Touch of class: Bloom like a magnolia flower.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Larry Smith and the Riverside Gardens team talk all things pots, plants and pruning in their new weekly gardening column.
When most people think of magnolias, they tend to picture big ‘cup and saucer’ flowers of pink, white or burgundy on a medium-sized bare deciduous tree, and probably the most common image thought of would be magnolia x soulangeana. This is because it has been, and still is, a favourite with many avid gardeners, with its large white flowers flushed pink towards the centre sitting proudly on bare branches before the foliage appears in spring. In recent years, however, evergreen magnolias have made a space for themselves in the market, with an ever-growing range of hybrids becoming available for the home garden.
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These plants lend themselves to a wide range of uses, from feature trees to screening and hedging plants, with some even bringing fragrance into the garden with them. It is no wonder this versatile and hardy group of plants has become so popular, with demand growing for some of the older varieties as well as the newer hybrids.
Blooming with beauty: Bring fragrance into the garden.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Magnolia figo, known as the port wine magnolia, is an older variety that grows to about 3m tall and has a small glossy green leaf that looks rather lush and tropical in the garden. It has a small flower, which has a beautiful bubble-gum fragrance that wafts through the garden.
Magnolia princess ‘little Sarah’ is a smaller growing variety with a compact, tidy habit that works well as a hedge or a clipped shrub. It produces creamy white, blushed pink, and fragrant flowers several times during the year and is easy to maintain. The foliage is dark green and leathery with a textured appearance.
Magnolia white caviar is a medium shrub with glossy green, rounded foliage. This provides an attractive backdrop for its aromatic, creamy, small, open tulip-like flowers, which appear in spring and summer. A compact, rounded shrub growing to about 4m, it makes a great screening plant.
Perfect for hedging: An excellent evergreen that is sure to be the envy of your neighbourhood.
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None
Magnolia inspiration makes a beautiful evergreen feature tree with masses of creamy white flowers and heavy perfume from winter to early spring. It is a vigorous-growing magnolia with multiple flower buds at every leaf along the stem. Like many of the evergreen magnolias, it has an open habit when young but fills in nicely as it matures. We have a 3m-high advanced one sitting in the garden centre in a large grow bag, and it is covered in buds already; it is also our feature tree for March.
Magnolia little gem probably needs no introduction, as it has been in high demand for several years. Its larger, thick, glossy green foliage has a velvety reverse underside. This compact tree is perfect for small spaces and produces stunning, large, creamy white, scented flowers over spring, summer and autumn. Little gem is a hardy and reliable plant that is relatively pest- and disease-free.
This is only a small sample of what is on offer with evergreen magnolias; other varieties such as coco, teddy bear, fairy blush, fairy cream, Cleopatra, Cinderella and scented pearl all have their own features and characteristics that make them a standout in the garden.
Gardeners’ favourite: Spellbinding magnolia petals.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Magnolias prefer moist, fertile and well-drained soil that is slightly acidic, so when planting, it helps if the soil has been prepared that way. This is especially important if you are adding new soil to the garden. If you are unsure about your soil, bring a small sample to the garden centre and we will check it. Magnolias prefer a sunny aspect; though they do tolerate partial shade, they will also benefit from protection from strong winds. This will help prolong their display of flowers as well.
Next time you are looking for that feature tree or special shrub to fill a space in your garden, a magnolia may be worth considering.
