Is it worth spending lots on a magnolia?

[minniebear]

We hope to be in our current house for around five/six years, and in the next year plan to remove a brick built shed and the concrete slab it's on, which is taking up a section of our lawn.

I'd love to plant a tree on the space currently occupied by the slab and love magnolias. I've seen a bigger plant for around £70 on Crocus and was thinking of buying it fairly soon, and keeping it in a (huge) pot so it can grow a bit while we have the shed taken down. I guess to get a sort of head start so we're not planting a tiny sapling? But I guess I'm wondering whether we'll get to enjoy the tree properly in the remaining four years-how quickly do they tend to grow?

Any suggestions appreciated!

Magnolia is pretty slow growing, although I would guess for £70 you're getting a comparatively mature plant to start.

What's the timetable for getting the shed down? Bear in mind a tree won't do much growing between now and the spring.

If it's magnolia x soulangeana, it'll take a long time to grow. I've just looked on the Crocus website and it states that your plant will be about 1.25m. That's not very big at all even for £70. I'd spend more if possible. A 2.5m one (bearing in mind it'll grow to about 6m in about 30 years) costs about £200. www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/magnolia-soulangeana-tree-pp391

If you're patient, then buy the one you've seen but if you're not, then spend more and get a bigger specimen.

Thank you :) I think we'll have to invest a bit more if we want to enjoy it while we still live in the house then. I've looked at the Ornamental Trees website and they look good.

STOP!
Lids sell them 5.99 for small trees.
They had four varieties last year so you could try one of each for that money and see which you like.
Mine are in big pots waiting for a fence to come down but have still shown good growth.

Magnolia is just beautiful and especially in Spring with the flowers springing out that time before the leaves emerge. However, a newly planted tree would take several years to settle down and flower. So, in your case, if you are going to be around for 5 to 6 years in the place, I am not sure if it would start to flower by that time because the avg time for flowering is about 10 yrs.