It was such a nice day and we're so early this year I figured I better get out there and get some good pics. I was on a Magnolia hunt in Vancouver but came across some interesting "stuff" along the way that I thought someone might be interested in.
Here's some crocus planted in a boulevard lawn symmetrically. I guess they'll spread and fill in.
This house has a boxwood hedge along the front of the property with Flowering Quince trained along the top. Kinda cool.
Forsythia hedge. Not often seen but looks functional to me.
How do you hide the down-spout? This Euonymus fortunei Emerald and Gold did a good job. I wonder how long it took to get that high.
Mickey'D's topiary with daffs.
Then I got to the Magnolias. I've got tons of photos to process but they all look so nice.
Here's M. Vulcan
Cool photos. Looks like you had as nice a day as we did!!
I'm so looking forward to these Magnolia pictures - I'm actually thinking I may be splurging on a couple nice Magnolia specimens this year. But how does one decide?
Those crocuses are funny laid out like that. Hopefully Mother Nature will take over and lend a little asymmetry to the planting over time.
I enjoy viewing topiary in other peoples' yards, but I would never have the discipline to keep a plant pruned like that myself.
I saw all kinds of Magnolias in full bloom in Seattle today. I personally prefer the Stellata, since the flower is a little bit more graceful in my opinion, though I have to say that Vulcan flower is quite spectacular.
Sadly for my garden, I was in Seattle all day and could not be taking advantage of the fabulously beautiful weather. But my son made it through his first music audition for college (we were helping him haul all his drum equipment into the auditorium for this).
katie59, I think the best thing to do in deciding which Magnolia is - what size do you want? Some get huge. Washington Park Arboretum has a wonderful collection. I still have a ways to go in getting to the street tree Magnolias but I just processed the UBC Botanical Garden Magnolias. If you want I can add some here, otherwise they are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/growin/
mauryhillfarm - it was a wonderful day even if you were driving around delivering drums. I hope your son did well at the audition. I also like the Magnolia stellatas but, in particular, I like M. 'Leonard Messel' which doesn't get too big, has the stellata-like blooms in pink and is a bit more upright than stellata. It just seems quite accommodating in a typical residential lot-sized garden like stellata. You're right on those crocus. It's like they exactly spaced them out on planting - doesn't look natural but I guess they will multiply.
Here's a street with smaller magnolias that are supposedly M. 'Merrill' but I think they are actually M. 'Leonard Messel'. Improves the appearance of the neighbourhood.
This message was edited Mar 7, 2010 12:42 AM
I liked this little Magnolia but I think it's quite rare. Magnolia amoena
I hope Laurie doesn't see that Forsythia hedge!
Mike, Judi's referring to Laurie's comments on another thread. She's been fighting to take out a Forsythia hedge. It's not her favorite color. Heh heh.
I think you're right. I have M. stellata, which I love and I'll add a couple more. I think I'll stay with the smaller ones, but I won't rule out getting a larger one. I just love the blossoms. I'll check out your link.
Thanks!
I do like that Magnolia amoena. Beautiful!
Kathy, If you M.stellata does okay in your soil, maybe I could actually plant one that would survive in my heavy clay. I think I remember we have similar soil conditions.
Such lovely photos! I think that the crocus could be quite nice when they spread a bit... right now it is a bit ummm.... symmetrical for my taste.
That is the first time I have seen quince trained.... it is really neat!
I love the magnolias, although ours are still in tight bud. Will be looking forward to seeing more pictures! I love my magnolia stellata, but will be waiting at least a couple of weeks to see blooms. I had a southern type evergreen magnolia that died in a freeze several years ago. Have been walking by them in one of the box stores and have been sorely tempted to try another... they are just so pretty, even when not in bloom.....
Holly, I do have clay and rock. My stellata is quite old (was here when I moved in 7 years ago and was 3 feet high then). It is planted smack dab at the base of a fir tree and goes all year with no supplemental water. I figure it has to be "borrowing" water from the fir, else there's no way it could do that. None of the winters we've had here have even phased it. And it's such a treat to see when it's blooming.
I just love the blossoms, though the fragrance is only slight
Katie59, what a spot for the stellata. They seem to be pretty tough although I bet a bit of mulch might keep more moisture in the soil. I added that Forsythia hedge as I don't see it too often but I can imagine trying to get rid of it.
Rarejem - the trained Flowering Quince I noticed a few years ago but haven't had my camera or the time to stop. I've never seen a trained quince either. I think there's a very hardy Magnolia grandiflora - 'Bracken's Brown Beauty' which I think is known to survive zone 4/5. The problem around here is snow load damage. The only cultivar that sails through snow seems to be 'Victoria' but it doesn't have the nice brown undersides as other cultivars.
