the
relevant plant health authority.
Zea mays cultivars displayed in the Walled Garden Ash seedlings

41
November
Thursday 1st
November
Very variable. Sunny spells and showers.
11.1 °C
Practical: Border maintenance in the Walled Garden.
I look after the north-facing wall, cropping down clumps of Geranium “Album”, Phlox Carolina “Miss
Lingard” and Anemone hupehensis “Praecox”.
Also reducing clumps of Pachysandra terminalis and two very spreading specimens of Kerria japonica.
Observations: Coming across for my first time to the peculiar x Fatshedera lizei (tree ivy), which is displayed
in the north-facing border, Walled Garden. This is an inter-generic hybrid, a cross between plants from
different genera. × F. lizei was created by crossing Fatsia japonica “Moserii” (Moser's Japanese fatsia, the seed
parent) and Hedera helix (common ivy, the pollen parent) at the Lizé Frères tree nursery at Nantes in France in
1912. Its generic name is derived from the names of the two parent genera.
The plant combines the shrubby shape of Fatsia with the five-lobed leaves of Hedera.
As a shrub, Fatshedera can grow up to 1.2 m tall, above which the weight of the fairly weak branches makes
them tend to bend over. It can however also be tied to a support and grow into a vine up to 3–4 m tall;
unlike Hedera, it does not readily climb without assistance.
Specimens have been reported, which did produce not only beautiful (but infertile) flowers but also clusters of
berries, one of which put forth shoots in the pot. It is grown both as a garden plant outdoors, and as a
houseplant indoors, where its tolerance of shady conditions is valued. Several cultivars have been selected, with
dark green to variously white- or yellow-variegated leaves.
Friday 2nd
November
Clear, cool. Beautiful day.
10.7 °C
Practical: Second day working the north-facing border in the Walled Garden.
Observations: At tea break I assist an interesting debate among volunteers on Trachystemon orientalis
(Abraham-Isaac-Jacob).
This is a spreading perennial herb of the family Boraginaceae. Native to Eastern Europe, it has sandpapery,
hairy green leaves and spikes of starry blue flowers in spring. From a horticulturist perspective, this plant is an
extremely useful groundcover; while it prefers partly shaded woodland locations, it can tolerate full sun to
shade, and a range of soil conditions. It even performs well in dry shade which is always a challenge for
gardeners. The other side of the coin is its toughness, as Trachystemon orientalis can easily be invasive.
Top end of the north-facing border of the Walled Garden, before… …and after

42
x Fatshedera lizei Trachystemon orientalis
Monday 5th
November
Brighter than the previous days. Dry.
7.1 °C
Practical: Today I start the banana trees wrapping in
the Walled Garden, Zingibelares Bed.
Over the next 4-5 days we are going to wrap six
clumps of about twelve banana trees specimens, by
following the steps as follow.
Step 1: The top growth is sawn off, leaving only 4 to
six feet tall stumps. We make sure to remove leaf
debris from around the stumps, as it could rot under
the protective cover, and spread disease to the crown
of the plant.
Step 2: Bamboo canes are driven into the ground in a
circle around the stumps, and chicken wire is stretched
around the canes to make a frame.
Step 3: The canes are tied to the chicken wire with
string or tying wire. Pegs can also be used to secure
the chicken wire to the ground.
Step 4: A second tier of chicken wire is added, so that
the stumps are completely encircled.
Step 5: Straw is piled into the chicken wire frame,
pressing it down between the stumps with a small
rake.
Step 6: This is continued until the stumps are
completely packed with straw.
Step 7: The top of the resulting conical structures is
wrapped with thick polythene sheeting (we use
Mypex). First stages of the banana trees’ overwintering

