Some of the smaller Rhododendrons at High Beeches

High Beeches has a large selection of the smaller Rhodendrons many to be found growing on Forrest's Bank with Rh. rex and Rh. Elsae towering over them.

Rhododendron primuliflorum

One of the most enchanting is Rhododendron
primuliflorum a small to medium sized shrub.
The leaves are small and white underneath and
the small flowers are daphne like, tubular
and pink in colour borne in small rounded
heads.  It won 'Best in Show' at Wisley last year.

Rhododendron russatum introduced by
George Forrest in l917 is another small
shrub of up to 1.2m high. It has flowers of
a beautiful deep blue-purple in April/May.

Rhododendron campylogynum is a very
pretty dwarf shrub which produces long-stalked, bell shaped, rose purple flowers and
was introduced by George Forrest in l912.

Rhododendron russatum

Finally Rhododendron Yellow Hammer
(Rh. flavidum x Rh. sulfureum) a beautiful
yellow hybrid which is flowering particularly
well this year.  Raised at Caerhays in Cornwall
it is to be found in flower throughout the year.

Rhododendron campylogynum

Rhododendron Yellow Hammer

Early Rhododendron Competition

High Beeches took part in the Early Rhododendron Competition at Wisley last weekend.

Competing in the RHS Shows is challenging but hugely enjoyable and High Beeches had a successful show with a number of firsts.  We usually do better in the classes for species rather than hybrid rhododendrons and this year was no exception. One first in the hybrid section, six firsts in the species section and the garden was awarded the John Fox Plate for the largest number of points gained overall in the South East Group.

Rh.luteiflorum

Magnolia stellata, Illicium anisatum, Camellia R.L.Wheeler, Rh. arboreum x repens

  Our prize winners included Rhododendron Florida Ogada, Rh. neriflorum, Rh. luteiflorum, Rh. irroratum 'Polka Dot' and Rh. racemosum.   We were also successful in the class for 'Four trees or shrubs of different genera, one vase of each' winning it with Camellia R.L. Wheeler, Rh. arboreum x repens, Magnolia stellata and Illicium anisatum.

Magnolias

The magnolias are looking superb at High Beeches.



Magnolia sargentiana var. robusta one of the most beautiful of Magnolias was discovered by Ernest Wilson in 1903, although he never saw it in bloom, and named after Charles Sargent, Director of the Arnold Arboretum. Most of the older trees came from Chenault of Orleans, this is one of them. In l997 this tree was a casualty of the great storm. The decision was made to cover the root ball with top soil and to wait and see what would happen. The tree put out new shoots and although it is not quite the tree it was prior to 1997 it still flowers all over, a truly magnificent sight.

Magnolia campbellii var.campbelli x var.
mollicomata. A cross made by C Raffill of Kew
in l946, seedlings were distributed to a number
of gardens in 1948. The clone Charles Raffill
is a fine tree.











Magnolia campbellii Lanarth a striking form
of subsp. mollicomata has very distinctive deep
pink flowers.  A native of Yunnan introduced
by George Forrest in 1924.