Here's a Magnolia that I can't seem to find a record for that is planted as a street tree. In this block there is M. cylindrica, officinalis, denudata, sprengeri Diva but this one looks more like a M. stellata, or more like one of the cultivars like waterfall or royal star. What do you all think?
This message was edited Mar 7, 2010 7:57 PM
Here's the bloom. Looks like more petals than a regular stellata.
I don't really know my magnolias - your thread is surely an education for me. It certainly does have more petals than my stellata - a pretty little tree!
katie59, I like the way your stellata makes the fir trunk more soft and a nice early sign of spring. Now I know it'll take a bit more drought than I thought - a good plant to keep in mind when I do a design.
All these Magnolias blooming so quickly with the plums & cherries on the go, kinda makes me concerned about what's going to happen this summer.
Here's Magnolia 'Big Dude'
I like the lacy natural look of the shrub. But I can't for the life of me figure out why they put it on the back side of the fir. You have to walk around the tree to see it. And I'm sure this was part of a professional landscape job, although many years old.
Love Magnolia 'Big Dude'.
Oh, ya that doesn't make sense. I thought pictures were taken from the viewable front of the tree. Katie59, there's a set of Magnolias called 'The Girls' which were developed from the National Arboretum. Smaller than the Saucer Magnolias and slightly larger than stellatas with larger/wider blooms. I think the names are Judy, Jane, Randy, Ricki, Susan. They're good and hardy. I kinda like M. 'Woodsman' (shown below in a Seattle Garden).
Oh, pretty. I love the pink on the outside, white on the inside.
Whoops Mike I should have explained my comment about Laurie and Forsythia!
Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing.
That picture of Woodsman is just lovely!
Here's Magnolia sprengeri 'Copeland Court' at UBC Botanical Garden. This is one of the big magnolias and the bloom is the size of a dinner plate. This tree would out-do the neighbours.
Holy cow. The texure in that photo is so . . . "touchable". It looks like the flower is made of fabric.
lol. It does look like one of those silk flowers you can buy in China town. Almost too big and the cleanup in a normal garden of the petals is a bit of a task.
Can you image this in the front yard? Magnolia campbellii mollicomata 'Borde Hill' - almost a violet and the colour isn't right in the pic because I was taking the picture towards the sun.
Yes, cleaning up those big blossoms would be a labor of love.
I can't decide which is my favorite, the small blossoms or the large blossoms. They each have impact in their own way . . .
Wow and Wow! I can just imagine how stunning a tree of Magnolia sprengeri 'Copeland Court' would be in person. I would happily clean up every petal!
Wouldn't it be glorious to have room to have a large assortment of magnolias like we can with the smaller plants? There are so many differeces in bloom and form...
...and cost. Some of these as smaller plants are costly but the reward is magnificent. I really like how they are planted at UBC Botanical Garden amongst the Firs and Cedars and I can imagine they'd look nice planted with evergreens at the base. I still like the small Magnolias just as much as the big ones. The Magnolia 'Woodsman' is planted on a medium sized lot a little east of Seattle along with a number of other cultivars. Here's the photo collection http://www.flickr.com/photos/growin/sets/72157605279691211/detail/ and the owner is with the Magnolia Society International. Now that I think about it, I should plant a Magnolia in my yard. lol.
That Magnolia amoena has blooms only about 2-3" on a small tree about 5-6' so it seems to be an accommodating small magnolia from what I could see but I think it's rather rare. Here's a pic of Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra' which apparently blooms sporadically throughout the summer to the fall. Nice to have a longer season.
That photo collection was spectacular! I loved not only the magnolias, but some of the other plants as well. Rhododendron strigillosum has a spectacular form, and I loved the coloring on the leaves of Rhododendron mallotum. I have decided that I NEED to add some rhodies for foilage and form rather than bloom only. Thank you for sharing it!
Each Magnolia seems like the best . . . until I look at the NEXT photo. LOL
And I'm going to have to take some time to peruse your Flickr albums - you have some really nice stuff out there.
Thanks katie & Rarejem! I have fun taking pics and I'm glad you're enjoying them.
Here's a large flowered one infront of the Esso station car wash on Granville & 41st. Not sure which one it is but I was surprised to see it there.
Wonderful photos! I have now fallen in love with that Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra'.
The longer blooming season for Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra' makes it all the more attractive in the garden. It seemed to be more wide than tall. Here's a pic of the full tree I saw in Seattle.
I want the Borde Hill for the view out my bedroom window.
That M. liliflora is truly gorgeous with the light and dark pink in one blossom. Someday I need to visit Vancouver in the Spring and go to the botanic gardens among other places.
Ohhh... that is lovely. Now I want one. hehe.