43
Observations: This structure should keep the plants secure for the cold season, ready to be unpacked and
brought back into active growth in the spring. If water is trapped under the wrappings, rots could develop in the
crown of the plant. It is important to remove any damp debris from the base of the plant, and to make sure the
crown is packed with plenty of dry material such as straw or dry bracken. A waterproof cover is essential.
Plants by May will be unwrapped around May, depending on the weather.
Tuesday 6th
November
Cloudy, cold in the afternoon. Showery.
11.4 °C
Practical: Carrying on the banana wrapping in the Walled Garden.
Observations: Reading about Musaceae family in the RHS
Encyclopedia. This family is native to the tropics of Africa and
Asia.
Musaceae plants have a large herbaceous growth habit with leaves
with overlapping basal sheaths that form a pseudo-stem making
some members appear to be woody trees. As a consequence, the
plants belonging this family (Musa, Ensete and Musella spp.) are
herbs and not woody trees or shrubs. The “trunk” is formed by the
leaf sheaths of the spirally arranged leaves, which form a crown at
the top. Some species of wild bananas, such as M. coccinea, have
ornamental scarlet flowers but inedible fruit. M. textilis from the
Philippines furnishes Manila hemp, also called abaca fibre.
Musaceae family distribution (internet database)
The genus Ensete of Africa produces no edible bananas, but the flower stalk of one species, E. ventricosa, is
edible after cooking. Species of Ensete are distinguished from those of Musa by their larger seeds.
Wednesday 7th
November
Cloudy, breezy, dry.
10.8 °C
Practical: Carrying on with the banana trees wrapping in the Walled Garden.
Thursday 8th
November
Cloudy, breezy.
11.6 °C
Practical: Finishing the banana trees wrapping in the Walled Garden.
The job has been taken four full working days in total.
Banana trees wrapping in the Walled Garden

44
Friday 9th
November
Cloudy, breezy. Light drizzle.
11.4 °C
Practical: Maintenance of the Lamiales Bed in the Walled Garden.
Today I’m going to carry out Buddleja winter pruning.
Plump healthy looking flower, is as a result of proper pruning.
Without this practice, the flower would have been smaller, and get
progressively smaller as every season passes.
The best time to prune Buddleia is late winter or early spring, just
as the new buds begin to swell, cutting away the previous year’s
growth to two or three buds from their base.
Buddleia is a hardy shrub, and generally very forgiving when it
comes to pruning, easily surviving an oops or 2 with the cutters,
any mistakes will soon be hidden by healthy new growth.
To reshape buddleia, do not cut back into the older wood, it is
usually thicker and darker coloured as this may not readily sprout
new shoots. Remove weak and spindly growth. Use a pruning saw
to cut down branches which had flowered during summer. When
cutting, make cuts at different heights, from knee to chest height.
This will ensure that the buddleia pruning appears more natural.
The pruned shrub will have a low framework of branches from
which shoots will grow rapidly to produce flowers in summer. Buddleia pruning
Observations: After noticing a gorgeous Callicarpa bodinieri in the Walled Garden (western-facing wall), in
the afternoon I carry out some researches in plants having blue-purple berries. Horticulturally, the two obvious
choices are Callicarpa bodinieri and Symplocos paniculata.
Nevertheless, there are a number of plants producing blue to black berries.
Following a table with same interesting berry plants.
Latin Name Family Common name Berry color Berry use
Callicarpa bodinieri Lamiaceae beautyberry purple not edible
Symplocos paniculata Symplocaceae sapphireberry blue edible
Phytolacca americana Phytolaccaceae common pokeweed purple-black poisonous
Gaultheria shallon Ericaceae salal dark blue edible
Mahonia nervosa Berberidaceae Oregon grape dark blue edible
Oemleria cerasiformis Rosaceae Indian plum blue-black edible
Lonicera involucrata Caprifoliaceae black twinberry black not edible
Ribes sanguineum Grossulariaceae red flowering currant dark purple not edible
Ribes lacustre Grossulariaceae black gooseberry purple-black edible
Rhamnus purshiana Rhamnaceae cascara black not edible
Prunus spinosum Rosaceae blackthorn dark blue edible
Callicarpa bodinieri Symplocos paniculata

45
Monday 12th
November
Overcast, drizzle.
11.2 °C
Practical: Carrying out some border maintenance in the Broad Walk.
It’s mainly about spot weeding, herbaceous deadheading and trimming back and digging out of some more
tender perennials.
I crop down Achillea millefolium “Cerise Queen” and Gillenia trifoliata. I leave Penstemon “Alice Hindley”,
which still looks green and lush and provides some structure. It requires deadheading, although. Canna species
and cultivars need to be dug out and moved to the nurseries for overwintering.
Digging out Canna cultivars Deadheading Penstemon “Alice Hindley”
Tuesday 13th
November
Overcast, drizzle.
12.2 °C
Practical: Second day of border maintenance in the Broad Walk borders.
Wednesday 14th
November
Warmer. Dull, brighter later.
12.7 °C
Practical: Third day in a row doing border
maintenance in the Broad Walk.
Observations: Cortaderia selloana (Pampa’s grass)
looks scruffy and untidy. Because of the exposed site
and the late season, the plant lost its appeal and now
needs some maintenance.
By sticking a border fork into the ground, I keep its
leaves out of my way and am able to clear the area
around the plant from all the perennial weeds. Then I
tidy up the plant, deadheading the flowering spikes
and stripping off the dead leaves. After this treatment,
the plant looks green and healthy, and its leaves rustle
beautifully in the wind, giving the plant a continuous
appeal. Cortaderia selloana

