Buying a magnolia

[WhatToDo99]

I'm in the market for a magnolia tree to go in my front garden. Not one that will get too massive, but which will have a nice blossom, sort of the classic white and pink magnolia shape petals.

Please could someone recommend the best sort to get, and where from if possible

TIA!

Do you have some patience? Mine (in a huge pot) flowered for the first time last year. I've had it about 8 years!

Oh dear! I'm planning on staying in this house for a long time, but that's a bit much! Maybe buying quite a mature/big one would be the answer? Though probably costly.

Crocus always supply excellent plants. They have one at the moment in a 12lt pot.

We got a magnolia from Lidl, IIRC it was about £12 for a 3 foot tree, in a pot. It flowered the next spring after I moved it into a bigger pot. It's actually still in there this year as I wanted to bring it with us when we move this summer. Despite the pot being probably far too small for it, it's flowered beautifully again this year.

You need to buy one of the cultivars that flowers early in its life . And that will like the conditions in your garden and grow to the correct size.

Is your front garden very big ? What other trees do you have in it ? Do you know what a magnolia looks like for the other 11 months of the year that it's not flowering and are you happy with that ? ( or perhaps 12 months for the first few years )