Monday, April 9

on the Boulevard

My friend Tracy and I watch this magnolia tree from earliest spring, waiting for it to blossom. You would think it belonged to us (covetous gardeners) instead of the nice folks on West Boulevard.  It is a variety called "Butterflies", hardy in zone 4. It is the only one I know of in Rapid City. It is a little the worse for wear as we had our first thunderstorm of the season (with hail, thanks Ma Nature) just before I planned to take pictures. 
A favorite of mine, not because I am from the South, but because I am from the North. My grandparents had a big saucer magnolia in their yard in northern New York that bloomed spectacularly every spring. It wasn't supposed to be hardy that far north, but my grandfather had it wrapped in a tall cedar hedge that created a microclimate that it thrived in. We grandkids thought it was the most exotic thing ever when it had those huge white flowers all over it.

1 comment:

Red said...

For us the magnolia is a big drawing card. My daughter has a magnolia in Chicago. You probably got your hail when we got our snow.