No animals were hurt in the making of this diary

I have been fortunate enough to see marmots in the Alps, which are large ground squirrels. At Wisley, I recently noticed this squirrel checking out the crevice garden. My initial thought was that it probably was up to no good, but see the comments about mole-voles below. As gardeners we might be too quick to judge the negative impact of wildlife when there could be a hidden benefit. The jury’s still out on this little chap however.

Slugs are also considered villains in gardens, but I’m learning that there are good ones. These only eat decaying plant material and provide a useful service, recycling nutrients. There are ones that eat living plant material, which are not good for gardeners (I have plenty of these in my garden). I also saw this patch of fungi which was being enjoyed by many brown slugs. The fungi were growing on the stump of a tree that was cut down. At the time of writing no wildlife was hurt.

I have rather studiously ignored many of the trees that are planted around the rock garden as they don’t overwhelm me. Please read the last diary entry if you’ve not already done so and you’ll know why I chose the word whelm. They are just there and they don’t change much throughout the seasons, being slow growers. I thought I should redress this imbalance and shine a light on at least a few of them. They often appear in the background during spring and summer and by winter visitors pass them by if there is nothing more interesting to look at. They are the unsung residents of the rock garden adding height, shape and structure throughout the seasons. Who knows, just like ferns, I might also get to like them.

On the main rock garden on the last day of September

Clematis terniflora. At this time of year we often get asked by visitors if this clematis is flowering out of season, not having seen an autumn flowering one before. It’s common name is the sweet autumn clematis. It gets cut back to 30cm each winter before growth commences and 8 months later it covers a large area. The genus name is from the Greek klema – a vine branch (climbing), the specific epithet is from the Latin terni – parts in three (flowers). It’s home is in northeastern Asia.

Heptacodium miconioides is native to China. It’s common name is the seven son flower, this being a translation of the Chinese name. The flowers are fragrant and it flowers from late summer to late autumn. It can grow to 6m. In addition to the scented flowers it also has attractive peeling bark. The genus name is from the Greek for seven heads and the specific epithet is from the Latin for like the genus Miconia. The plant produces panicles where the terminal flower is surrounded by 6 other flowers, hence the common and genus name.

Dwarf trees deserve more attention

There are several specimens of Tsuga canadensis ‘Pendula’ in the rock garden. I’m sure that the mature specimens were planted when the garden was first created, others have been recently added. It is known as the weeping eastern hemlock. The genus name is from the Japanese name for Tsuga sieboldii. It was named to honour Philipp Franz Bathasar von Siebold (1796 – 1866) who was a German botanist and traveller. He lived in Japan between 1823 – 1830 and had many plants named for him including Hosta, Viburnum, Clematis, Hylotelephonium, Magnolia and Primula. The crushed foliage of T. sieboldii smells similar to the unrelated plant poison hemlock, hence the common name. The specific epithet is from the Latin for from or of Canada. It’s native range is in damp woods, rocky hillsides, wooded ravines and stream valleys from eastern Canada south to Maine and Wisconsin, south in the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia and Alabama. Online literature sources state that the maximum height for the dwarf trees is 3m and the mature ones at Wisley must be close to this height. The second picture is Tsunga canadensis ‘Nana’ which is a recent planting and as such is only 30cm high.

Picea mariana ‘Nana’ was awarded an AGM in 1993. The author of the Manual of dwarf conifers, Humphry Welch (1908 – 2001) described this tree as one of the best conifers we have. The genus name is the ancient name for spruce. The other reference I found was to the Latin pix – pitch or tar refereeing to its resin. It is native to North America from Labrador and Alaska to Virginia and Wisconsin in the south. It’s common name is the black spruce. The specific epithet if from the Latin for St. Mary, although my research drew a blank why this name was chosen.

