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Port Wine Magnolias as screening

Hi Guys

Am planning a garden bed along the front of my front yard. It faces Nth East and is very sunny. I love port wine magnolias and am thinking they'd make a good screening plant? Anyone have any bad experiences or knowledge of why they may not suit?

Very interested in your thoughts 🙂

Thanks

Sue

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Jason

Welcome to Workshop Sue (@suequarford). We're pleased you could join us and trust that you'll receive lots of helpful advice and inspiration for your projects around the home and garden from our ever-helpful and knowledgeable members. Please feel free to post whenever you need a hand or have a project to share.

Can you please let us know where you are based? I'm sure it will help other members determine whether the plant is appropriate for you and provide more specific advice. And do you know what kind of soil you have?

I know that resident Workshop horticulturalist and D.I.Y. expert @Adam_W wrote a couple of plant guides on magnolias for Bunnings so I'm sure he will be happy to kick off the discussion when he can.

Thanks again,

Jason

Adam_W

Hey @suequarford & welcome, welcome, welcome!
Port wine magnolias (Michelia or Magnolia figo) are one of my all-time favourite plants.
Use them as shrubs, hedges, large topiary or small feature trees they are just excellent & super hardy.
They'll survive in most positions & conditions but do best in a sunny sort of spot with good soil.
They won't take well to cold conditions though so if you get regular frosts they may not be the ideal choice. Some say not to plant them if temperatures drop below 0˚ but I have had them in gardens that do get light frost & haven't had any issues.
They make an excellent screen or hedge, very dense, but the trick is pruning – tip-prune early and often to keep them nice and bushy.
Although they prefer good sun you'll find they do quite well in part-sun or even lightly shady spots too but will need more pruning to keep them dense.

suequarford

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/5588#Comment_5588

Thanks Guys 🙂

I am based on the NSW South Coast (Mollymook). Our soil is very dense with clay but I will be mixing the garden bed with some new soil and compost mix.
My front yard faces North East and gets very hot in summer, cold in winter but not too cold (wouldn't get below about 7 or 8 degrees). I just love port wine magnolias so was hoping this would be a suitable situation for some. My yard is pretty much a blank canvas so very exciting about incorporating all my fave plants!

Thanks for the tips
Sue

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/64913#Comment_64913

Great, thanks for the extra detail, Sue. Let me tag another of our expert members in @Noelle in case she has anything to add to Adam's excellent reply.

Jason

Noelle

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/95140#Comment_95140

Hi @suequarford

Completely agree with @Adam_W re his thoughts on your wish for a Port Wine Magnolia hedge. The tip pruning as he suggested is very important to get and keep the plants in check so they bush up rather than head for the sky! Your location should be OK frost-wise being coastal but the trees might need some wind protection (hot and cold) until they're established. Good luck - and keep us posted!

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/114101#Comment_114101

Thanks for sharing your expert advice @Noelle, very much appreciated. I'm sure Sue and other members who read this discussion are very thankful.

You might also have something to add to this post today about improving soil - https://www.workshop.com.au/t5/Garden/Should-I-add-clay-to-a-shale-yard/td-p/26453

Jason

suequarford

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/114101#Comment_114101

Thanks so much @Noelle . Yes, it does get a bit windy down here. Anyway I'll give it a good crack and post some photos once I have some to share.

Thanks all, great advice.

Sue

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/124735#Comment_124735

Hi @suequarford,

Just checking in to see how you were going with your new front yard garden bed. Have you made any progress yet?

Please let us know if you need a hand with anything. We are looking forward to seeing progress pics if you can share some.

Jason

suequarford

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/131908#Comment_131908

Hi Jason

Thanks for the post... Was only just thinking the other day I must post some pictures 🙂 We've only just finished, but I ended up planting a Port Wine Magnolia at each end with Camelia Sesanquas in between. We have so many beautiful examples of the Sesanquas used for hedging down this way I thought I'd to that but still incorporate some Port Wines. Now I can just sit back and enjoy watering them watching them grow 🙂

Cheers

Sue

Garden bed.jpg

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/136260#Comment_136260

Fantastic result @suequarford. Many thanks for sharing the photo - I'm sure your work will inspire others and we look forward to watching them grow.

Jason

boatbloke

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/139219#Comment_139219

Nice post and I reckon the new hedgeline will look great in a year or so.

