‘Elizabeth’ (Magnolia x ‘Elizabeth’) is a glorious magnolia, tall and floriferous with pale yellow blooms. Could it possibly be improved? Of course yes, if only the flowers were the same brilliant yellow as the breaking buds (below).

‘Elizabeth’ is the most prominent tree in the front garden at the moment with many thousands of yellow buds that are bursting open on a substantial tree at least thirty feet in height. Fortunately, buds were tight and undamaged by two recent nights in the low twenties (Fahrenheit), but ‘Jane’ (below) magnolia was not so lucky.

‘Jane’ greets every journey up and down the driveway, so freeze damaged buds are often seen. Many flower buds were nearly opened going into the freezing nights, with damage preventing the flowers from opening fully. From a distance, all looks fine and colorful, and there are some undamaged blooms, but the same as with ‘Merrill’ and ‘Royal Star’, the damaged flowers quickly turn brown, look horrible, and then fall, soon to be replaced by healthy leaves.