At this time of year I always wait in anticipation of an old magnolia tree coming into bloom. The tree came with the house, and is situated right outside the back living room and bedroom windows. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m sure by now others would have chopped it down, for it does block out a lot of natural light - but on hot summer days I relish the shade it provides, and the living room is a cool sanctuary from the heat of a sweltering day.

This tree is a survivor.

One very early December day, in North Warwickshire, we woke up to a heavy fall of snow. Upon waking my husband was keen to get outside, to start brushing the burden of snow, which had settled on many evergreen shrubs. But not in time for some - we lost a large shrub which had already bent over and snapped at the base under the sheer weight, and a whole hedge had to be pruned right to the ground and started over again.

Then, we heard an almighty loud crack, and despairingly a quarter of our magnolia tree came down with it. For quite a few years we just had this huge gaping hole in the centre of the tree, but we persevered and nurtured it, pruning a little each season. Thirty plus years later it is still with us, though it is much older than that.