I have a more established line of Magnolias along my front (north side) fence on Sydney's Northern Beaches (not right on the coast).

Unfortunately, I hadn't picked up the advice about regular tip pruning to get bushiness. The result is that we now have 2.5m high and a bit sparse around the lower branches.

Is there any way to encourage growth lower down? Or should I just get an underplanting in there of something new?

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/141225#Comment_141225

Welcome to the community @boatbloke and many thanks for joining in the discussion.

Let me tag @Adam_W and @Noelle for you so they can help when they get a chance.

Please feel free to post anytime you need a hand with something around the house or garden. We look forward to reading more about your projects and plans.

Thanks again,

Jason

Noelle

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/141225#Comment_141225

Hi @boatbloke

You can tip prune the top growth to encourage side growth lower down to fill the plants out, but it may take a couple of years to achieve the look you're after. Magnolias have a tendency to produce strong upright shoots if pruned too severely, so don't go in hard.

Take out the top 30cm or so of the main upright shoots now, and then next winter repeat that pruning technique to force the trees to produce more side shoots next spring. You might not be able to get them to fill out right down low but they will certainly look better for the effort you put in.

Regular tip pruning through the growing season is best - nipping off just the growing tips.

boatbloke

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/142732#Comment_142732

Hi Noelle,
thank you for this advice,
Coincidentally, we were planning to have a go at the top of the plants this weekend, so I will be careful to not go too heavy handed.
and then keep the tip truning going through the summer,
We have a great bunch of flowers at present - shows that feeding in winter/spring was a good idea 🙂

suequarford

Hi All,

Just thought I'd post an update on how all this is looking :). Port Wine Magnolias are going really well and growing faster than I expected. Camellia Sasanquas are also thriving!

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/12533#Comment_12533

Looking fantastic @suequarford. Many thanks for the update.

Jason

mich1972

I love it when our Port Wine Magnolia is in flower @suequarford . I always open the window and front door to let the heavy fragrance of PK Chewing Gum waft into the house 🤣😍

suequarford

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/12538#Comment_12538

Yes, their fragrance is one of my favourites and a big part of my choice for planting them 😍.

StevieB

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/68764#Comment_68764

Hi @suequarford,

How are your Port Wine Magnolias going? It would be wonderful to see another update.

Stevie

suequarford

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/98607#Comment_98607

Hi Stevie

Thanks for being interested. They are going so well and are currently giving beautiful fragrance across the whole yard 🥰.

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/116065#Comment_116065

Hello @suequarford

Thank you so much for the update. Your Port Wine Magnolias look healthy, strong and I'm sure are very fragrant. Let me tag @Stevie to make her aware of your updated photos. Do you have any new garden plans lined up? Perhaps new plants coming into the garden?

Again, thank you for the update, we look forward to seeing your next project.

Eric

StevieB

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/116065#Comment_116065

Lovely. It looks like your front yard is thriving.

Thanks for sharing an update @suequarford.

Stevie

suequarford

Hi All,

Here is an update of how it's all going.. Port Wine Magnolias each end with Camelia Sasanquas in the middle for hedging. They've been in a couple of years now and are doing fantastically, particularly the Port Wine Magnolias

Akanksha

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/22722#Comment_22722

Hello @suequarford,

Many thanks for sharing that update. Glad to know your plants are doing well, especially those Port Wine Magnolias. They look beautiful and healthy.

You've done an amazing job taking care of those screening plants. Any tips or tricks you've learnt along the way on how to ensure they stay healthy?

For followers of this discussion who may be interested in growing their own screening plants, I also recommend checking out gardening expert @Adam_W's guide on How to choose a screening plant for useful advice.

Thanks

Akanksha

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/22722#Comment_22722

Hi @suequarford

Thank you so much for posting those photo updates. Those Port Wine Magnolias look absolutely gorgeous and the rest of your plants look very healthy. It's amazing how quickly they grew, give it a few more years and that will become a solid wall of plants.

We look forward to seeing your next update.

Eric

suequarford

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/74042#Comment_74042

Hi Akanksha,

I give the plants cow manure and fertilizer twice a year, and re-mulch when it breaks down. I also water the garden regularly but haven't needed to do that with all the rain we are getting!

Cheers,

Sue

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