What is the best time of year to plant a magnolia tree in an English garden?

I live in Sussex on the South Coast of England and we get mild winters with little frost

What is the best time of year to plant a magnolia tree in an English garden?
You can plant Magnolia at any time of the year especially where you live. The most important thing for you is to check your soil. Make sure it is acid. If not then forget it. These plants are too expensive to take a chance with.


Hope this helps you.
Reply:Any time of year if it has been pot growen, otherwise plant between November and March
Reply:The best time would be now (Autumn). There are many types of Magnolia. If space is limited the white Magnolia Stellata is a good choice because it does not grow to big!





I have this one in my front garden and in the back garden one called Leonard Meissel which has pink flowers and it has grown far too big for the space!





Also, if you plant your magnolia and it grows too big, they do not move well even if you dig them up and move them in the autumn and replant and they do not flourish on being pruned.





Anyway, best of luck. They are very beautiful but just bear in the mind the size that some species grow to!
Reply:There is a good selection on here, you can certainly choose a smaller variety if your garden is not huge. It looks like the best time to plant is spring but from experience, if you plant one now it should be fine, as long as the roots aren`t disturbed. They don`t like to be messed about with once they are in place so make sure the spot you have chosen is the right place.





http://www.gardenersworld.com/plant-deta...
Reply:Lolly9's advice is pretty spot on. Some Magnolias seem to prefer soil that is on the acid side (you can check you pH with a little kit from a garden centre for a pound or so), but others like the Stellata can be grown reasonably happily on chalky soil.





Now is a good time to plant, as the soil is still warm and it is likely to get watered over the coming months. If you're garden is exposed to high winds then your Magnolia could be prone to scorch, but other than that they're not really that fussy. Watch out for grandiflora as the blooms can scorch if caught by frost and sun in the mornings.





I'd plant it in an area cleared of turf and when planting dig in plenty or compost and then mulch the surface with a few inches of well rotted compost or well rotted bark. They like humus rich soil and this is more important than the pH for most varieties.





If you are on chalk I'd stick to Stellata or try Liliiflora as these are little less fussy and are also more compact. The Soulangeanas are a lot bigger, but could be worth a try if you want a tree sized plant.





Anyway I hope that helps. With a little careful selection and planting you should have a plant that will bring you years of pleasure. I grow both Liliiflora, which flowers all year and the Stellata and I live in the South East too. Is there any better place to live!