Don’t you love magnolias? My aunt had a wonderful one we used to climb; year round they make good climbing trees but to climb them in bloom is to love them forever. Every year I photograph them. The fragrance is so subtle and delicious. The profile of each bloom is unique and slightly melancholy. And the velvety softness of the petals between your fingers is both succulent and tender, with delicate color only on one side.

But the petals underfoot can be quite slippery so watch out! Some people complain because they are so messy to own, but I say to every magnolia owner out there: thank you, I think it is all totally worth it! I caught the buds after a downpour so they are dripping wet, and then I photographed the blossoms on a day unusually hot for April — in the 90’s — so their glory this year was all too ephemeral. That was only two days ago, and now they are all brown and shriveled, a stage I chose not to record. So aside from dipping onto this blog page, we’ll have to wait again another year to enjoy this unique celebration of spring. I hope you revel in these photos and are as awestruck by their magnificent blooms as I continue to be.