Magnolia stellata

Today's the day ............................. for a little star

It has to be a garden blip today - because that's where I've been for most of the day.

At last the flowers of our Magnolia stellata have opened in the sunshine.  They are always a welcome sight as they burst open on bare branches, in the early spring.  A native of Japan, is still grows there in the wild alongside streams.  It is a slow growing deciduous shrub - and perfect for the smaller garden.  

Before the leaves appear, the grey silky buds open and allow the large white, starry flowers with a delicate fragrance to unfurl. The flowers can be tender to hard frosts and so it is best to grow it somewhere with shade early in the morning and sun later in the day.

Exactly what it had today ..............................