Magnolia grandiflora

Magnolia grandiflora flower (29/06/2011, London)

Position: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Moist, well drained soil

Flowering period: Summer to early autumn

Eventual Height: 10m

Eventual Spread: 10m

Hardiness: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b

Family: Magnoliaceae

Magnolia grandiflora is an evergreen tree with a broadly conical or rounded habit that may become more open as the plant matures. It has large oblong, glossy, mid to dark green leaves that will fall year-round from the centre of the crown to create a dense leaf covering on the ground below the plant. It bears large, hermaphroditic, bowl shaped, white flowers intermittently from mid summer to early autumn usually after the plant has achieved twelve years of age.

Magnolia grandiflora (09/07/2011)

Charles Plumier (1646-1704), unaware of any Asian names for the species, described a flowering tree from the island of Martinique as Magnolia in 1703. He named it after Pierre Magnol, a 17th century French botanist and this was later adopted by Linnaeus in the first edition of Species plantarum. grandiflora is derived from the Latin and is taken to mean ‘with large flowers’.

Magnolia grandiflora, commonly known as the Southern Magnolia or Bull Bay Magnolia, is native to south-eastern North America. In some parts of England its flowers are pickled and eaten for their spicy flavour and its bark has been used to treat malaria and rheumatism. It was introduced to Britain by Mark Catesby in 1726. 

Magnolia grandiflora may be useful to the landscape architect as a low maintenance, large lowered fragrant tree. This plant may also be trained as a wall shrub/ climber. Frosts may damage the flowers, therefore a warm wall may be its best planting location in colder climates.

Magnolia grandiflora tree (20/10/2011, Rome, Italy)

The Royal Horticultural Society gave the cultivars Magnolia grandiflora ‘Exmouth’, and ‘Victoria’ their prestigious Award of Garden merit in 1993 and 2002 respectively.

Magnolia grandiflora will tolerate almost any soil conditions; it will be happy at neutral, acid or alkaline pH levels, in loam, clay or sand based soils facing any sheltered aspect, except north. The Royal Horticultural Society recommends protection from late frosts.

Ecologically, Magnolia grandiflora will attract pollinating insects such as butterflies and honey bees however; as this plant is not native to this continent these associations may not be prolific.

Magnolia grandiflora may be trained up a wall as a climbing plant. This requires wires or supports. Shoots growing towards the wall should be removed, outward growing shoots should be reduced to one or two leaves. Specimen trees may be pruned in spring and wall trained specimens may be pruned in summer.

Hibiscus syriacus ‘blue bird’

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Bird’ flower (10/07/2011, London)

Position: Full sun

Soil: Moist, well drained soil

Flowering period: Summer to autumn

Eventual Height: 2.5m

Eventual Spread: 2.5m

Hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a

Family: Malvaceae

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Bird’ is a deciduous shrub with an upright habit. Its foliage is lobed, deep green. its large, red-centred, lilac-blue, hermaphroditic, flowers are borne singly on the axils of the long stalked leaves and will close up during heavy rain. These are followed by large, oval seed capsules.

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Bird’ is often listed under its French name Hibiscus syriacus ‘Oiseau Bleu’. It was first produced in France during the 1950’s. The species epithet is due to the original belief that it was native to Syria but its actual origins are from central Asia with the plant being introduced to Europe so long ago this was lost for many years. H. syriacus is the national flower of South Korea, the flowers symbolic significance being derived from mugung, closely related to the flowers Korean name, which means eternity. Along with its provenance, knowledge of its hardiness was also lost as there are record dating back to the 16^th century stating it should be protected with great care against frosts, even though it is one of the few Hibiscus species that is fully hardy. Hibiscus syriacus is commonly known as the Rose of Sharon, Shrub Althea and Rose Althea.

The etymological root of the binomial name Hibiscus was an ancient Greek name for a mallow-like plant. Syriacus being a Latinised word referring to its supposed origins in Syria.

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Bird’ (10/07/2011, London)

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Bird’ is useful to the landscape architect as a fully hardy Hibiscus with a strong tolerance of drought and a striking late inflorescence.

The Royal Horticultural Society have given various Hibiscus syriacus cultivars it their prestigious Award of Garden Merit.

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Bird’ will tolerate almost any soil conditions; it will be happy in neutral, alkaline or acid pH levels, in loam, chalk, clay or sand based soils facing a sheltered, southern or western facing aspect.

Ecologically, Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Bird’ will attract pollinating insects such as butterflies and honey bees.

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Bird’ requires little to no maintenance. Dead or damaged material may be removed in late winter to early spring. The seed pods may be removed after autumn leaf-fall to prevent self seeding.

Landscape Architecture

Caryopteris x clandonensis “Worcester Gold”

Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Worcester Gold’ flower (10/07/2011, London)

Position: Full sun

Soil: Moist, well drained soil

Flowering period: Summer

Eventual Height: 1m

Eventual Spread: 1.5m

Hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

Family: Lamiaceae (formally Verbenaceae)

Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Worcester Gold’ is a deciduous sub-shrub with a rounded, bushy habit. Its foliage is bright yellow and lanceolate with a simple margin. It bears clusters of small violet-blue, tubular flowers from late summer.

The Caryopteris genus, commonly known as Bluebeard, is native to eastern and southern Asia. Caryopteris × clandonensis was originally created as an accidental cross in the garden of Arthur Simmonds at West Clandon, near Guildford, Surrey in 1930 and went on to gain Royal Horticultural Society awards from 1933.

Caryopteris is derived from the Greek karyon, meaning ‘nut’ and pteron, meaning ‘wing’; referring to the winged fruit. Clandonensis is the hybrid name given to the original cultivar in 1930 referring to its origins in West Clandon.

Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Worcester Gold’ (10/07/2011, London)

The landscape architect may find Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Worcester Gold’ useful as a robust ground cover plant which is drought resistant. This plant is well suited to mass plantings on slopes or banks where low maintenance is a high priority.

The Royal Horticultural Society have given Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Worcester Gold’ their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 2007.

Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Worcester Gold’ will tolerate almost any soil conditions; it will be happy in neutral, alkaline or acid pH levels, in loam, chalk or sand based soils facing a sheltered, southern or western facing aspect.

Ecologically, Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Worcester Gold’ is particularly noted for attracting pollinating insects such as butterflies and honey bees.

Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Worcester Gold’ requires little to no maintenance. May be trimmed in early spring to encourage flowering and a tidy habit.