46
Thursday 15th
November
Cool, dull and misty in the morning. Brighter later.
11.5 °C
Practical: Back working in the Walled Garden
(Lamiales Bed).
I cut down Salvia cv. and move the more tender
cultivars and species to the polytunnel for potting-up
and overwintering.
In the afternoon I join Tudor for some tree work by the
Wendy house.
In the matter of fact a hawthorn (Crataegus
monogyna) needs to be cut down. I assist Tudor as
ground man, patrolling the felling area and setting the
safety tape and signs.
Observations: The common hawthorn is native to
Britain and found everywhere with the exception of
the far north of Scotland. It is one of two hawthorns
native to Britain, the other being the Midland hawthorn
(Crataegus laevigata).
From a horticultural and agricultural perspective, the
common hawthorn is extensively planted as a hedge
plant, especially for agricultural use. Its spines and
close branching habit render it effectively stock and
human proof with some basic maintenance. The
traditional practice of hedge laying is most commonly
practiced with this species. It is also a good fire wood
which burns with a good heat and little smoke.
Numerous hybrid exist, some of which are used
as garden shrubs. The most widely used hybrid is C. x
media (C. monogyna × C. laevigata), of which several
Tree work by the Wendy house
cultivars are known, including the very popular “Paul’s Scarlet” with dark pink double flowers.
Other garden shrubs, that have sometimes been suggested as possible hybrids involving the common hawthorn,
include the various-leaved hawthorn (Crataegus heterophylla) of the Caucasus, which is only very occasionally
found in parks and gardens.
Friday 16th
November
Very damp, drizzly.
10.8 °C
Practical: Strimming by the Garden Lakes.
I work in team with Mark. Continuous use of the strimmer for the all day.
Observations: In the late evening, I attend the AGS lecture “Making the Most of Your Garden’s
Microclimates”. Orator is Nick Wray, curator in Bristol University Botanic Garden.
He explores the garden’s microclimates and suggests how these can be manipulated to create better growing
conditions for a wider, more diverse, range of plants.

47
Saturday 17th
November
Very damp early in the morning. Bright and dry in the afternoon.
12.8 °C
This morning I attend the monthly lecture of West Wales Country Gardeners group. Nick Wray is talking about
“The evolution of Flowering Plants”.
The talk starts with a genetic picture of the flowering plants through the time. From Linnaeus onwards
“morphological understanding” used to be the key for identifying and classifying different plants. Since 2002,
with the DNA-related researches, it has been a massive revolution due to “biological understanding”. About
30% plants have been reclassified.
Following a focus about pollinators. Nick Wray goes through all the different insects (beetles, blue bottle fly,
moths, bees), hummingbirds, bats, capesugar birds, birds (specifically on Sterlitzia), rodents (rats, rock mice)
and the related plant strategies.
Finally it is a digression on Amborella trichopoda, the world’s most ancient flowering plant, bloomed at the
University’s Botanic Garden last autumn. This unusual specimen may hold the key to unraveling Darwin’s
“abominable mystery” – the evolutionary origin of flowering plants.
The first flowering plants, or angiosperms, suddenly appeared over 130 million years ago, an event that
perplexed Charles Darwin and remains a puzzle even now. Today the closest living relative of these
flowers, Amborella trichopoda, is confined in the wild to the remote south Pacific island of New Caledonia. In
1999, new DNA evidence revealed that this strange specimen, with its tiny male or female flowers on separate
plants, was the most primitive angiosperm alive, rather than the showier Magnolias as previously thought.
Bristol Botanics is the only Botanic Garden in the UK, and one of just a handful of gardens worldwide,
where Amborella has been successfully grown, from seeds collected by Professor Hiscock during a trip to New
Caledonia in 2007 with botanists from the University of Lyon, France.
One of the reasons that Amborella is so fascinating is that, unlike most angiosperms, the male and female
reproductive organs occur on different plants. More than 95% of angiosperms are co-sexual, with both male and
female reproductive organs in the same flower. This optmises reproductive efficiency and can allow self-
fertilisation in the absence of pollinators.
Nick Wray cultivates Amborella trichopoda at the University of Bristol Botanic Gardens where both the male
and female plants are kept and displayed indoor.
“The Evolution of Flowering Plants”, orator Nick Wray Amborella trichopoda didactic panel

