“A plant so easily managed, inexpensive to obtain and exhibiting in itself the very joy of spring, cannot be indefinitely ignored.”  – John G. Millais, 1926

MAGNOLIAS
We share Mr. Millais' feelings about the merits of these grand trees. This is a genus of great size and diversity. We have 40 varieties in stock now, all of them different and worthy of cultivation. For an evergreen species Magnolia grandiflora, the Southern Magnolia with its thick glossy leaves and huge white fragrant flowers can be a stately tree. Among the many deciduous varieties we have: Magnolia sieboldii, the Oyama Magnolia, with its striking 6 inch hanging flowers, red stamens and intense fragrance; and Magnolia denudata, the Yulan Magnolia of Chinese temple gardens, perhaps the most sought after of any magnolia. For a multi-trunk form with more delicate flowers consider either Magnolia loebneri 'Merrill' or Magnolia stellata 'Centennial' both of which are precocious (early) bloomers.

Patience is required when growing some of the larger species, as many of them take from 5 to 10 years to bloom and can, not unlike other life forms, exhibit awkward characteristics in their juvenile stages. Try to choose a planting site with plenty of space for root growth and top spread, especially if you choose one of these larger forms like Magnolia 'Galaxy', Magnolia sprengeri 'Diva Burncoose', Magnolia campbellii, or Magnolia 'Mark Jury'.

All magnolias occur naturally in areas with moist, rich soils and they detest drying or strong winds. For companion planting, we stock a wide variety of woodland plants such as: Acer, Camellia, Cornus, Davidia, Eucryphia, Stewartia, Hamamelis, Styrax, and Rhododendron. Read on for Heidi's thoughts on a most unusual hue for these garden aristocrats.

– Paul