Magnolias

On 24th September ODGC welcomed Rowan Griffiths, professional gardener at Hergest Croft and 2023 recipient of the RHS Roy Lancaster Award.

Magnolias are one of the oldest genus of flowering plants dating from the end of the Cretaceous period.  The flowers which have thickened undifferentiated petals and sepals called tepals were pollinated by beetles before flying insects evolved.  They are native to east, south east and south Asia and North and Central America and parts of South America and occur as deciduous and evergreen species in a range of colours.

Rowan illustrated his talk with a stunning slideshow of magnificent blooms, many from Hergest Croft which boasts a large collection of rare trees and shrubs.  Established in 1895 by William Hartland Banks and his wife Dorothy the gardens have been managed by successive generations of the Banks family. Their son, Richard travelled widely and collected seeds.  William did not think that Magnolias would be hardy at Hergest but his grandson Lawrence disagreed and was vindicated by their success. Many are seed raised though patience is needed. A M. campbellii planted in 1926 eventually flowered in 2015!

Magnolias have been widely grafted though Rowan feels that they are stronger grown on their own roots.  Magnolia soulangeana, popular in UK gardens is a hybrid between M. denudata and M. liliiflora.  M. denudata and M. kobus are widely used as stock plants. M. acuminata has been used to breed yellow varieties, ‘Elizabeth’, ‘Yellow River’ and ‘Yellow Bird’ which flower later thus avoiding frost damage.  M.veitchii, a hybrid between denudata and campbellii, is an upright form.  Flowers may be held upright as in soulangeana, on the side as in ‘Caerhays Belle’ or hanging down like scented M.wilsonii, native to Japan. 

As befits such an aged genus Magnolias are tough.  They will regenerate from even severe snow damage.  There is one for every garden.  The comparatively small M. stellata is threatened in the wild but thrives in UK gardens.  Their habit of growth and glossy leaves, often giving good autumn colour as well as their flowers render them an attractive specimen tree for interest year round.

Ghislaine Arundale