48
At the end of the lecture I am invited for dinner by Bob and Rannveig Wallis.
In this occasion I am formally introduced to Nick Wray, who shows interest to my career in horticulture and
invites me to the University of Bristol Botanic Gardens for a period of secondment next summer.
Wallis nurseries
Sunday 18th
November
Chilly but bright. Dull in the evening.
11.4 °C
Practical: Visit the naturalistic and romantic Colby Woodland Gardens, National Trust property.
This is an 8 acre garden located in a secluded valley 1½ miles from Amroth in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. It
mainly consists of woodland, ornamental gardens, a walled garden and wild flower meadow. There are
collections of azaleas, bluebells, camellias, daffodils, magnolias and rhododendrons.
Because of the late time of the year, I miss the wild flowers’ and the rhododendrons’ bloom, Colby’s real
specialties. Nevertheless I can soak myself in the tranquil, unusually informal walled garden and admired a
champion Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese Redwood).
Observations: Being aware about Phyophtohora ramorum (Rhododendron Dieback).
This fungal disease has caused the death of large numbers of native American oaks (Quercus) species and
tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) in parts of America. In the UK, P. ramorum is found more commonly on
shrubs such as Rhododendron, Viburnum and Camellia, where it may cause browning of leaves, lesions or
cankers, wilting and dieback.
Prevention of disease is important, because chemical controls are ineffective once symptoms appear in the
landscape. Purchase disease-free plants from reputable nurseries. Avoid plants that lack normal green color,
appear wilted in the morning, or have dark, discolored roots. Select resistant varieties. Plant in a well-drained
and well-aerated soil. Heavier clay soils should be amended with organic matter before planting. Avoid areas
where water can collect around plant roots.
Rhododendron Dieback damages on plants (internet database)

49
The Walled Garden at Colby
The Woodland Garden at Colby

50
Monday 19th
November
Very rainy and wet. Temperatures are rising.
10.6 °C
Last part of the day labeling with Mark. We do the labels of some woodland and prairie plants cultivated in the
area where Mark is in charge (e.g. Primula “Wanda”, Geranium x oxonianum “A.T. Johnson”, Iris sibirica
“Tropic Night”).
Tuesday 20th
November
Overcast and rainy. Getting dryer in the afternoon.
12.2 °C
Also carrying out basis strimmers checks and maintenance in the afternoon.
Observations: Mark gives me some very important
piece of advice about trees and shrubs pruning.
In the matter of fact, the very act of pruning wounds
the tree. When done right, pruning can help trees.
When done wrong, it will harm them. Flush cuts and
leaving a stub are two examples of improper pruning.
Trees do not “heal” their wounds. When a branch is
cut off it is gone, it doesn’t grow another branch.
Trees “seal” their wounds. When pruned right, a
callus grows like a donut, starting at the edge and
growing in until the callus covers the cut. Inside the
tree a chemical boundary is formed around the
wounded area that compartmentalizes the wound.
Compartmentalization limits decays that may occur
Correct pruning technique
from wounding. Flush cuts and leaving on stubs cause wounds that will not callus over or compartmentalize.
When pruning a branch off the tree’s trunk, knowing and locating the branch collar & branch bark ridge is very
important. The branch collar is a swelling that forms around the base of the branch. The branch bark ridge is
slightly raised, dark, rough bark that forms where the branch and trunk tissue meet. These are the areas on a tree
that contain the chemicals that initiate the callus growth and the compartmentalization that protect the wound
created by the cut. Cutting into these areas is unhealthy for the tree and should be avoided. When removing a
large heavy branch, 3 cuts are necessary to avoid tearing into the branch collar.
Finally, don’t spoil a correct pruning job by coating the cut with tree paint or wound dressing. Many years of
research indicate they do nothing to prevent decay and nothing to promote closure of the wound. If anything,
they promote rot because they keep the wood wet long after a rain.
Areas to be strimmed by the Garden Lakes

