Monday, April 19, 2010

Outside: the Magnolia

Having finally mastered various settings on my camera, I actually had high hopes for the magnolia this year. Unfortunately, this was not a stellar year for the magnolia.

Now, it is of no fault of the bush itself, as it produced a large number of buds as it does every year. No, this was all the Michigan weather.

Usually, the magnolia gets to have at least 1, if not 2, good days of blooms. It starts to get warm outside. The buds develop, they're nice and pink. The weather holds. The buds open. The bush looks all nice and pretty for 2 days, and then: bam, windstorm or cold spell! And the petals brown and fall to the ground making a spectacular mess.

Not so, this year. No, this year the tree formed buds, and literally, the day they should have open ed — it froze. Damn weather.

Nonetheless, I got some shots of the blossoms, trying to shoot around the brown ones. The first shot was taken out the kitchen window, since that bush is about 20 feet tall and there's no way I can stand that high...













The magnolia always ends in a spectacular mess. It's pretty in its own way, assuming you're one of those free thinkers that doesn't believe in raking leaves (points to self). Amusingly, those leaves among the petals are actually the ones the magnolia shed last fall. And now the violets are starting to sprout!

Hopefully, if you had a magnolia the weather was nicer to yours.

12 comments:

ellen abbott said...

What beautiful photos Sarah. I love the japanese magnolia. we have them here but they bloom in February or early March. All gone now. But the regular magnolias are starting to put out the buds for their large white saucer flowers.

Sueann said...

You did a fabulous job capturing the breathtaking beauty of the magnolia! I just love the fragile flowers and buds.
Hugs
SueAnn

Cheryl Kohan said...

Magnolias are magnificent. These photos are awesome...even the spectacular mess! If you look, you can see beauty in almost every stage of nature's work.

We had the most gorgeous huge magnolia when we lived in Pennsylvania and I still miss it. If magnolias will grow in Michigan, I wonder if they'd grow in Minnesota?

Memories Of Mine said...

Sorry some bad weather destroyed your hopes of photographing the tree the way you wanted to. The image from the kitchen window is excellent creative thinking.

Anonymous said...

Well I think these photos are so beautiful! I give you an A+ for working the camera!

Sarah Von Bargen said...

Gorgeous shots!

I just wanted to pop over and say thank you for entering the giveaway for my Karma Cards over on the Much Love blog. We've got a few sets left for sale if you're still keen! (cough, shameless self-promotion, cough) ;D

Catherine said...

Such wonderful photos of a beautiful flower! Lovely!

And I find that if you wait long enough, the wind blows the leaves away...no raking needed! :)

Have a nice evening!
Catherine

Barb said...

Wonderful shots of the Magnolia in bloom, but I must admit to liking that last shot the best! (I like things a little messy sometimes...)

Kerri Farley said...

Very pretty my friend!!

Sandy said...

I too have magnolia high hopes and woes! Seems like we only get a good showing once every two or three years. This year was a magnificent one with no sudden freezes to cut it short! Last year....well. Beautiful photos!

Kelly said...

...our magnolia didn't have its most spectacular year either! Even so, your photos are gorgeous!

Lady Grey said...

I'm in awe, these are gorgeous!