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Magnolia in bloom

The annual Magnolia in bloom is at its peak in the grounds of St Mary’s Bletchley.  The  2021 display is wonderful and has moved from a bundle of buds to a full display of flowers in only a couple of days due to warm weather.


The Magnolia tree is positioned next to the church and is often used by children as a climbing frame on their way in and out of the church.  With Covid putting a stop to congregational worship this has not happened this year and we have the tree standing on its own to show the community that spring has arrived, coincidentally with Easter and the promise of renewal that this time of year brings.


The photographs below were taken over four days, from tight buds to full flowering of hundreds of individual flower heads. The display was past its best by day five, and the ground will be covered with soft petals only too quickly.   The camera used was Lumix S1R with 14-24mm, 24-70mm, and 70-200mmm lenses.


Why take photographs of this beautiful tree?


  • It flowers for a limited time. This encourages me to appreciate what I have and to have confidence in the future.
  • Magnolia blooms early in Spring and is a wonderful indicator of hope and better things to come.
  • The quantity of buds that develop into flowers is bountiful and abundant.  This is a measure of God’s love for me.
  • Capturing the beauty of a Magnolia in full bloom as a photograph is incredibly challenging. By attempting to capture this miracle of creation is an act of worship in-itself because I know perfection exists and I need to keep trying to make that manifest.
  • The scene is ever-changing, just like life and is worth capturing. 
 
This lovely poem by Richard Fletcher sums up what I want to say.

The magnolia tree

There is a large Magnolia Tree in St Mary’s yard
It is so magnificent to beat it would be hard.
The blossom in the springtime takes my breath away And I am so spellbound I don’t know what to say.
Sparkling in the sunshine it is a wondrous sight
And in the early morning it seems to glow with light.
The blossom does not last for long but while it is around
You marvel at creation and it’s beauties, which abound.
When the blooms have faded, it’s branches still spread wide
And all St Mary’s children climb in it to hide.
They have for generations and each succeeding year
New children find adventure, for they have naught to fear.
Thus we see God’s playground with the tree His climbing frame
And you can feel God laughing and joining in the game!
I thank God for His bounty and the good things that I see
And high among my favourites is that old Magnolia Tree
 
Richard Fletcher.
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Magnolia in bloom Comments and questions