51
Wednesday 21st
November
Overcast and rainy. Dryer in the afternoon
11.3 °C
Practical: Today we start clearing and strimming the Springwoods.
This will take three-four days and we are going to work in a team of three (Mark, Blue and I).
First we carry out some general clearing, moving the rougher woody material on the trailers. Then, by using the
secateurs, we trim the ferns and make some room around them in order provide protection and visibility while
strimming later. We don’t trim down Asplenium scolopendrium (Hart’s Tongue Fern), which is an evergreen
and looks beautiful all year round. Finally, we start the strimming and clearing of the area.
Just at the end of the day we notice groups of narcissus buds among leaf mould by a south facing bank. It’s a
happy found and we can call it the day.
Thursday 22nd
November
Overcast and rainy. torrential rain in the late afternoon onwards.
11.9 °C
Practical: Second day strimming the Springwoods. Last part of the day, because of the very wet weather, we
pack up and I go up to the tool shed, carrying out some strimmer maintenance with Tudor.
Friday 23rd
November
A couple of light showers. Generally bright.
10.1 °C
Practical: Third day strimming the Springwoods.
Monday 26th
November
Overcast, damp.
9.6 °C
Practical: Fourth and last day strimming the Springwoods.
Tuesday 27th
November
Brighter but cool and breezy.
10.4 °C
Practical: Working in the Walled Garden, Cornales Bed.
We need to make a survey of the existing specimens as well as re-
landscape the area. Quite clearly the bed was overplanted, because an
instant effect was needed when the Walled Garden beds were first
planted, 13 years ago.
Now we need to make a selection, keeping the best-looking specimens
and moving the rests to the polytunnel for successive planting. We
can’t find many of the specimens recorded in the list. Some was
squashed down by some more tenacious plants; some was died during
the last harsh winters. We look after Cornus canadiensis, a nice
groundcover previously unknown to me, shaping a compact clumps
with its remainings. We also dig out many mature shrubs, mainly
Hydrangea and Deutzia cultivars, and move to the polytunnel.
Cornus “Eddie’s White Wonder” is going to be the prima donna in the
new balance of the border. Cornus “Eddie’s White Wonder”

