Should I plant a magnolia?

[TheSteveMilliband]

We live in a block of 3 houses with a shared front area (parking and some space for plants).
There is a copper beech which is getting large and will get much larger to the right which has to stay put because of planning perm etc. It will block out quite a bit of light.
There is a gap which would suit a small tree (ideally 3m tall or thereabouts, as this wouldnt have too much impact on light) and we fancy planting a magnolia there - neighbours seem happy with this too.
I've been looking for which one - I like the ones with pale flowers (either pink / yellow tinged or white) and tulip shaped flowers (soulangeana?) but don't want it to grow so big that it blocks out lots of light. Most of the smaller ones I see say "large shrub", even 4-8m.

Do they actually grow to the max size? I'm guessing most don't and that's the upper range - most I see in other peoples gardens aren't too huge, and it'll probably take years to even look tree sized! Also a little worried my skills aren't up to training it as a tree rather than a shrub. Please convince me to go ahead!

Oh yes, they do grow to quite a large size. But full maturity can be a decade or two away. So, it will be a slow grower. How's your soil? Is it suitable for a magnolia? Also, the roots grow horizontally, as opposed to downward, like most trees, so the roots stay close to the surface and stretch which can damage structures close to them (in other words, try not to plant it right next to a house).

Oh....it'd be in a fairly small bed (about 1.5m squared - not near house but near a lovely old wall.
The soil is chalky so not ideal but thought that might keep it small anyway. Might need to research a bit more!

Magnolia stellata is a magnolia suitable for a small garden

You could get a magnolia stellata. Take donkeys years to grown.

Sadly I don't think they ever thrive in chalky soil.

If the soil is chalky, it isn't suitable for a Magnolia. They need acid soil, and if you planted it it would always look sickly. How about a small Philadelelphus instead - they smell wonderful?

I wouldn't in a chalky soil.

If you're after a small attractive tree, other options are crab apple, apple on dwarf root stock, hawthorn, rowan etc. Possibly elderflower? Some sort of gage or other plum?

I have a tulip magnolia tree that will grow to 3-4 m max and it’s proper tree shaped, not a shrub. Unfortunately I can’t remember the name of the variety, but just thought I’d post to let you know that small magnolia tree varieties do exist! Garden centres are probably the best place to look for them. Some varieties are more tolerant of chalky soils than others, so depending on how chalky the soil is, it may work.

Thankyou all. Although the soils chalky round here, I've seen them grow well, and would put in lots of Ericaceous compost. Crazzzycat that's good to know! I know stellata is supposed to be better, but really after the tulip shaped flowers and not sure it's cut it! I'll check with a garden centre (good shout) and have a look at other options too

magnolia's look lovely for 3 weeks in the spring and are dull for the rest of the year.

what about something like a crabapple or Rowan that has more year-round interest?

According to Alan Titchmarsh "Magnolia grandiflora, M. delavayi, M. kobus, M. x loebneri, M. stellata and M. wilsonii should all do well [in chalky soil] if the ground is enriched with well-rotted compost or manure. M. x loebneri ‘Merrill’ has done particularly well for me in very shallow soil over solid chalk."