Its Time Is Up!

When I moved here I was delighted to find that I'd inherited a magnolia grandiflora of a decent size.  I imagined it laden with flowers, their delicious scent wafting across the patio......

Image from RHS

'It's never flowered' said the neighbours.  Undeterred I pruned it, I fed it, I didn't prune it, I talked to it and gradually got more and more fed up with it.

After 5 years, and about 15 years since it was planted, it still didn't flower, its leaves constantly turned yellow or black and dropped all over the garden and it blocked out a lot of morning light.  So I decided its time was up!

Armed with essential tools, 

and some determination as well as brute force, this

 became this!

There is so much more light now

and although the fence currently looks bare and boring, imagine it please covered with climbing roses, and clematis. I'm even considering a delicate honeysuckle and possibly another try at a clematis armandii.

Not a bad day's work!

Is it, or is it not?

When I bought this house I inherited a Magnolia Grandiflora, the neighbours say it has never flowered.  I was cutting it back today as it was threatening to take over the patio when I stopped, and went inside for binoculars and camera.  Is this a flower bud?  It doesn't look like a leaf bud.  There is only one, but one will be better than none.