Quercus oxyodon

A rare oak, Quercus oxyodon, is flowering at High Beeches.

Although evergreen Quercus oxyodon sheds its leaves in the spring and then flowers before producing new foliage in the summer.  It is a low growing tree of up to 10 metres in height with wide spreading branches.

 A native of China and probably introduced by Ernest Wilson in 1900.

The tree at High Beeches is an old one.  There is another at Caerhays planted in l919 but there is a debate as to whether or not they are the same plant.
A small number of other gardens have young plants, including Nymans and Chevithorne Barton.

Liriodendron tulipifera

LIRIODENDRON TULIPIFERA, the Tulip Tree

 

 

A large tree of up to 30 metres in height.  The tulip tree has very distinct foliage, which turns golden-yellow in autumn.  It flowers in June and the flowers are not unlike tulips hence its name.  It is an early introduction to this country from North America, the first record of at Tulip Tree is from 1688 and it may well have been introduced earlier.

 

The magnificent Tulip Tree at High Beeches grows on the bank between the road and the car park and was probably planted in the early 1900s.

 

In praise of buttercups and Ox-eye Daisies

The Ox-eye Daisy, Moon Daisy or Dog Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare , a member of the Asteraceae family, is the largest native daisy and a familiar sight brightening many a road side verge.

The daisies and buttercups turn the meadow at High Beeches into a haze of white and gold in June, particularly beautiful in the evening light.  They attract, along, with the other wildflowers, a huge number of insects and butterflies to the meadow.

 Mysteriously the number of daisies in the meadow fluctuates every year.  They are perennials and seed copiously and as the meadow is managed in the same way each year, the reason for fluctuation in numbers must be down to changes in the weather.

,Both the Meadow Buttercup, Ranunculus acris, and Creeping Buttercup, Ranunculus repens are to be found in the meadow.  Lesser Spearwort, Ranunculus flammula grows in wet places in the garden.  Recently Arthur Hoare of the Sussex Botanical Recording Society has also identified the Bulbous Buttercup, Ranunculus bulbosus, also growing in the garden.

 

 

 

Luscious Loderi

The beautiful Rhododendron Loderi are at their best at High Beeches Garden now.  Covered in large highly scented blossom they dwarf the azaleas.

Rhododendron Loderi is a hybrid (Rh fortunei x Rh. griffithianum).  It was raised by Sir Edmund Loder of Leonardslee, uncle of Sir Giles Loder of High Beeches.

Towering rhododendrons, beautiful davidias and a riot of colour

Bluebells, Rhododendrons and Azaleas

Amongst the riot of colour provided by the many azaleas are  gems such as the Davidia, or handkerchief tree, also the red Crinodendron hookerianum is coming into flower.   The towering Rhododendron Loderi are smothered in flower adding to the perfume in the garden.

Rhodo Loderi

Davidia involucrata vilmoriniana

So much to see

There is so much to see in the garden.  The bluebells are carpeting the glades, the Rhododendrons are flowering and the azaleas will soon be with us.

These are just two Rhododendrons which stand out at present.  Rhododendron augustinii is a beautiful chinese species discovered in china by Augustine Henry in 1899.  High Beeches has a particularly good blue form.

Rhododendron augustinii

To contrast a Rhododendron cinnabarinum
hybrid.  Rhododendron cinnabarinum was introduced from the Himalayas by Sir Joseph Hooker in 1849, sadly it is prone to powdery mildew but this unnamed hybrid is slightly more resistant than the species.

Rhododendron cinnabarinium hybrid

The Loderi Rhododendrons are already coming into flower as are the Davidia and the Crinodendrons.  The ground is covered in many wild flowers amongst the bluebells and the young foliage on the trees gives a vibrant background to it all.

Rhododendron Show

Rhododendron racemosum

On Saturday High Beeches competed in the early Rhododendron competition at RHS Wisley.

A long week of looking for perfect blooms for the show bench bore fruit.  On Friday as we were packing the cars with exhibits things did not look good.  The larger species Rhododendrons were either marked or going over as were some of the earlier hybrids.

Competition was stiff with the Savill Gardens, Exbury, Borde Hill and many others taking part.  This made for a very good show.

High Beeches gained four firsts for Rhododendrons racemosum, rex, nerriflorum and primuliflorum with many places in other classes.  The smaller species rhododendrons saved the day.

Rh primuliflorum was voted Best in Show.

Rhododendron rex

Rhododendron primuliflorum
'Best in Show'