I have a large magnolia outside my bedroom window. It is one of a few plants that was in the garden when I purchased the property. It had grown extremely large so much so that I couldn’t see anything else from my bedroom window. I had it professionally pruned initially to give it a good structure and shape, and to improve my view. I am now able to keep it in shape myself by doing any necessary pruning once a year when it has finished flowering. The magnolia was originally surrounded by a very large patio. The patio is now significantly smaller in size and the magnolia is now part of the main border.
During my holiday in New Zealand last winter the group I was with was lucky to be able to visit Tikorangi in New Plymouth and we were shown around by the owners, Mark and Abi Jury. The Jury family is strongly associated with magnolias, having hybridised a number of different cultivars, including Black Tulip.
