Notes from Vico Morcote by Sir Peter Smithers

In these notes last year I wrote campbelfii 'Ethel Hillier' covered that my intended trial of the great itself with extremely elegant white of the Yulania section cup-and-saucer with the "failed lamentably" because so many slightest pink Bush in the "cup. " All of them were sent not true to name. have an excellent treelike growth. A In the garden patience is the most 40 foot tree of M. campbellii in full essential of all the virtues. This bloom from head to foot, even year's notes are an exercise in though it be an indifferent variety, is wordeating. nevertheless a truly magnificent It is clear that my first large order spectacle, but if one is going to wait for magnolias in the winter of 1989- ten to twenty years for a tree to 70 was handled by the nursery stafF, bloom, it makes no sense to and that instead of the grafted anything but the very best. I can offered in the catalog they state without any hesitation that the sent me a bunch of seedlings. Some rated "XXXXX" are amongst were pretty, some worthless and few the very best varieties of the great true to name. But in later years, tree magnolias. Nevertheless, it was following correspondence with Mr. M. sprengeri 'Copeland Court' which Treseder in person, he sent me a stole the show in 1988. number of plants most of which, though not all, were in fact grafts Copeland Court and thus true to name. Hillier's phmts with one exception were true Sent to me by Mr. Treseder in to name. These later plantings are 1977, it grew into a sturdy now Bowering and the following symmetrical densely branched tree of table summaries the results of my broadly columnar habit and, in the planting of tree magnolias of the summer of 1987, wes still putting on Yulania section to date. very vigorous growth at all points. It In the spring of 1988 M. had not yet shown a bloom. In the campbeflii 'Princess Margaret' FCC late summer I looked anxiously for a displayed its magnificent crimson Bower bud and 6nally amongst the pink blooms, M. moflicomata dense foliage I sighted one. We 'Lanarth' produced the fabulous would know next spring whether we purple Bowers turning with age and had the right thing. I forgot about it strong sun to a delightful lavender until the fell, when I went to but keeping their elegant form, M. look again. A 6rst blooming is campbellii 'Sidbury' produced its first usually fmm one to twenty Bowers. , a splendid clear bright pink To my astonishment I calculated on a strong shapely tree, M. over 200 buds, spread broadly across campbeifii 'Landicla' covered itself the top of the tree. It would be a with magnificently colored Bowers a great arc of blossom! good deal brighter than the picture When the first bud showed color in Treseder (MagnofiasJ, M. my plant of M. sprengeri 'Diva' was 20 Tree Magnohas of the Ynlania Section

Narc Year Girth Height Rating Planted Flowered

PI. X 'Ann Roses' 76 85 16' 26' xxx (PI. X 'Buaxard) Not true 76 86 14' 30' xax (M. X 'Caerhays Belle') Not true 70 82 cut ou't (M. caepbellii 'Caerhays Clone') Not true 71 83 28' 37' xxxx &M. carpbellii alba 'Caerhays White Clone' ) Not true 70 82 31' 40' xxx M. carpbellii alba 'Chyverton' 79 86 16" 21' xxxxx M. caspbellii alba seedling 78 85 9' 19' xxxx (M. caspbellii 'DarJeeling') Not true 70 80 set back xxx M. carpbellii 'Eric Walther' 79 88 18' 22' XXX PI. csepbelli i 'Ethel Hillier' 77 84 24' 26' xxxxx M. carpbellii 'Landicla' 74 86 26' 32' xxxxxs M. caepbellii 'Princess Nargaret' FCC 78 86 18' 30' xxxxx M, caspbellii 'Veitch Clone' (Not PI. X vei tchii ) 78 85 blown down xxx M. caepbelli I rollicosata 'Lanarth' 76 88 26' 30' xxxxx M. caspbellii rollicorata 'Haharanee' 79 86 14 20' xxxx PI. caspbelli i 'Sidbury' 77 88 22" 30' xxxxx M. dawsoniana Clarke's var. 79 87 13' 20' xxxx (M. X 'Hawk') Not true 76 84 cu't out &PI. sargentiana roberts dark fora) Not true 70 83 23' 22' xxxxs M. sargentiana robusta Chyverton dark fore 76 86 20" 24' XXXX (PI. sprengera 'Claret Cup') Not true 70 79 25' 26' xxx M. sprengeri 'Copeland Court' 77 88 26" 30' xxxxx M. sprengeri var. diva 'Diva' 76 85 10' 18' xxxxxs

Note: All qirth eeasureeents are taken at 3' above ground level Heights are ey best estiaate short of trigonoaetry xxxxx = a eagnolia of the very hrghest quality xxxx = a eagnolia worth planting xxx = a eagnolia which I would not plant but whxch, being an established flowering tree, rs worth keepinq "cut out' = cut down because not worth garden space 9 = growth arrested due to accident or drsease

