Our Spring Star
Our “Spring Star”
Each year, I feel that spring has arrived when the magnolia trees bloom.
One of the unusual highlights of my childhood home, that my parents and I loved, was the placement of our living room. It was in the back of our home with a view was our beautiful and bountiful formal garden. On the North side of the garden stood five magnificent saucer magnolia trees. When in their Spring bloom, the contrast of the red brick ivy-covered wall that surrounded our home highlighted their pink blossoms.
Six years ago, on our 35th anniversary, my husband and I gave ourselves a garden gift from
my home away from home… Hawthorn Garden Center.
We didn’t have space for a large saucer magnolia in front of our home, instead we planted
a small white star magnolia tree.
Three years ago, we almost lost her to a terribly disgusting slimy scale that was smothering her limbs.
I could not image watching her suffocate.
I administered the remedy… while wearing gloves and a long leave shirt I gently washed off
each of her limbs with warm soapy water and with a sponge. The finale of the process…
my shirt, gloves, sponge and water were coated with dark gray gunk.
I dispensed the remedy three times during the summer and a Care of Trees arborist injected the
ground around her roots with an anti-scale treatment.
For the last two years, she has been recuperation. To our delight, this year the result of my
“gardener’s labor of love” was rewarded!
The magnolia is our “Spring Star!” We are enjoying and rejoicing in her recovery and good health!
Happy Spring!
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Please Spread the Word
Ah Spring! For you it’s magnolias, for me it’s my Mother-in-law’s red tulips. Each year, after the snow drops, the scilla, the crocus and the daffodils, comes my surveillance for the eruption of these tulip bulbs. How many will the deer allow to open this year? On Friday, a whole bunch of them opened
which means that the deer have allowed another glorious showing. My Mother-in-law departed this life in 1992; my husband Eric’s sister lived with their mother and then eventually sold her property. I dug the tulips from my Mother-in-law’s garden in 2000, before the land was plowed under for construction of a townhouse subdivision. Every year I relish the day that they open, satisfied with having just one, but hoping for an abundant showing of my Mother-in-law’s 50+ year old beauties.
Mari, I’m enjoying your replies. Surveillance, eruption, relish and abundance offered me a color-filled canvas of Eric’s mother’s Spring bouquet.
I didn’t know you were a gardener! I appreciated the tribute you paid to Eric’s mother and her red tulips when you lovingly transported the bulbs and tucked them into their new bed in your yard.
You were given a gift last Friday and I am delighted that you shared it with me, instead of the deer. 50+ years, those tulips must be spectacular!
Please, send me a picture. I’d love to post the photo and your story on my blog, if that works for you. I have a similar story I will share on my blog, when my mother’s plantings blossom.
What was Eric’s mother’s name? I would like to connect a name to her Red Tulip “beauties!”
I affectionately refer to the tulips as Grandma Mary’s Tulips. Each year I remind our grandsons of the arrival of Great Grandma Mary’s Tulips. One day I hope that our daughters and our grandsons will have gardens that include these yellow-centered sanguine beauties. (Do feel free to post the images, etc. I am looking forward to sharing more bloomin’ stories, heh, heh!)
Mari, please forgive this delayed response. I love that you named the tulips for Grandma Mary. I’m sure it makes your heart sign to share her beautiful blossoms with your grandson’s. Caring on the gardening tradition and appreciation with your daughters and grandson is an admirable and joyful mission, I’m sure you will achieve! Thank you for permission to share your exquisite photos. I’m eager to read more of your bloomin’ stories!