The Garden
Pencarn is sited on a tree covered, south west facing hillside. The garden extends to approximately an acre and had a Mediterranean theme until the severe frosts of January 2009 and then the winter of 2010.
It has many palm trees, Phoenix canariensis has been decimated by recent winters and none have survived. I have decided P.canariensis is a waste of space here. It does not fare well in cold winters. Trachycarpus fortunei have come through minus 12C unscathed, even the potted specimens in exposed locations. Cordyline australis are planted in groups and give a fine display of white flower plumes followed by white berries in November providing visitng flocks of starlings welcome food.
All the more tender Cyclamen have survived. I have C. graecum planted out along with C. persicum in the dry shade beneath a mature cedar. Cyclamen repandum continue to thrive under the Quercus ilex-Holm Oak which are dense and evergreen through the winter. In 2010 I noticed reduced numbers of C.repandum perhaps due to frost damage.
Other trees include Aesculus hippocastanum- Horse Chestnut, Quercus robur- common Oak, Acer pseudoplatanus-Sycamore, Taxus baccata-common Yew, Fagus sylvatica- beech, Cedrus libani- Cedar of Lebanon . Ornamentals include Prunus serotina- black Cherry, Cordyline australis- Torbay or Cornish Palm, Trachycarpus fortunei- Chusan Palm, Araucaria araucana - Monkey Puzzle, Magnolia soulangiana.
Plant list for Pencarn
Agave americana
Aloe arborescens
Aloe aristata
Aloe squarrosa
Kolkwitzia amabilis 'Pink Cloud' ( Caprifoliaceae) I found this gorgeous shrub growing in the garden of The Lilacs- the house I occupied at RHS Wisley during my years as Rock Garden superintendent. A former occupant had been Christopher Brickell and he describes it thus in his book "Garden Plants" It forms a densely branched deciduous shrub, eventually reaching 3-3.5m in height and more across, with long,gracefully arching shoots which bear myriads of 2.5cm bell shaped blooms in small clusters along the twiggy laterals in late May. 'Pink Cloud was raised from seed sent to RHS Wisley from the USA in 1946. In early June 1963 the plant was submitted for award at the RHS Vincent Square show by Christopher Brickell and Frank Knight, Director of Wisley (I believe at that time Christopher Brickell was then Botanist at RHS Wisley- by the time I joined the RHS in 1993 he was Director General). Pink Cloud was so named by Chris and was awarded a First Class Certificate as a flowering plant- an unusual accolade on its first showing. I took semi ripe cuttings which rooted readily and so I brought it down to Pencarn. It also suckers readily so can be passed on to friends in this way.
Rhodochiton volubile (syn. Rhodochiton atrosanguineum ( Scrophulariaceae) - has tubular 5 cm long purple flowers that always raise comment. A superb and graceful climber, not hardy even here in Cornwall, I grow it from seed each February in the greenhouse- planting it out when frosts are gone- here late April. It flowers abundantly by June and then on until its killed by frost. I will keep one in the conservatory this year to enjoy its blooms through the winter.
Osteospermum jacundum (Compositae) Most years these South African daisies come through the winter and require cutting down each spring to prevent them sprawling all over the beds. I take late summer cuttings, over winter them in the cool greenhouse and plant them when frosts are past.
We have two large ponds and an extensive rock garden and waterfall - flood lit at night.
Meditteranean Garden
Two grandchildren has meant a review of the spiky plants around the garden and these have all been moved to a long triangular bed below the front lawn-it has all the appearance of a Meditteranean hotel garden. Here we have Yucca, Agave, Aloe, Crinum and Nerine, Pomegranate, Aptenia.
The Rock Garden and Ponds
The garden has a lower gate to a bridle path giving access into the surrounding countryside and the towns riverside walks.
Cyclamen cilicium is an autumn flowering species from south western Turkey. I have seen it in the screes on the Taurus Mountains and also in stony places under Quercus coccifera.
We are very keen gardeners and propagate our own plants- these include palm trees, Phoenix, Trachycarpus, Cordyline, Phormium, Beschornia, Cannas and alpines including my speciality Cyclamen.
There is a plant named after the house & garden.
Ranunculus ficaria subsp chrysocephalus 'Pencarn' PC The PC indicates that the RHS/AGS Joint Rock Garden Committee have granted this silver leaved Celandine a preliminary commendation as a garden plant. I collected seed of this plant from a stream bank in the Marmaris region of Turkey in 1999. It was growing amongst Cyclamen alpinum and I had a momentary thrill that I had found a silver leaved C.alpinum.
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