The following tree aagnolias of the Yulania section are also in the collect&on hut have not yet flowered: M. caspbellii and ita hybrids - 'Horde Hill', 'Betty Jessel', 'Charles Raff)11', 'Darleeling', 'Early Rose', 'Nark Jury', 'Queen Caroline'. 'Treve Holean', and 'Wakehurst'. PI. dawson&ass 'Chyverton' M. sargentrana robusta and rts hyhrrds — 'Blood Hoon', Chyverton pale fora, 'Hichael Roses'. PI. sprengerr and rts hybrrds — 'Errc Savrll' and 'Thoeas Weasel'

21 already in bloom. The color of tree since it was planted, 'Copeland Court' sent me scurrying corresponded with his "erect tree", for the books. It was unmistakably very different from the "outer brighter than 'Diva'. But was my branches widely spreading and 'Diva' a true 'Diva'? It had not horizontal or pendulous" which he grown particularly well, having been gives as the habit of 'Diva', and set back for some unknown reason which my 'Diva' displays. early in its life. A careful comparison Now in this garden we can look with both the Treseder texts down upon many of our magnolias convinced me that without doubt I from above, and, particularly in this had the right thing. Turning to the perspective, there is an immediate descriptions of 'Copeland Court' and obvious difference between the (Treseder, Magnolias, p. 109) I two plants. The of 'Diva' are found the amusing account of how described as "rose carmine outside the unflowered plant was saved from and white flushed or streaked with destruction when Copeland Court pale rose or carmine within", and became part of the Truro Cathedral this corresponds exactly with my Choir School, and how after many plant of 'Diva'. Seen from above or adventures it finally flowered. "The from eye-level, the impression is of a flowers. .. are much richer in colour pink and white display, while from than those of the Caerhays parent beneath the tree the display is pink. ['Diva'], being of a deep clear pink, It was at once clear that the shaded crimson, but it would be impression created by 'Copeland necessary to grow a grafted tree of Court' is that of a self pink flower, 'Diva' beside it to make an accurate from whatever angle it is seen. On comparison. .. Suffice it to say that, close examination the inside of the when viewed at the end of a day tepals is found to be in fact a solid spent visiting such renowned pink though slightly less bright than collections as Caerhays, the exterior of the flower. Both Trewithen and Trengwainton. .. , the magnolias are a magnificent spectacle vivid colour of this solitary Magnolia of beauty, but if I had to be content created a lasting impression. .. . " Thus with one or the other, there could be Mr. Neil Treseder. no hesitation in the choice both for Well, I had indeed a grafted plant color and habit: 'Copeland Court'. of 'Diva' growing within twenty This is, then, the place to remember yards of 'Copeland Court' so if I had with gratitude Major Mischler, the the right thing it would be possible headmaster of Truro Cathedral Choir to make the direct comparison which School, whose care and forethought Treseder pmposed. When the great preserved the original tree of this arc of flowers opened the impression beautiful magnolia from destruction. was indeed staggering! Remembering that Nigel Hohnan's Cornish 'Star Wars' Revisited. temperament brought a tear to his eye when he first beheld the open Where does the analysis in the flower of 'Treve Holman', I am above table leave the new "instant perhaps allowed to admit to being blooming" magnolias which have deeply moved, although not a campbellii or sargentiana robusta Cornishmen, by the spectacle before blood? 'Iolanthe' is comparable with me. the stars of the table for flower size, 'Copeland Court' was exactly as display and habit, but not for color. described by Treseder, clearly deeper It is beautiful but pale by and brighter in color even that comparison, approximating to M. 'Diva', and the growth, allowing for campbellii 'Eric Walther'. 'Serene' is the happy uninterrupted life of my an altogether more modest plant, a 22 splendid thing for a smaU garden. catches the eye even though it is in But the flower of 'Star Wars' is flower beside M. campbellii definitely in the same league as 'Landicla'. it is Af. X soulangiana 'Princess Margaret', 'Sidbury' and 'Burgundy'. The luminous self bluish- 'Landicla'. It is not quite as fine a pink of this mysterious flower, color as any of the three, nor so without any hint of the purplish-reds elegant a shape, but it need not be of most soulangianas, defies ashamed in their company. I read description and is unique in with interest Os Blumhart's magnolia so far as I know. description in MAGNOLIA of the 'Snow Queen' rolled petals of his 'Star Wars', giving a spiky effect to the flower. Mr. Pickard, tb ~ raiser of this Amongst two to three hundred magnolia, thought it one of his finest blooms carried this year, my plant 'Picture' seedlings. It reached me produced no spikes and rolled no several years later than all the petals. The picture in MAGNOLIA others, flowered for the 6rst time remains typical. I can only presume last year with a couple of blooms, that some peculiarity of Os's local and this year carried a modest conditions has produced the effect he display. It has a very vigorous speaks of. With a full display of upright