April 9 2021 - Niagara's blossom Trail - Magnolias

 

Last week I wrote about the first orchard blossoms - Apricots.  Today we are covering Magnolias and that's because the Star Magnolias are opening up.  Magnolias typically bloom between the end of April and early May.  My garden in Toronto had both white and pink magnolia trees in the back garden overlooking the conservatory greenhouse.  They made for wonderful spring images. We have a great love of Magnolias, and they are located in many front gardens in towns, suburbs and in rural settings.  Royal Botanical Gardens' has several Magnolia dells - at the arboretum and the rock garden, and along the walking trails. The second image comes from RBG. Our stylized images are of the Magnolia in front of the former Vineland Research Centre on Niagara Street, St. Catharines.  Its distinction is that it is an old, mature tree. The weeping Cherry tree is located here, too.  This is a mini-arboretum.  The historical Yates Street boasts several very large Magnolias in front of heritage homes. Our last two images are in Queenston, taken last year at the end of April.  The Bright mansion, perched on the Niagara River, is a stunning backdrop to the lovely collection of trees on the grounds.  And don't forget Niagara Falls - there is a beautiful magnolia alley at the Niagara parks Floral Showhouse.   The oldest saucer Magnolia is considered to be 400 years old.  It is located in China.   If you would like to see the oldest trees - this is the website Monumental trees HERE.  They are located in Europe.   The saucer Magnolia is not native to Ontario.  Our Carolinian native Magnolia is the Tulip tree and the Cucumber tree. There are only eight native magnolia species inNorth America.  And the Cucumber tree is the only native to Canada.  If you would like to know more about the oldest native trees in Niagara - this is the link HERE.  Niagara Glen Nature Preserve is considered to have the champion-size tulip trees - up to 132 feet tall.  My favourite spot is Paradise Grove, easily accessible with walking trails, and fond memories of childhood picnics with family and friends.   A progression of images from the interpretive to the stylized, an heritage home on Yates Street and then two of  last Spring's Queenston homes and gardens. Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

The 4 Billion Blooms of March

How do we know if we are more "weatherfull" this winter than in past years.  We've just finished the high winds warning of the weekend, and we've now received a snowfall warning. Compare that to Victoria, which starts its flower count in 7 days.  The 44th annual event is sponsored and organized by The Butchart Gardens.  it is termed a 'light hearted promotion'.  Each municipality across Greater Victoria is encouraged to take up the challenge to be the "Bloomingest Community".   This from the website: For one week in early spring the citizens of Greater Victoria count all the blossoms they can see. The results are then reported to Flower Count Headquarters.  As the numbers come in, announcements are sent to local media to inform everyone of the growing count. So we thought we’d help make it easier and give you a guide and a counting sheet.. Brief how to count guide Small tree full of blossoms =  250,000 blossoms Medium tree full of blossoms =  500,000 blossoms Large tree full of blossoms = 750,000 blossoms Small Heather bush = 500 blossoms Medium Heather bush = 1,000 blossoms Large Heather bush = 2,000 blossoms "In 1976, over 130 million blooms were counted. By 1996, with a growing population and more community participation, that figure rose to over 4 billion blooms. 2010 we broke new records with 21 billion flowers counted, however 2016 we reached just over 25 billion blooms to set a whole new record." The results for 2018 are HERE. Our blossom count in Niagara would be in May.  Consider Victoria being able to count them in March.

Ending in May

Here we are on the great Longwood Allee of Paulownias - or Princess Trees. This is Longwood's second planting of this majestic tree - I think it was just over 10 years ago that the first planting of mature trees died from old age or rot. We're at the end of the 'spring bloom' and this tree seems a symbol of this:  I saw a pair of these yesterday on a front lawn on Elizabeth Street in Beamsville here in Niagara. This is a great accomplishment as this is generally a zone 7 tree and we are in zone 6.  There is another tree at the Vineland Research Station beside the Foreign Affair Winery.  Perhaps I'll have time today to see if it is blooming. This is like the weeping cheery at the Niagara Horticultural Station - one has to go frequently to check its status and catch it in bloom. Paulownia is a traditional tree in China and Japan - it has a long symbolic history as well as being a productive forested tree.  In Japan, it was once customary to plant a Paulownia tree when a baby girl was born, and then to make it into a dresser as a wedding present when she married. More recently it has been used in guitars as the core body.

The Blossom Trail

Niagara has been in bloom for about 2 weeks.  It seems shorter, and it is coming to an end.  Most orchards  are close to the Lake (on both sides of the QEW) and below the escarpment.  There are orchards from Grimsby right through to Niagara-on-the-Lake. These two orchards are in Vineland.  There are a lot of good orchards there - along John Street and Green Lane.  These are rural roads, and I am able to stop the car and take pictures from the car if I want.  This is drive-by photography at its best. I was lucky to catch some peach trees with their trimmed branches on the ground before they withered.  The peach trees are trimmed just at blooming, so the carpet of pink on the ground is a gorgeous display.