![P1580887.JPG (1.99 MiB) Viewed 709 times Magnolia Campbellii in flower](./files/thumb_11426_c15b033e9baf5d09d31bd6f6be718170)
- Magnolia Campbellii in flower
Just back from a short break in Cornwall. Unfortunately, the gloomy weather that plagued February continued, and in all days combined, the sun shone for probably less than 20 minutes. White mist and drizzle throughout,any thoughts of early insects quickly vanished.
After spending the first day walking the coast path in fog,and not seeing anything, the next day we visited Trengwainton gardens, near Madron. One of the things I look forward to when visiting at this time of year is seeing the splendid Magnolia Campbellii. This,a tree which can grow to 60 feet, 20M., is native to the Himalayas, and can bloom as early as January in Cornwall. The tree is hardy, but the glorious big pink flowers are killed by frost. This,and that it can take 20 years to flower well,makes it unsuitable for most of us, but this makes these big, old Cornish trees even more magnificent.
Camellias and Rhododendrons were also in flower. In this frost-free environment, tree ferns,dripping with moisture, were a splendid sight.