growth, strongly apical- bloom this year, 'Star Wars' dominant, which no doubt indicates produced yet another winning that its habit will be that of the characteristic. It has inherited from taller 'Picture' seedlings such as M. liliiflora the tendency to prolong 'Opal' or the Japanese 'White Giant'. blooming. In fact the display lasted It is a pure white magnolia without for a fufl month, during which there any trace of purple or pink in the were always enough blooms open to flower. Personally ' have a be effective. preference for self mlors in magnolia Of course my "trial" of the great flowers, and I am not in general tree magnolias is not really a true attracted to the numerous white triaL I have one plant of each, and flowers which are flushed with they are growing in different purple. This was, therefore, a situations in the garden. Many welcome addition to the collection, probable star performers are still to but would its retention be warranted flower. The foregoing therefore in addition to 'Tins Durio'? The represents one man's experience with flower struck me as of great elegance such of these noble plants as have with a quality hard to define. I already flowered for him. Perhaps I understand what Gresham meant should also make a confession at when he named his white hybrids this point. Now that the campbeilii "buxom blondes". Somehow, this and sprengeri trees are coming into flower seemed different. It had a their own, I must admit that the severe beauty in contrast to its beautiful Greshams and Pickards, so voluptuous rivals such as 'Sayonara'. long my loves, are outshone! In a I walked back and forth between the year such as this, when everything two trees, and stffl the difference seems to be blooming at once, they escaped me. Finally, I picked a hardly get a glance. But then, they flower of 'Snow Queen' to carry to have given me much joy during the the other lady for comparison. As long wait, and in a normal year they soon as I had it in my hand the will prolong the season when M. mystery was solved! The massive campbefiii is over. Also, there is one white goblet had six broad tepals, as amongst them which has a color not against the "nine or more" cited by reproduced even by any of the tree Treseder as characteristic of the magnolias in this garden, and which Yulania section. Magnolia campbellii and its bloom. It did! It did! It had the varieties which tend to produce a magnificent powerful scent of M. X cup-and-saucer Sower have a very icieseneri! I carried the cut bloom pronounced form which is all their and foliage to the fiowering tree of own. Most of the 'Picture' and M. X icieseneri and tested the Gresham hybrids with nine tepals or fragrance side-by-side. I could tell no occasionally eight, give the difference. impression of rather complex flower. All this of course throws no light The six great broad tepals of 'Snow upon the origins of M. X wiesenen. Queen', with lightly reilexed margins, It still may be a natural hybrid create a quite different impression of between M. hypoleuca and M. simplicity yet splendor: It is a sieboldii, selfed in what was an dazzling white "goblet" both exceptionally favorable year for seed externally and internally. It is too setting. Or it may be the same thing early to pronounce finally upon the pollinated by the nearby M. habit of this plant, but it seems hypoleuca or it may be a species extremely promising, and I suspect which has become infertile and is that in a couple of years it will extinct in the wild for that reason. stand alongside the red-purple 'Ruby' The foliage on my other as yet and the magnificent pink 'Sundew' unflowered seedlings of M. X as the best of the Pickard 'Picture' wieseneri varies from one which is seedlings. close to the seed parent to another which is almost identical with M. M. X wieseaeri hypoleuca. It will be exciting to see what happens when they bloom FinaUy, My Dear Wiesener, we which should be next year. have a clue to the mystery, though What then is the importance of it is not yet solved. It may be this plant, if any? It is too soon to recalled that some years ago my estimate its garden merit. It has a plant of M. X icieseneri astonished much better growth than M. X me producing a seed capsule. by ioieseneri, but it is also clearly a This year the first of my young very robust grower and will need plants, Seedling C, showed a bud, space. Perhaps its greatest interest high up amongst foliage intermediate will be for hybridists: it may between that of M. hypoleuca and transmit the splendid fragrance of M. X wieseneri. The leaves were 12 M. X wieseneri. Mr. Eisenhut wiB X 7", far larger than M. X graft it next winter so that if an wieseneri foliage, glaucous beneath. accident should occur the genes are Day by day I watched the preserved. development of the bud on the tree now 16' tall. (M. X icieseneri flowers happily at 2'. ) It was on 8th May that it opened, far beyond my reach. The great question was, did it have the miraculous fragrance of M. X wieseneri or would it have the rather dubious odor of M. A' hypoleuca? The flower seemed considerably larger than M. X wieseneri and more of an oblong shape. I determined to cut and photograph it in the interest of horticulture. Teetering on top of the stepladder I nosed the half-open M. X wieseneri 24