Aren’t Magnolias looking wonderful this year!

I love Magnolias and wish I had enough room for one

Camelias seem to be doing really well this year., covered in flowers.

We’re in Somerset. Not far from the sea. I’d always coveted magnolias and ours was the first thing planted when we moved here 9 years ago. It has an enormous number of buds, many three quarters open now. The best it’s been. The camellia is in a large tub, always flowering well this year it has the most flowers it has ever had. Like all in our garden both survive on benign neglect and have been lifting my fairly squashed spirits .

The magnolias and Camelias are lovely around here too. I noticed that many of the buds have opened today. Spring has sprung, hooray!

Ours were caught by last nights frost. All the flowers are now brown and shriveled, will have to wait for next year now.

Oh silverlinings48 how disappointing. Such a shame.

I envy you your jacarandas nanna8

Yes it really is Rosie. It wasnt even a hard frost. We are in the south, but its happened before.

A couple near us have a large Magnolia Grandiflora in their front garden . It isn’t flowering yet, but when it does it is quite beautiful. Flowers the size of dinner plates and a lovely lemony smell.

Here is a Magnolia on my friend’s drive yesterday.

I love Magnolias .
My father doesn't have one in his garden .
He needs one or rather I do !
They are tricky to propagate hence the price .
My favourite is Stellata
I've grown it and Soulangeana .
There are over 200 species of Magnolia .
They are old world plants.
Fossils of the cucumber
Magnolia date back to
20 million years.
And some are said to date back to 95 million
years .
They evolved before bees and were reliant on beetles for pollination .

That’s very interesting info. Esmay. I have been to some open gardens today and seen wonder specimens of Magnolia’s and Camelia’s.
This was one of the prettiest Camelia’s.

Ours have been gradually opening - we have had nearly 3 weeks of continual bright sunshine, albeit frost at night.

This picture was taken just now, 24 March here in Southern Germany. I have no idea how old the tree is, it was here when we moved in in 1987.

Yes, for the first time ever I can relate to that photo up here in the north. Previously my M only had a very few and sporadic flowers but right now it is covered. I'm so delighted.

They are all coming out around us in the northern home counties, in lovely spring sunshine. Its worth going for a walk to see them!
Our little M Stellata ( in tight bud on Sunday) is now covered in white flowers, and our other little tree (grandiflora- with large pink flowers) is beginning to open. Thankfully the frost on Sunday night did not damage the tight buds!

And - bizarrely - you can eat Magnolia petals!!
rootedfood.com/recipes/pickledmagnolia

Tina - you learn something new everyday !
Thanks for the recipe.