Pink Star Magnolia

I've grown this tree from a tiny sapling to the beautiful mature tree it is today. Such a joy when it blooms, you know that Spring is really here.

Gorgeous. Star magnolias are my favorite.

Ah yes, your banner makes me yearn for Spring to come asap, but I think it will be a while. Nice to dream while waiting.

Zoia said:Pink Star Magnolia
I've grown this tree from a tiny sapling to the beautiful mature tree it is today. Such a joy when it blooms, you know that Spring is really here.

Very pretty banner.

I've never seen or hear of a Pink Star Magnolia, and am amazed how many
blooms it puts out.

How old is it? Especially rewarding when you grew it from
a sapling.

Do you have a pic of the whole tree in and out of bloom?

Beautiful banner Zoia!

Zoia ~ Beautiful!

I agree with Cal. Let's see some more pictures. How many years has it been growing?

I think the tree is about 20 years old now. It was a gift from a friend.
About to open


Opening





Whole tree







View down the Hill, tree on bottom right

Leonard Messel is one named cultivar of pink star magnolia, for anyone interested in planting one of their own. I scored one on clearance a couple of years ago. People around here hesitate to plant magnolias, as so many of them aren't reliably hardy. This is a fantastic exception to that rule. I hope I'm still around to see what mine looks like in 18 years, Zoia!

They are really beautiful and hardy here in Boston. The branches are somewhat brittle, I've lost pieces of the tree to various storms. But it always bounces back.

Wow! Thanks for all the extra images, Zoia! What a pretty tree & backyard!
Is that scene from last year?

Would be great to see from the same perspective
what it looks like in winter.....snow covered?

Love all of the extra pictures, Zoia. An early bloomer like this tree is so dramatic--a bright spot of color in a gray landscape.

Thanks for the acorn Cal!

I'll see if I can't get something Sunday morning when we're supposed to have up to three feet of snow fallen down.

Here's a view from the summer down what I usually refer to as Daylily Hill



Most of my photos are aimed up the hill, as it is South facing, so the flowers face that way too.

Great pics, Zoia!
Amazing how you can be in deep snow now, and
by summer so green & flowers blooming.

I've seen the weather report for the East Coast.
Sounds like a major snow storm. Let us know how it goes.
Stay safe & warm.

I said I'd include some snow scenes! Taken from my window, didn't feel like tramping around two feet of snow!

Today



This was during the storm on Saturday

Zoia said:I said I'd include some snow scenes! Taken from my window, didn't feel like tramping around two feet of snow!

Zoia, THANKS for those extra pics of the magnolia blooms, especially the closeup, plus your beautiful home, gazebo, gardens, & property.
BTW, what are the trees in the back that are covered with lavender blooms? Fruit trees?

I'm glad you came through the big storm OK, and hope everyone else here did as well.

Actually I hoped you'd tramp out there (afterwards).

But that would mess up the pristine snow, and I probably wouldn't wade through
2 ft of snow either.

Good job taking those pics from inside.

I hope you'll take the same pics each month during the year.
They'd make an impessive slide show.

Thanks Cal!

To answer your question, the purple bushes are PJMs. I think it stands for Peter John Menzies. That is a variety of azalea, really a hybrid between azaleas and rhododendron. It was hybridized at Menzie's Nursery in MA. The son of the hybridizer was good friends with the owner of this house in the 60s. He used this yard as a testing ground so there are many beautiful varieties of azaleas and rhododendron growing here. The rhododendron are two stories tall at this point!




Some PJMs




Fire Azalea
I don't really know the name of this, and I've never seen another like it. It's a deciduous azalea of the most extraordinary color.




Another favorite, I think this is Azalea Washington State Centennial… it smells like heaven!




Lots of others!

Zoia said: The son of the hybridizer was good friends with the owner of this house in the 60s. He used this yard as a testing ground so there are many beautiful varieties of azaleas and rhododendron growing here.

Lucky you!!

Thanks Laurie!

There used to be a lot more but I lost a ton in the drought of 2015. At least I repurposed the Hill they were on for Daylilies.

lauriemorningglory said:Lucky you!!

Wow! Those azaleas are beautiful, especially the Fire and Centennial. Have you ever tried to propagate any of them?

Ron