“Have you ever looked at the bud of a magnolia flower? It’s a tight little pod that stays closed up for a long time on the end of its branch until one day, out of nowhere, it finally bursts open into this gigantic, gorgeous, fragrant flower that’s ten times bigger than the bud itself. It’s impossible to imagine that such a big beautiful thing could pop out of that tiny little bud. But it does.” ― Joanna Gaines, The Magnolia Story

When Piper was a puppy and we lived in Okauchee, we had a Royal Star magnolia bush off the deck outside our bedroom window. I often say that I don’t really miss that house, but I do miss our landscaping. The magnolia blossoms only lasted a few days in early spring, but it remains a favorite memory. Piper really liked them too!

Since we moved to Delafield, we have been working hard to update our landscaping. We have a lot of big, old trees that provide a lot of shade. Magnolias love sun and warmth so we didn’t think we’d be able to have one here. Last spring we lost a tree off the deck outside our bedroom window. We took a chance and planted a Morning Star magnolia. We enjoyed its green leaves all summer and its fuzzy little pods all winter. Last week, we were blessed with unseasonably warm weather — temperatures in the 70s and 80s and lots of sunshine. By the end of the week, our magnolia was blooming profusely! Today, it is raining and the petals are falling. Tomorrow, it is going to snow. That’s spring in Wisconsin. At least I have some lovely images to enjoy until our magnolia blooms again next year.