No downpours this week, thankfully

27/10/09

Today I decided to chance it and take the valley road from Exeter to Knightshayes, and boy was it a rewarding journey - absolutely beautiful, with all the autumn colours in full effect. The beech trees were particularly spectacular, and made me think about getting out and about foraging for mushrooms this weekend, especially given all the wet weather we've had. After last week's never-ending deluge, today was sunny and overcast at times, and Paul's tip to look to the west for the incoming weather proved an excellent one.

I decided to get up there for 9am, as I have started a new job in the evenings and want to get back in plenty of time before heading out to work. On arrival I found Lucy and Jude clearing leaves from under the sweet chestnut in the ornamental garden. Paul and Dave weren't in this week, so there was a long list of things to do in their absence.

We carried on clearing leaves for a while and after a quick tea break headed out to the front of the house to cut back the perennials in the beds - epimediums and alchemillas, and loads of them. Another volunteer, Alice, joined us - she does two days a week. Yet another bold robin kept me company as I wielded my secateurs, flitting in among the leaves and soil I'd turned over.

After lunch and a good chinwag about our backgrounds, we joined Steve, who heads up propagation at the NT nursery, and various visitors to the gardens for an 'autumn colours' walk around the gardens. While a few of the choice autumn interest plants had already reached their peak, plenty of others were putting on a fantastic show. We were joined for the walk by Murphy the cat, who apparently lives in a nearby village but spends his summers prowling round the grounds here.

Steve's autumn colours walk:

Vitus coignetiae - Crimson Glory Vine - Vitaceae
Parrotia persica - Persian ironwood - Hamamelidaceae
Vitis davidii - Vitaceae
Cotinus 'Grace - Anacardiaceae
Corylopsis glabrescens - Hamamelidaceae
Prunus 'Taihaku' - Rosaceae
Rhododendron lutem - Ericaceae
Euonymus alatus - Celastraceae
Fothergilla gardenii 'Blue Mist' - Witch alder - Hamamelidaceae
Cornus kousa var. chinensis - Cornaceae
Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Lanarth' - Caprifolaceae (Adoxaceae)
Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon' - Hamamelidaceae
Nyssa ogeche - Ogeechee tupelo - Cornaceae
Metasequoia glyptostroibes - Dawn redwood - Cupressaceae
Fothergilla major - Witch alder - Hamamelidaceae
Chamaecyparis 'Pembury Blue' - Cupressaceae
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson cypress - Cupressaceae
Cupressus macrocarpa 'Lutea' - Cupressaceae
Cornus controversa - Cornaceae
Vibernum betulifolium - Caprifoliaceae (Adoxaceae)
Acer velutinum var. vanvolxemii - Aceraceae
Lonicera pileata - Caprifoliaceae (Adoxaceae)
Aesculus parviflora - Bottlebrush buckeye - Hippocastanaceae
Sapium japonicum - Euphorbiaceae
Pseudolarix amabilis - Golden Larch - Pinaceae
Cornus 'Porlock' - Cornaceae
Hydrangea paniculata 'Pink Diamond' - Hydrangeaceae
Hydrangea serrata 'Beni-yama' - Hydrangeaceae
Euonymus verrucosoides var. viridiflora - Celastraceae
Podocarpus - Podocarpaceaea
Nyssa sylvatica - Tupelo, Sour Gum - Cornaceae
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snowflake' - Hydrangeaceae
Koelreuteria paniculata - Golden rain tree - Sapindaceae
Liquidambar formosana Monticola Group - Hamamelidaceae
Sorbus sargentiana - Rosaceae
Cercidiphyllum japonicum - Katsura - Cercidiphyllaceae

Just a few, then...

I should single out the Acers (japonicum and palmatum, plus all the woodland species) for their fine displays. Hopefully I'll remember my camera next week and catch them while they're still in leaf. One red/pink-leaved one stood out in particular.

5 hours