52
Plant list of the Cornales Bed (Double Walled Garden)
Latin Name Family Origin No Act
Cornus canadiensis Cornaceae Canada 9 all kept
Cornus controversa “Variegata” Cornaceae China, Japan, Himalaya 1 moved
Cornus “Eddie’s White Wonder” Cornaceae garden 1 kept
Cornus mas “Aurea” Cornaceae Eurasia 3 1 kept
Deutzia crenata var. nakaiana Hydrangeaceae China 3 1 kept
Deutzia “Rosea Plena” Hydrangeaceae China 3 1 kept
Deutzia setchuensis Hydrangeaceae China 3 1 kept
Hydrangea arborescens ssp. discolor “Sterilis” Hydrangeaceae eastern USA 1 ?
Hydrangea heteromalla Hydrangeaceae Himalaya, China 1 ?
Hydrangea involucrata “Viridiscens” Hydrangeaceae Japan, Taiwan 3 ?
Hydrangea macrophylla “Pia” Hydrangeaceae China, Japan 3 ?
Hydrangea paniculata “Kyushu” Hydrangeaceae China, Korea, Japan, Russia 3 1 kept
Kirengeshoma palmata Hydrangeaceae Japan 1 ?
Philadelphus coronaries “Aureus” Hydrangeaceae Southern Europe 3 1 kept
Philadelphus “Manteau d’Hermine” Hydrangeaceae garden 1 ?
Philadelphus “Miniature Snowflake” Hydrangeaceae garden 1 ?
Philadelphus “Virginal” Hydrangeaceae garden 1 ?
Wednesday 28th
November
Frosty in the morning. Cold, dry. Temperatures were falling down considerably last night.
9.5 °C
Practical: Today we move to the Lamiales Bed in the Walled Garden.
We need to carry out the same survey and re-landscape job we did yesterday in the Cornales Bed. This is going
to take longer because the bed is larger and plants are overgrown and filling literally every inches of the bed.
Plant list of the Lamiales Bed
Latin Name Family Origin No Act
Chionanthus virginicus Oleaceae New Jersey, Florida, Texas 1
Forsythia x intermedia “Lynwood” Oleaceae garden 1
Forsythia x intermedia “Spring Glory” Oleaceae garden 1
Forsythia “Marèe d’Or” Oleaceae southeastern Asia 3
Forsythia “Mèlèe d’Or” Oleaceae southeastern Asia 3
Forsythia viridissima “Broxensis” Oleaceae southeastern Asia 2
Fraxinus ornus “Obelisk” Oleaceae Eurasia 1
Fraxinus xanthoxyloides var. dumosa Oleaceae Himalayas 1 ?
Jasminum humile “Revolutum” Oleaceae Afghanistan, Himalayas 3 2
Ligustrum quihoui Oleaceae China 1
Osmanthus delavayi Oleaceae China 3
Osmanthus heterophyllus “Goshiki” Oleaceae eastern Asia and Japan 2
Osmantus heterophyllus “Purpureus” Oleaceae eastern Asia and Japan 2
Phillyrea angustifolia Oleaceae Mediterranean 1
Phillyrea angustifolia Oleaceae Mediterranean 1
Phillyrea angustifolia forma rosmarinifolia Oleaceae Mediterranean 1
Syringa x josiflexa “Agnes Smith” Oleaceae garden 1
Syringa “Juliet” Oleaceae garden 1
Syringa x laciniata Oleaceae garden 1
Syringa meyeri “Palibin” Oleaceae northern China and Japan 1 unfound
Syringa x persica “Alba” Oleaceae garden 1
Syringa pubescens ssp. microphylla “Suprema” Oleaceae northern central China 3
Syringa vulgaris “Charles Joly” Oleaceae Balkan peninsula 1
Syringa vulgaris “Firmament” Oleaceae Balkan peninsula 1
Syringa vulgaris “Katherine Havemeyer” Oleaceae Balkan peninsula 1 moved
Syringa vulgaris “Madame Lemoine” Oleaceae Balkan peninsula 1
Syringa vulgaris “President Fallieres” Oleaceae Balkan peninsula 1 moved

53
Trees and shrubs moved from the Lamiales Bed and stored out the polytunnel
Thursday 29th
November
Still frost in the morning. Cold, dry.
7.1 °C
Practical: Working the Geraniales Bed in the Walled Garden.
It’s about general maintenance (deadheading, stripping off dead leaves, clearing up and scratching off dead
material).
The Geraniales Bed early in the morning
Friday 30th
November
Cristal clear, cold, dry.
9.2 °C
Practical: Finishing off the Geraniales Bed in the Walled Garden.
Then moving to the Saxifragales Bed for some more border maintenance.
Observations: Today a focus on Epilobium angustifolium (syn. Chamerion angustifolium), known as fireweed
(North America), Willowherb (Canada) and Rosebay Willowherb (Great Britain). This is a perennial herbaceous
plant in the family Onagraceae. It is native throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere, including large parts
of the boreal forests.
Because rosebay willowherb can colonize disturbed sites, even following an old oil spill, it is often used to
reestablish vegetation. It grows in (and is native to) a variety of temperate to arctic ecosystems. Although it is
also grown as an ornamental plant, some may find it too aggressive in that context.

