Last winter was unusually harsh in the Charente –Maritime. In
February the temperatures were under zero for about two weeks
and fell as low minus 17 degrees centigrade. I was resigned to
the fact that I would lose a large number of plants unaccustomed
to this severe weather. One of the plants that I had little hope
would survive was my Magnolia grandiflora. As the temperature
rose I ventured into the garden for damage assessment. There was
ice on the surface of the magnolia leaves which was being
rapidly melted by the bright sun. Not good! A plant has
difficulty accommodating such rapid changes in temperature. To
my surprise it has survived unharmed and I have been able to
take these photographs over the last few days. My Magnolia
grandiflora was an early edition to the garden. I felt it would
be an appropriate tree to have in a French garden as I had seen
magnificent specimens of old large Magnolias in France. However,
I have now discovered that Magnolias are not natives of Europe
but of the southern states