Magnolia

I've been growing Magnolia for a full year now and want to capture what each season offered. bare winter silhouette revealing branch structure and bark was the clear high point — everything you're told about Magnolia at that time of year is true. But the plant has something to offer in every season,…

People describe Magnolia as easy and I'd push back on that slightly. keeping a mulch-free collar immediately around the trunk needs consistent attention and honey fungus affecting roots especially on stressed trees can undermine progress quickly if ignored. Where Magnolia is genuinely underrated is…

I started with one Magnolia and now have four, all from propagation. The process is straightforward once you understand staking correctly with a low stake to allow the trunk to flex and strengthen — something I picked up from trial and error rather than any guide. I display them in a boundary or av…

My first attempt at Magnolia failed — root encroachment near drains or house foundations got hold of it and I didn't know what I was looking at until it was too late. I left it alone for a year before trying again. The second attempt, with proper attention to formative pruning in the first five yea…

Magnolia is clearly a great plant — I can see that from other people's results. Mine has been decent but not spectacular, and I think I know why. I underestimated the importance of keeping a mulch-free collar immediately around the trunk in the early stages and paid for it. honey fungus affecting r…

I've grown several varieties within the Magnolia family and have some observations to share. multi-decade investment that improves year on year varies noticeably between them, more than catalogue descriptions suggest. The care fundamentals are shared — keeping a mulch-free collar immediately around …

I planted Magnolia without expecting much and it's become one of the most satisfying things in my garden. multi-decade investment that improves year on year is something I couldn't have predicted from looking at it in a nursery. You only understand it once the plant is established and performing. I…

Magnolia is a genuinely satisfying plant to grow, but I want to be upfront about one thing: honey fungus affecting roots especially on stressed trees. I've dealt with it twice now and it takes consistent attention to manage. Beyond that, multi-decade investment that improves year on year makes it o…

I nearly gave up on Magnolia after three months of mediocre results. Then I focused properly on staking correctly with a low stake to allow the trunk to flex and strengthen and within a few weeks the difference was dramatic. It now lives in a small garden with a compact or columnar variety chosen f…

I planted Magnolia at entirely the wrong point in the growing calendar and spent the first few months wondering what I'd done wrong. honey fungus affecting roots especially on stressed trees didn't help matters. Once I understood keeping a mulch-free collar immediately around the trunk things improv…