54
December
Monday 3rd
December
Bright, dry, mild.
10.2 °C
Practical: Today is my first day working with the Inside Team.
First of all I have an introduction of the Great Glasshouse and the concepts behind it.
The Great Glasshouse was designed by the world renowned architect Lord Norman Foster and Partners.
It is the world’s largest single span Glasshouse measuring 110 meters long by 60 meters wide. The internal
landscape covers 3500 m2, while the glass dome covers 4500 m2. The dome is the shape of an elliptical torus
and consists of 758 panes of glass, most of which are 4m x 1.5 m. Each glass pane consists of two 9mm thick
sheets of glass with a laminated film in-between making a glass sandwich 18mm thick in total. The glass dome
is tilted by 7 degrees on its axis and is orientated to face south. This helps capture the maximum amount of
sunlight in a day. Steel ball and socket joints attach 24 tubular arches to the concrete plinth. The special joints
allow for expansion of the steel ribs which cover the building. 147 computer controlled vents regulate a fully
controllable and natural airflow. Heat is provided from a biomass furnace which in conjunction with the
climate control prevents the glasshouse temperature falling below 9C. High mounted fans blow air around the
glasshouse interior, simulating the windy conditions of the Mediterranean regions and strengthening the plants.
The landscape design is by Katheryn Gustafson.
The concept is to divide the space into 5 regions including the Mediterranean Basin (and the Canary Islands),
Costal California, Chile, Cape province of South Africa and South Western Australia.
The plants grow in soil which is very poor in nutritional value and holds a lot of gravel/pebbles to create a
naturalistic effect. Watering in mainly through sprinkler irrigation; however hoses are used for difficult to reach
areas. There are some problems with pests and diseases, especially thrips.
I start my duties working in the Chile Area.
Some of the plants here are overgrown and a couple of long beds need to be re-landscaped. I pull out dead
leaves of Francoa sp., giving the plant a more presentable appearance.
I also try to rejuvenate three specimens of Escallonia pulverulenta by cutting down the older stems.
Observations: Escallonia pulverulenta is an evergreen shrub growing up to 3.5 m at a fast rate. It is among the
about 30 escallonias in Chile, where it grows at medium altitude up to the timber line as well as low altitude, in
interior valleys. It likes areas fully exposed to the sun. USDA hardiness to zone 9. The plant does not tolerate
snow, but can tolerate occasional freezing spells of about -5°C (the typical morning frost of central Chile).
Escallonia pulverulenta Francoa sp.

55
Tuesday 4th
December
Bright, getting colder in the afternoon.
10.4 °C
Practical: Working in the Great Glasshouse.
First job in the morning, clearing the paths of the
glasshouse by using a leaf collector. This is a job we
need to do every two days or so, first thing in the
morning, before the gates open to the visitors.
After that, James and I start the work in the Laurel
Forest (by the cascade, east end of the Great
Glasshouse). We are going to transform completely
the area, which will become part of the Canary Island
Area. In the matter of fact, the maintenance of the
Laurel Forest proved to be impossible, mainly
because a massive outbreak of thrips,
We start falling down two slender specimens of
Laurus azorica. Tudor, the arboriculturalist, directs
the work, which is carried out by the only use of
pruning saws and a rope. Extreme care is paid in
controlling the fell of the trees.
Rest of the day, I work in the South Africa Area.
I’m going to plant two potted specimens of
Chasmanthe floribunda.
This is called plunge planting and is a technique we
use very often in the Great Glasshouse. It consists in
putting a potted plant in the ground pot and all. Some
will put the same size container in the ground first so
the plant pot can come out leaving the hole intact for
the winter. Drilling holes in the sides of the pots
allows for the roots to spread to the earth and draw up
water and food from there also. Some people like to
plunge a 3 gallon into a 5 gallon, and then leave the 5
gallon in the ground until next year. It’s also possible
to push another 5 gallon, bottom up into the other 5
gallon. This helps to give the hole some height and
keep the dogs (and others) from wandering into a
hole.
Plunging not only helps keep plants from getting
blown over but keeps the roots cooler, too. Another
significant advantage that accompanies this practice is
that it allows using soils that might otherwise be
considered too water-retentive to be the best choice
for a more conventional application, where the pot is
not sunk into the ground.
Today I’m going to plunge plant two pots straight in
the ground, without drilling holes or using extra
containing pots. This will help consistently in
controlling the growth of the plants, as well in
optimizing their maintenance and watering needs. Plunge planting Chasmanthe floribunda
Observations: Chasmanthe floribunda is a species of flowering plant in the crocus family which is known by
the common name African flag. This plant is native to southern Africa, particularly South Africa, but it has
been introduced to other areas of similar climate, such as California, where it is naturalized. This is a perennial
sprouting from a corm and producing clumps of long, narrow leaves. It erects one thin, tall stem which may
approach a meter in height. Atop the stem is a spike inflorescence holding 20 to 40 flowers in neat vertical rows.
The flower is a curving tube with a long upper lobe curving down over smaller lobes. From the mouth of the
flower protrude the stamens with their large, hanging anthers, and the style.
The flower is generally bright orange-red or scarlet on the upper lobe and yellow to orange in the lower lobes.

PGG Diary on the National Botanic Gardens of Wales

PGG Diary on the National Botanic Gardens of Wales

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PGG Diary on the National Botanic Gardens of Wales