... and escape we did, despite a temperature of 29 degrees. How is this possible one may ask... I do take a very small amount of the credit based on plant placement. Over time one gets to know one's property and with that comes a recognition of what areas are the first to get frosted. By avoiding planting in those spots, some protection can be afforded. On the other hand, those cold areas can be used to hold back early development and blooming of less than perfectly hardy plants. The placement of windbreaks and conifers as well as large deciduous trees can also be a factor in protecting plants such as magnolias from late frosts (or early frosts after two weeks of summer as is the case this year).
I had nothing whatsoever to do with what was the biggest saving grace over night... We had a very stiff NE wind and that was the major protector of the magnolias this time around. We generally run between 3 and 4 degrees colder than what is predicted. We are looking at two more nights this week when I anticipate a temp of 32 degrees which hopefully won't be a big problem in case the wind doesn't avail itself to us.
I took a lot of pictures of the young soulangianas last evening, just in case they froze and also for reference to a large magnolia window commission I'm preparing to create this summer. I'll share several of the many photos I shot here...
I have several magnolias that have been placed close to the evergreen windbreak. This has served me well over the past few years. I have never seen a year when the 'Butterflies' magnolias aren't coming into bloom at the same time as a threatened frost. Since they are extremely sensitive flower -wise, the placement near tall spruces has been invaluable. Another example is this Magnolia soulangiana 'Brozonii'. It is loaded with buds this season like never before, and the placement against the windbreak should serve it well as long as things don't get too cold.... (note one of two Larix decidua 'Pendula' that I planted last evening in the middle of this lawn that I said I said I would never encroach upon! The goal is to train them into free form weeping sculptures.)
Of course another way to avoid frost damage with magnolias is to plant the newer zone 4 hardy hybrids such as 'Simple Pleasures' pictured below. As noted in earlier posts, many of these have at least a four week window of bloom so if they are damaged by frost, there is an availability of fresh buds to continue the bloom period for some time. (the wire cage is the area where I've planted hybrid tree peonies and I'm excited to say they are germinating after a year in the soil. Double dormancy provided root growth last season and top growth now. All that's left to do is to be patient for 5-7 years while awaiting the first blooms on these plants... being an optimist is helpful in the gardening world!)
There is a reason why this magnolia selected by my friend Bill Seidle is called 'White Rose'!
My two 'Wada's Memory' magnolia's best protection from frost is that they stick way up in the sky and cold settles as my gardening friend 'Frog Pond' reminded me yesterday...
Leonard Messel is a very hardy magnolia but you may recall my mature specimen was the only magnolia that died in my garden several years ago... there is no doubt in my mind that it had to do with placement... it was in full sun and south exposure... warmth had caused the sap to run and then because it lay in a low spot in the gardens, a very cold night did it in. Here is a bloom from my new Leonard Messel.
I thought I would share a seven foot seedling hybrid that showed up in the garden and is blooming for the first time... it reminds me a lot of Leonard Messel, but is more subtle and delicate in appearance with a gentle touch of pink on its tepal backs. It is a small bloom but it makes up for that by being cute... I will leave it for a couple years and see if it develops into a heavy bloomer. In the past I've found some of these self hybridized plants tend to be magnets for aphids... if that's the case here, it will definitely go.
The following doesn't look all that impressive, but these are 'crescendo' series primula that I started a year and a half ago from seed. They hold their blooms high and several can be seen blooming in the second photo as well. I suspect they will be 'keepers'.
I'll end this post with a goodbye to the early magnolias. The heavy rains the other night took the beautiful edge off and they will be past before long... here are a couple photos from yesterday. I know that many of you are concerned about the possibility of cold after so much warmth. One has to be stoic about it and try not to worry since there is little that we can do, other than cover what is feasible to be covered. I hope we all get through this return to cold without too much disappointment... take care, Larry
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