If you are just beginning to find your green fingers this year and the warmer weather is encouraging you to get outside and really start to give gardening a go, then you are probably wondering what to plant.
Well, where better to start than with the summery magnolia shrub? Plant them in spring and they will then flower right through the summer until the autumn.
If you are already looking through these pretty plants on You Garden, but still not convinced whether to purchase them or not, then here are six reasons why magnolia shrubs are the perfect summer plant for beginner gardeners:
- They are hardy plants
Hardy plants are perfect for beginners because they are virtually impossible to kill. Plus, they grow for decades, so once you have done the initial task of planting them, you will be able to enjoy them for many summers to come.
- Difficulty: moderate
The Royal Horticultural Society rates their difficulty level as moderate, which means for a new gardener they are a big enough challenge that you don’t find them boring, but easy enough for those new to gardening.
- Magnolias can be grown in containers
While magnolias love garden soil, they will happily grow almost anywhere and will look stunning in pots on your patio. A container is the perfect place to start for a beginner gardener, and as magnolias prefer a rich, moist well drained, acid to neutral soil, this is an easier place for those less experienced to achieve that.
- They require little attention
It is important to water regularly during the growing season but, apart from that, magnolias require little pruning other than to maintain their shape and remove damaged stems or crossing stems. So once they are fully grown you can sit back and just enjoy them.
- They are bright and beautiful
Summer is the time you can finally get out and enjoy your garden, either while you sunbathe with a good book and a cold drink or while you enjoy dinner and a glass of wine with friends. A space that is overgrown and full of weeds will not make for an enjoyable experience. However, tidy it up and plant a few magnolias and you have the ideal place for summer activities.
Their vibrant colours are perfect to instantly add a splash of summer colour to a – perhaps previously neglected – space. They also smell sweetly fragrant which will add to the overall summery feel of your outdoor space.
This means you can easily get a colourful and pretty garden, that you will enjoy spending time in without too much time and effort. Perfect for a beginner!
- Wide variety to choose from
There are such a wide variety of magnolia shrubs, that you can plant several of the same thing – but your garden can still have a diverse and interesting variety to it. Choose a mixture of Deciduous Magnolia and Evergreen Magnolia in several colours to create the theme you would like in your garden. These could be spread across containers, borders or even place them up walls – to fill all areas of the space.
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post
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They sound amazing. Good to know they require little attention.