A magnolia tree in full flower is one of the finest sights a garden can offer. This year, in our part of Herefordshire, the trees look the best we have seen them. What makes them particularly outstanding this year? It's the absence of frost. And therein lies the problem with magnolia blossom - it is, more often than not, spoiled by a frost that stains the petals brown and makes them look dead. One of our gardens had a magnolia and it was at that time that we came to understand this tree's drawbacks. There is another: the leaves are very strong, leathery, and do not easily decompose, so they have to be collected otherwise they will litter the lawn and borders for months on end. But, on balance, I like to see magnolias in bloom - as long as they are in someone else's garden.
photo © T. Boughen Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2
