Magnolias for every garden
Amateur Gardening|April 30, 2022
Christopher Lloyd explains why every garden should have a magnolia
Christopher Lloyd
Magnolias for every garden

Magnolia x soulangeana or the saucer magnolia

WITH their large, bold blossoms so proudly displayed, magnolias are undoubtedly the most glamorous and effective of all shrubs or small trees and there is room for at least one specimen in every garden. The polluted air of industrial areas does not worry them in the least and they are tolerant of a wide range of soils, although some of them are lime hating.

April is the best month for planting and establishing magnolias. They have fleshy roots that are apt to rot away in winter, following an autumn disturbance, but in spring they can quickly make good any damage done to them. Remember, though, to keep your young plants well-watered until they are settled in.

Christopher Lloyd at his Great Dixter garden

Another point to remember about these fleshy roots is that they strongly resent being dug around. You can easily kill a large and mature specimen by digging over the ground near it. Feed, then, entirely with surface mulches of organic material like garden compost, and don't prod around with a fork. One reason for magnolias making such excellent lawn specimens is that they are undisturbed here. However, it would be as well, at least in the early years, to keep a 5ft (1.5m) circle round your magnolia free of turf; you could plant small bulbs and hardy cyclamen in it.

Magnolia denudata has pure-white waxy blooms that are strongly lemon scented

Striking varieties

Esta historia es de la edición April 30, 2022 de Amateur Gardening.

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Esta historia es de la edición April 30, 2022 de Amateur Gardening.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.