Should I buy a Magnolia?

Ok everyone, firstly I'd like to say a huge thank you to you all for the brilliant advice given to me on this thread. as a novice gardener it's lovely to get help and advice like this to help me on my journey. I've taken a little slice of all your recommendations and popped over to the garden centre today very excited. Bear with me!

@Graham B I've bought a beautiful Philadelphus Snowbelle Mock orange. Thanks for the recommendation.

@Macraignil I also bought a lovely Photinia Red Robin and a Vibernum tinus. Thank you.

I can't wait to get them planted.

Another reason for wanting a Magnolia was in memory of my grandad. When we eventually got our forever home last year my plan was always to put something in the garden for him with a little belonging of his in there with it. As I was in the garden centre today I paid a lot more attention to what was around me as I'd not heard of some of the plants recommended so had to concentrate a little more. I spotted a Cotinus coggigvia Royal purple. Aka smoke bush. Seen as though my grandad smoked 60 a day and stunk of stale cigarettes for as far back as I can remember I thought this plant would be apt in memory of him. the advice from the GC chap was it can be a bit of a thug if not kept on top of (So was my grandad) but it should be manageable.

So a fab day for me and again thank you all

I'm like you @Islander77 as in I would love a Magnolia I'm thinking I might be able to have a dwarf variety in a pot maybe in a different part of the garden but I would have to look into this more.

 

We have a corner that needs screening and are looking at evergreen Cotoneasters. Choice of berry colours...birds like them.

 

Good choice - sounds like a successful shopping trip! Now you just need to decide where to put them all.

 

@Jasmine star If you want to try a magnolia in a pot consider Magnolia stellata, it needs a sheltered spot, grows slowly and flowrers at a young age. A friend of mine put one in a pot a few yers ago and is pleased with the results.
See here for some info on magnolias in pots Growing Magnolias In Pots - Compost Type, Planting & More |

 

Thank you @NigelJ I will certainly have a look into that

 

Jasmine; I have to confess I have had an unfulfilled love affair with magnolia for much of my life. I cannot pinpoint when it started. But when I was a young teacher, decades ago, one of the poems in the set book described a magnolia. when one of the girls said they had one at home? She happily brought one in and I happily got to keep it! Years later I was staying with friends near Strasbourg where there is a whole avenue of glorious magnolias by the War Memorial. Just they .... appeal to me. I have had to move around a great deal and now am out in the Atlantic and what I can grow is very limited by the high winds we get at any time of year. But it is lovely to dream! they are so graceful. I hope you manage to get one and enjoy it.

 

@Islander77 what a beautiful memory and thank you for sharing. I have read it over again and again. They are beautiful Magnolias and when I see them they give me an almost dreamy moment of joy. I think it's so special that certain plants, trees and gardening experiences can evoke lovely memories I know I certainly have some too. (It would make a great thread)
It's a shame your location doesn't allow you to have one it's frustrating when that happens. Hopefully I'll be able to enjoy one at some point I just want to make sure I get it right.

 

Thank you and I am OK with it now. I trained as a classical dancer to RAD Advanced and they are such ... balletic flowers. My later love is tree lupins! I had one at one rental and a kind person here sent me seeds and I have a few up and raring to go!

 

@Islander77 wow! That is an achievement in itself and requires a lot of dedication. I've spoken to a few clients in my previous job who dance for the Royal ballet so have a little idea what it involves.

I don't have much knowledge about tree Lupins or much else being a bit of a novice (why I'm on here a lot asking millions of questions) but it's nice when you get an interest and it turns out good.

 

My magnolia is trying for some more flowers, even though it's supposed to be out of season.

TBH this isn't my favourite type - I prefer stellata. The flowers are large and showy, but they turn over very quickly and they're very vulnerable to cold, so generally you've got a few days where it looks great and then a couple of weeks where it looks like the branches are covered with rotting brown paper. But it came with the house, and I have a natural abhorrence of killing existing plants unless I really can't make them fit the garden. It was very unhealthy when I bought the place, so I had to chop it right down to main trunks about 4ft high. 6 years later, I think it's a happy tree.

 

@Graham B that's a beautiful tree. I agree. The more I've read about them I'd be taking a big chance on getting no more than a weeks flowers a year. (Good old Lancashire weather) But they are beautiful when they do and are very appealing. My uncle has been gardening for over 50 years he has had one (not sure which variety) in his front garden for over 5 years now. It's over 8ft tall and growing well but has never had a flower. He said he's going to throw a street party when it does

 

That sounds about right! I'm originally from Lytham St Annes, and the North Sea keeps the Fylde a couple of degrees warmer than the rest of Lancashire. But when I'd drive up to visit my folks, I'd notice a good couple of degrees difference between Cambridge and Fylde temperatures.

 

I'd be more than happy with even just couple of degrees warmer St Anne's is lovely, about half an hour from me. Our house is on a corner plot too and 3 quarters of that is a wind trap. I've had a lot of wind damage this year on plants. I'm hoping they toughen up a little over time the back is pretty sheltered and sunny so I might try one in a pot there.

This gardening lark can be confusing to a novice like me though. I'm noticing that gardens around me have supposing acid loving plants thriving and mature in them

 

I guess that puts you kind of Preston/Garstang way? Everywhere along the Pennines is pretty peaty, so that makes sense soil-wise. That does mean you've got access to a lot more plants though. Heather for one is a complete non-starter round here unless you're growing it in a pot. I'm just about keeping my witch hazel alive, but it keeps threatening to snuff it.

 

Yep. That makes sence. I might get brave and throw caution to the wind I have a few of acid lovers in pots. If they don't like it I could take them back out thank you