Life is never just black and white. Picea glauca ‘Echiniformis’ has the common name the white spruce. The specific epithet refers to the fact that mature needles acquire a waxy white bloom. The cultivar name is from the Latin echini – covered in prickles or hedgehog like and formis – resembling or shaped. In the wild it can be found from Alaska to Newfoundland, south to Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The reference state it grows up to 60cm in height. If I said that it looked like a hedgehog to me, you might think I’ve been consuming some of the mushrooms I mentioned at the start.

Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’ is a form of Norway spruce. The species occurs from northern and central Europe to the Urals. There are over 150 named cultivars. The specific epithet is from the Latin for rising (Norway spruce can grow to 45m tall). The cultivar name is from the Latin nidi – nest like and formis – resembling or shaped, so nest shaped. Mature plants have a depression or nest shape in the middle of the flattened top. A feature that I have been able to completely miss capturing, in my picture.

Pinus mugo ‘Humpy’ AGM was introduced in 1979 but despite my efforts, so far, I have not been able to identify who bred it. There are over 500 named cultivars of P. mugo. The genus name is the classical name for a pine tree. The specific epithet is from the Latin – the old name for a dwarf pine. It is a montane species and can be found from the Alps to the Carpathians. P. mugo ‘Tuffet’ is another dwarf mountain pine cultivar. Expect it to grow to 35cm after 10 years and 50cm after 15 years.

Pinus heldreichii ‘Compact Gem’ has the common name of the Bosnian pine. This particular cultivar was introduced by Hilliers, England in 1964. The specific epithet honours the German botanist Theodor von Heldreich (1851 – 1902). He lived in Greece and published 13 volumes of Herbarium Graecum Normale between 1856 – 1896. The species was first collected on Mount Olympus. This cultivar will be 1.25m after 10 years and 3m x 2m when fully grown. Cedrus deodara ‘Feelin’ Blue’ AGM is known as the mighty Himalayan cedar. The species comes from the western Himalayas, Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. This cultivar was found as a seedling at H.C. Trump and sons Nursery in the Netherlands, in the 1980’s. At maturity it will be 1.2 x 1.5m.

This is one of the most recognizable trees on the rock garden, Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Gracilis’. I helped prune it a couple of years ago and it is due another light trim soon. It comes from Central Japan and has the common name of the Hinoki Cypress or fire tree. It will reach a height of 3m in Japan, 1m after 10 years. Given the size of the tree at Wisley it must have been planted many decades ago. The genus name comes from the Greek chamai – dwarf or to the ground, and kyparissos cyress tree. The specific epithet is from the Latin for rounded or blunt. The cultivar name is also from the Latin for dwarf and slender or graceful.

Chamaecyparis thyoides ‘Rubicon’ is an American species and has a number of common names, White Cypress, Atlantic Cedar or Swamp Cedar. It is found on the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida and the Gulf coast, Florida to Mississippi. This particular cultivar was discovered in 1971 by H.J. Welch at Tennessee Valley Nursery. The specific epithet is from the Latin for Thuja-like, a resinous fragrant wooded tree. I only know of one Rubicon that was crossed by a certain Julius Caesar with his army in 49 BC. I’m sure Mr Welch had a reason for choosing this name but it could have had another meaning. It grows to 1.6 x 1m and the plant at Wisley must be at least this size.

Another very distinctive tree is Cupressus arizonica var. glabra ‘Angaston’ will come as no surprise to be native to central Arizona. The genus name is from the Greek kuo – to produce and parisos – equal, the symmetrical form of the Italian Cypress. It’s common name is the smooth Arizona Cypress tree. The variety name is from the Latin glabra – hairless.

Taxus baccata ‘Nutans’ the English Yew can be found from western, central and southern Europe, Asia to the Himalay. The specific epithet is from the Latin for bearing berries. The genus name has several possible sources, from the Greek for taxon – a bow, one of the most common uses for the wood for centuries. The cultivar name is from the Latin for drooping or nodding, referring to the flowers. This cultivar will reach 60cm x 40cm after 10 years. It was raised in a Belgium Nursery in 1910 and distributed by a Dutch Nursery.

