Marvellous Magnolias...

The time has come this year to tackle our untamed beds and borders in the garden. Year 1 and 2 were all about getting the vegplot active, but now, after living in a building site for what seems like forever, I want something pretty!

The first flower bed we've tackled we actually started last year. It was full of conifers and a huge Ceanothus. I was quite attached to the Ceanothus as when it bloomed it was the striking blue and covered in bees and butterflies, but a hard winter saw it off and it gave us the courage to tackle the rest of the overgrown shrubs. in amongst these were three conifers and a eucalyptus oh and a dried up looking stick. The conifers and the Eucalyptus came out but I had a funny feeling about the stick due to one fossilised looking flower bud. The stick stayed.

And last year the stick grew, it grew other sticks, but on the whole it stayed pretty stickish. That was the end of the story until this spring when the stick burst into life and turned into a beautiful Magnolia.

Magnolias always remind me of North London as we would see the most amazing ones in very everyday places there, and at Easter time they're at there best. I never thought we could raise one in the wilds of the Wolds, so this one is extra special - I'm 'sticking'with it...