MAGNOLIAS, SUNNY DAYS AND WEEDS GALORE

Magnolias, sunny days and weeds galore - that sums up this week for me.  What glorious and unexpected weather we have had the last few days.  It's been hard to resist the urge to be outdoors.  The plants have been enjoying it too and the grass has put on such a growth spurt that lawn mowing is needed.  Less welcome are all the weeds that have also sprung up overnight (or more likely have been biding their time since the autumn).  

As well as weeding, some of the yew hedges missed out on being trimmed last year, so they have had a light (not disturbing any birds) trim this week.  So my first photo is of some other neat hedges, adding some structure to the Rose Garden.

My choice for number two in this week's six is the border of spring bulbs.  I admit that this was also featured last week, but it is still looking good, and since there are more tulips and camassias still to bloom, it will no doubt feature in the future too.

The daffodils are Narcissus 'Sailboat'.
 

On now to the first of this week's magnolias.  This one is planted in the centre of the drive turning circle ('You've got your own roundabout!' exclaim visiting children).  See what I mean about that grass?

I absolutely love magnolias, despite their sad tendency to get wrecked by frost.  The late hard frost we had last year damaged the one in the picture below, so  even though the flowers are not fully out yet, I'm including it this week just in case.

 Both of these are Magnolia Soulangeana, named after Mr Soulange-Bodin, retired Napoleonic army officer, superintendent of the gardens at Malmaison and renowned botanist. I picture Mr Soulange-Bodin looking like this reclining on a floral sofa, (and although this painting by Tissot dates from the 1870s, and Mr Soulange-Bodin died in 1846, I think it has a suitably early C19th air).

My final Magnolia is a Stellata.  You deserve a prize if you can spot it in the photo below.  I don't often show pictures of the crappy developing areas of the garden, but this week I have been planting up this tatty little area at the bottom of the Woodland.

Last year I planted a Magnolia Stellata on the left and then promptly stood on it.   

It has given me three flowers this year, which is more than I deserve, but I  think it will be many years before it makes a decent size shrub.  

Something pretty to finish with.  Hyacinth Woodstock is still flowering beautifully and perfuming the air by the back door.  I love this colour and the scent means I will be choosing to grow Hyacinths again next year.  I fancy trying a dark blue.

That's all from my garden for this week.  Thanks, as always, to the Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.