The Joy of Magnolias
In early spring, the magnolia is one of the garden's most welcome arrivals.
Its large felt covered buds open from late April until early May, providing welcome colour with its globe-like flowers.
Magnolia trees can be accommodated in all sizes of garden.
They can be small and delicate with a height of around 3m or grow to impressive proportions of up to 20m.
Here is a short guide to growing magnolias and looking after them, along with some stunning varieties for your garden.
The very first magnolia tree known to have been grown in the UK came from America in the late 17th century.
Magnolia virginiana was brought from Virginia by British botanist John Banister for plant-loving bishop, Henry Compton.
However, it was Victorian plant lovers George Forrest and Ernest Henry Wilson who were responsible for introducing the majority of magnolias grown in the country today, brought back from the Far East in the late 19th century.
Growing and maintaining magnolias Magnolias may have exotic origins but they are actually quite easy to grow and well suited to a Western climate.
The only real problem is the timing of their flowering season which means that the flowers can be easily damaged by a sharp late frost.
When buying a magnolia it is best to buy a small, young plant as they tend to establish quicker and more successfully.
Buy the plant when it is in flower so that you can see clearly the shape and colour of the flower you will be getting.
You can get both evergreen and deciduous magnolias, but the evergreen varieties do tend to be less hardy.
Magnolias like well drained humus-rich soil.
As a general rule they dislike more alkaline soils but will tolerate slightly alkalinity.
Before planting, make sure you enrich the soil with plenty of organic material and avoid disturbing the roots too much when planting as they are susceptible to root damage.
Once your magnolia tree is established it will need very little after care.
Mulching the soil around the tree with manure or leaf mould in early spring will help keep the plant moist and the root system cool during the summer months.
Magnolias need very little pruning.
Just take care to remove dead or diseased wood during mid-summer, when the tree's flow of sap is at its lowest.
Also be warned, the more you prune your magnolia, the quicker it will grow! Some varieties of magnolia One of my favourite varieties is the slightly understated Magnolia stellata.
It has star shaped white flowers and is ideal for small gardens, growing to a height of about 3m.
Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra' is a stunning variety with dark purple-red flowers in spring and a height of 3m.
For a taller variety, try Magnolia grandiflora, a truly magnificent evergreen with creamy white flowers that have a wonderful rich fragrance in mid-summer.
Finally, Magnolia 'George Henry Kern' is another perfect variety for the smaller garden.
It has a very compact habit, which means it can be successfully grown in garden planters.
It is completely hardy and has pale pink flowers over a long period from mid-spring to early summer.
Its large felt covered buds open from late April until early May, providing welcome colour with its globe-like flowers.
Magnolia trees can be accommodated in all sizes of garden.
They can be small and delicate with a height of around 3m or grow to impressive proportions of up to 20m.
Here is a short guide to growing magnolias and looking after them, along with some stunning varieties for your garden.
The very first magnolia tree known to have been grown in the UK came from America in the late 17th century.
Magnolia virginiana was brought from Virginia by British botanist John Banister for plant-loving bishop, Henry Compton.
However, it was Victorian plant lovers George Forrest and Ernest Henry Wilson who were responsible for introducing the majority of magnolias grown in the country today, brought back from the Far East in the late 19th century.
Growing and maintaining magnolias Magnolias may have exotic origins but they are actually quite easy to grow and well suited to a Western climate.
The only real problem is the timing of their flowering season which means that the flowers can be easily damaged by a sharp late frost.
When buying a magnolia it is best to buy a small, young plant as they tend to establish quicker and more successfully.
Buy the plant when it is in flower so that you can see clearly the shape and colour of the flower you will be getting.
You can get both evergreen and deciduous magnolias, but the evergreen varieties do tend to be less hardy.
Magnolias like well drained humus-rich soil.
As a general rule they dislike more alkaline soils but will tolerate slightly alkalinity.
Before planting, make sure you enrich the soil with plenty of organic material and avoid disturbing the roots too much when planting as they are susceptible to root damage.
Once your magnolia tree is established it will need very little after care.
Mulching the soil around the tree with manure or leaf mould in early spring will help keep the plant moist and the root system cool during the summer months.
Magnolias need very little pruning.
Just take care to remove dead or diseased wood during mid-summer, when the tree's flow of sap is at its lowest.
Also be warned, the more you prune your magnolia, the quicker it will grow! Some varieties of magnolia One of my favourite varieties is the slightly understated Magnolia stellata.
It has star shaped white flowers and is ideal for small gardens, growing to a height of about 3m.
Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra' is a stunning variety with dark purple-red flowers in spring and a height of 3m.
For a taller variety, try Magnolia grandiflora, a truly magnificent evergreen with creamy white flowers that have a wonderful rich fragrance in mid-summer.
Finally, Magnolia 'George Henry Kern' is another perfect variety for the smaller garden.
It has a very compact habit, which means it can be successfully grown in garden planters.
It is completely hardy and has pale pink flowers over a long period from mid-spring to early summer.