Autumn is here

Autumn has begun and after a wet summer, it feels like it’s been a battle to get here

The rock garden enjoyed a sunny interlude on 13 October. The Taste of Wisley event was underway and the car park and garden were busy with visitors. It was a bit of a battle to get in, but not as much as the battle that happened on this day in 1066 near Hastings. Battle Abbey was built at the site and the village of Battle grew up supporting the Abbey which are north west of Hastings. Some suggest that Caldbec Hill or Crowhurst could be the real locations of the famed battle, rather than the commonly accepted site of Battle. They suggest that the monks may have invented the association, in documents written in the twelfth century, to boost the importance of their Abbey. You might have thought that spin doctors were a modern invention. Even something as famous as this historic event has some elements of doubt. Most people know about 1066 but perhaps not the date. I didn’t remember, but my school history lessons were a long time ago. Does it matter, no, but it highlights again that every day can be a school day.

The bonsai walk comes alive with autumn’s colours

The autumn equinox happened on 22 September, when the day and night length were equally long. The word equinox comes from the Latin aequus – equal and nox – night. You know more Latin than you think. We are entering the “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” in the words of John Keats (1795 -1821). Who knows what he might have gone on to write if he had not succumbed to tuberculosis at the age of 25. We’ve had a few misty days this month but not today. Peter Chan’s trees were looking splendid in the autumn sunshine. In previous years the deciduous bonsai have lost their leaves before the trees in the garden, but not this year.

Acer palmatum comes from Korea, China, Japan eastern Mongolia and southeast Russia. At it’s peak, this display will only last for a few days; but what days! The name for the cultivar Acer palmatum ‘Deshojo’ is from the Japanese for deep red. It is just starting to colour up.

There is a small border at the top of the bonsai walk planted with a few dwarf conifers. Some of these have already been shaped, while the rest will be pruned once they have grown a little more.

Pinus parviflora is the Japanese white pine. It is native to Japan where it can reach 15 – 25m. It grows at altitudes of 400 – 1100m and is also known as the five needle pine. It is on the middle left hand side of the first picture. Pinus parviflora ‘Fukai’ is a variegated form with green and yellow needles. This was found by Tage Lundell, a horticulturist in Helsingborg, Sweden in 1975. It is on the right hand side of the second picture (click on these images to enlarge).

Once again there is lots of interest in the Alpine Display House

Crocus mathewii can be found growing in a few locations in the Taurus mountains of southern Turkey. It was named to honour Brian Matthew MBE, VMH. Brian has authored many books over his illustrious career including books on Iris, hellebores, Daphne, Lewisia, Allium, Cyclamen. He also wrote books on bulbs such as Dwarf Bulbs published in 1973. Brian was part of the alpine team at Wisley before he moved to Kew, so I feel that this is definitely a Wisley plant.

Crocus boryi was named to honour French botanist Jean Baptise Bory de Cent-Vincent (1778 – 1846). He was a naturalist, army officer, biologist and geographer with a particular interest in botany and volcanology. This species can be found growing in south and western Greece and the Ionian islands.

Colchicum cupanii can be found growing throughout the Mediterranean basin including France, Sardinia, Italy, Albania, Greece, Montenegro, Croatia, Sicily, Algeria and Tunisia. It was named to honour Francesco Cupani (1657 – 1710). In 1692 he became the first director of the botanic garden at Misilmer, Sicily.

Crocus goulimyi AGM flowers in the wild in September and October, before the leaves appear. The flowering time is dependant on when the first autumn rains arrive. The specific epithet was chosen to honour Dr. Constantine Goulimis (1886 – 1963). The species is endemic to southern Greece.

Crocus goulimyi subsp. goulimyi ‘Mani White’ AGM was first grown by Michael Hoog at van Tubergen Nurseries. He selected seedlings from seed raised plants, from corms that had been sent by Dr. C. Goulimis. These corms had been collected near Areopoli on the Mani peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece.

Primula auricula has been grown in gardens since the sixteenth century. Its common name is the mountain cowslip or bears ear. In the wild it is found in the mountain ranges in central Europe including the western Alps, Jura and Tarta Mountains. It should be overwintered in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. It can be in flower for 3 months and is better in partial shade. The specific epithet is from the Latin for lobed like an ear. In those days there would have been bears in the woods as well as the mountains.

From slightly further afield

Strumaria gemmata  hails from the Cape Provinces and the Free State of South Afrrica. The genus name is from the Latin struma – a cushion shaped swelling and aria – possessing – referring to the swollen base of the style. The specific epithet is from the Latin for jewelled. It is described as having pale yellow flowers.

Strumaria discifera is found growing in the west and south-west Cape Provinces in South Africa, being described in 1992. The specific epithet is from the Latin disci – disk and fera – bearing or carrying.

