Magnolia soulangeana

Busy day out helping family unpack after moving house.  Blipped this glorious magnolia soulangeana on our way home.  (Ours is a couple of weeks behind this one—with lots of buds but, as yet, very few blooms.)  On checking the spelling I find that magnolia soulangeana was first grown by French botanist Étienne Soulange-Bodin (1774–1846), by crossing Magnolia denudata with Magnolia liliiflora. I am so glad he did!