Plant Inspirations
March 2008 ~ Showpiece Magnolias
Motoring journalists, when casting around for an expression to denote absolute dependability of a particular car have been known to remark ‘as reliable as your mum’. And let’s face it, however wet the morning or however dreary the day, you know your mother will be firing on all four, just for you. Now is your chance to show her that you do really notice what she’s done over all the years – buy her a beautiful magnolia for Mother’s Day.

If her garden is on the small side, choose one that will thrive in a good-sized pot. Magnolia stellata is perfect for this, profuse flowering in spring with white or delicate pink flowers, depending on variety. Magnolia ‘Susan’, which produces glorious purple-red flowers with the bonus of fragrance, is another great option if space is limited.  Then do the work of potting it up and positioning it for her so it’s even less effort than putting a bunch of flowers in a vase. If she’s got more space, get a bigger specimen delivered and planted for her. (It would be a good idea to liaise with your dad on this one!)

Now, if you are a mum, go out and spoil yourself – you deserve a treat! Here are a few pointers: Magnolia x loebneri is a wonderful shrub or small tree for the garden, producing masses of star-shaped flowers, 8-13cm across. Look out especially for ‘Leonard Messel’ which produces pale, lilac pink flowers or ‘Merrill’ for white flowers. For large goblet-shaped flowers that appear in mid and late spring, look to Magnolia soulangeana. ‘Rustica Rubra’ is a beauty, its purplish red flowers being reminiscent of a good glass of wine. Alternatively go for ‘Lennei Alba’ with its pure white blooms. Magnolia campbellii would be great if space allows (it is a bigger tree) because it produces those intriguing ‘cup-and-saucer’ shaped flowers. ‘Darjeeling’ or ‘Charles Raffill’ are two good choices.

Magnolias really can be the showpieces of a garden. Put the big ones in prominent positions or with other trees in woodland garden situations. Most prefer soil tending towards acidic, although some, including Magnolia stellata and Magnolia x loebneri, are happy in alkaline soils. They are very light on maintenance, needing nothing more than a trim in late winter to remove any untidy shoots that spoil the framework.
They do in fact personify what mums everywhere dream of: something beautiful that gives loads of enjoyment and asks for almost nothing in return!

Newington Nurseries, a haven for plant lovers, on the A329, Newington, nr. Stadhampton, Oxon

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