Taxus baccata ‘Standishii’ AGM was first described in 1908 but had been distributed by Standish and Co, The Royal Nurseries, Ascot, Berkshire, sometime before. It is a female cultivar producing bright red fruits. It is described as a fastigiate (branches more or less parallel to the main stem) Golden Yew. It grows 1.8 to 3m in 10 years and ultimately 7.6m.

There was also some colour to be found

Another plant from Japan is Hylotelephium cauticola, the common name being the clifftop stonecrop. It is native to Hokkaido, growing to 8cm in height. The specific epithet is from the Latin for growing on cliffs. I think the pink flowers and grey foliage make a particularly attractive combination. Arctanthemum articum is the Arctic daisy.  The RHS still recognise this name but other authorities have it listed as Chrysanthemum articum. It occurs from Alaska, parts of Canada, Eastern Russia to Japan. The specific epithet is from the Latin for of the Artic regions.

In the Alpine Display House some autumn colour returns

Colchicum montanum (syn. Merandera montana) is known as the Pyrenean meadow saffron. It can be found in the Central Pyrenees, central, northern and northwest Spain from 900m – 2500m on grassy hillsides, rocky places, open screes and rather dry places.

Colchicum montanum ‘Norman Barrett’ was collected by Norman Barrett in the 1950’s and some authorities list it as being scarcely distinguishable from many seen in the wild. Mr Barrett clearly thought it had some merit.

Scientists believe that Colchicum montanum has an interesting relationship with mole-voles who eat this plant profusely in the wild. The consumption of the corm is fatal to the plant which doesn’t sound good. However, C. montanum grows more abundantly in areas colonized by mole-voles than in undisturbed grasslands with high plant cover and absence of mole-vole populations. Both asexual reproduction and seedlings of this species are more frequent in highly disturbed areas. Results strongly suggest a protocooperative relationship between mole-voles and this geophyte. That’s a word you didn’t expect to see today. The burrowing behaviour of mole-voles favours dispersal and reproductive success of the plant, enhancing its habitat availability. The plant in turn supplies abundant and nutritious food assisting in the flourishing of the mole-vole populations. I am pleased to say that this is not a mammal we have to deal with at Wisley, but we have many others.

Brunsvigia bosmaniae x Brusvigia orientalis. The genus name honours the House of Brunswick, Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick (1735 – 1806). The specific epithet of the first species was named for a lady, but the details of who she was have been lost in time. The specific epithet for the second parent of this hybrid is from the Latin for eastern or oriental. Both come from the Western Cape at low altitude in the winter rainfall areas, where they often grow in coastal sand. They flower within a few weeks of the first rains of the season. The common name is the Candelabra flower.   

Colchicum parlatoris, native to southern Greece and a few of its islands. It often grows close to the sea to 900m. I was unable to find a direct link to the origins of the specific epithet. It may be for Filippo Parlatore an Italian botanist and physician. He was instrumental in the founding of the Central Italian Herbarium and was director of the Botanic Gardens of Florence. He had the genus Parlatore named in his honour.

Muscari parviflorum is known as the autumn grape hyacinth. Its home is the Mediterranean region, growing from sea level to 500m in grasslands and rocky places. It is the only autumn flowering muscari coming into flower after the first rain of the season. It should have been in flower months ago, given the amount of rain we’ve had this year. The specific epithet is from the Latin for small flowered.

Empodium flexile is at home in the Cape Province of South Africa. The genus name is from the Greek em – within and pous – foot, referring to the underground ovary. The specific epithet is from the Latin for bend or curve.

The log seat has been replaced in the fern glade

The new seat for the fern glade has been moved into position and the old one has been re-cycled to create a wildlife habitat. To be fair, it was already being enjoyed by quite a lot of beetle grubs. I hope this seat will be used and enjoyed as much as the last one was. Thanks to Kieran for the art work, reflecting the fronds of the ferns.