If it’s autumn, then it must be cyclamen time

Cyclamen cilicium grows in an area of southern Turkey along the Taurus mountain range. It flowers in the wild form September to November with flowers that can be white to deep pink. The leaves often appear after flowering. Cilicia is the Latin name for southern Turkey.

Cyclamen hederifolium, the ivy leaved cyclamen. It can be found growing in shaded deciduous woodland, from sea level to 1300m, in the Mediterranean area including southern France to western Turkey and many of the Mediterranean islands.

Cyclamen hederifolium var. hederifolium f. albiflorum ‘Tilebarn Helena’ was raised by Peter Moore of Tile Barn Nursery, Benenden, Kent, both of which are sadly no longer with us. The original plant was found as a seedling by Helena Weisner who gave it to Peter to propagate and he named it for her.

Cyclamen hederifolium ‘Ruby Glow’. This was a selection made by Phil Cornish from seedlings he grew from Cyclamen ‘Rosenteppich’. The flowers are described as deep rich magenta or magenta purple. Rosenteppich is German for rose carpet, and it was raised by Herr Richter of Dresden Germany. A rather nice way of thinking about a mass of flowers below a shrub or tree.

Cyclamen confusum was previously known as C. hederifolium var. confusum but was identified as a distinct species recognition in 2009. It is very similar to hederifolium which it grows among. It was therefore very confusing to identify. You thought botanists didn’t have a sense of humour, when naming plants. It has, so far, only been found in the Kissamos district of northwest Crete, where it can be found in flower in October and November. It has rose pink, fragrant flowers.

Cyclamen x whiteae is a hybrid. There are very few cyclamen hybrids because of the incompatible cytology of the different species (morphology, structure, life cycle and pathology of cells). This one is a cross of C. maritimum x C.hederifolium.

More information on all matters to do with Cyclamen is at hand

Lots of free information can be found at the Cyclamen Society webpage. Joining the society opens up further benefits such as accessing the shows, Journals and annual seed list.

On the main rock garden an important anniversary this month

Larix kaempferi is the oldest introduced plant at Wisley. It was imported by James Carter and Co, Seedsmen, High Holborn, London from Japan on 21 October 1904, when the tree was 100 years old. I haven’t found any direct evidence that it was planted to commemorate the founding of the Horticultural Society of London, which took place on 7 March 1804. It seems likely, or it may just be a happy coincidence. Happy 220th birthday. I don’t think we’ll be putting birthday candles on it, it would take to long to blow them out.

The larix pool is surrounded by a number of choice plants including Chrysanthemum yezoense, which is endemic to Japan. The specific epithet is Latin for ‘of Ezo – a former name given to Hokkaido, the most northern of Japan’s islands.

Larix decidua ‘Krejci‘ was found in 1984, in the Czech Republic, by Mr Krejci as a root sprout. If it had happened in my garden I’d probably have pruned out the shoot and put it on the compost heap in my ignorance. Larix is the old Latin name for Larch and the specific epithet is from the Latin for deciduous.

Larix decidua ‘Horstmann’s Recurved’ was introduced by the German nurseryman Gunter Horstmann. A number of genera, including Abies, Cedrus, Juniperus, and Picea have cultivars with his name. He was growing plants for over four decades. It’s common name is the contorted European Larch.

Cedrus deodara ‘Feelin blue’ was featured in the last diary entry, this second tree is much taller as it was grafted as a standard.

Podocarpus totara ‘Pendulus’ is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found growing on the North and South Islands in lower subalpine forests up to 600m. In cultivation it grows as a shrub green yew-like foliage. The genus name is from the Greek pous – foot and karpos – fruit. The specific epithet is from the Maori – totara – spike or thorn and is used for other spikey animals and plants.

x Amarine tubergenii (Belladiva Series) is a bigeneric hybrid; a cross between Nerine bowdenii x Amaryllis belladonna. Online sources suggess it needs three things to survive, drainage, drainage and drainage. It was introduced by van Tubergen from Netherlands.

Pinus sylvestris ‘Beuvronensis’ was discovered in a French garden and distributed by Transon Freres a nurseryman at Beuvron, France. The specific epithet is from the Latin for of the woods. It is a shrub form of the Scots pine. It has turned into a large shrub at Wisley, but provides ideal growing conditions for the x Amarine tubergenii above.

Some autumn colours on the rock garden

Galanthus reginae-olgae always draws comments from visitors as they don’t expect to see snowdrops in October; but then who does?

It was discovered by the Greek poet T.G. Orphanides in the Taigetos mountains in the Peloponnese, Greece. They have subsequently been found in Albania, Corfu and Mount Hymettos and Mount Athos, also in Greece. It was named to honour Queen Olga of Greece, the grandmother of the Late Duke of Edinburgh. It is known as Queen Olga’s snowdrop. Variants can flower in the autumn, winter or early spring. References suggest that it will tolerate a dryer sunnier spot than for most snowdrops. The final picture is a view of the rock garden with a few of the plants that are starting to show some autumn colour.