I waited until 5pm to get this photo. The sun sets low enough to just start to hit the Magnolia blossom.
“What a strange thing!
to be alive
beneath cherry blossoms.”
– Kobayashi Issa,
OK, these are photos of Magnolia blossom not Apple blossom. But, I don’t think the the spirit of Haiku is to be too pedantic.
I like the way the Magnolia blossom cascades onto the High Street. For the purposes of photography, I wait for the High Street to be quiet, but usually there’s a hundred buses thundering along. I suppose you can’t have a glimpse of Heaven in this world – without a backdrop of a pollution, noise and advertising for the latest James Bond film.
This is a feast for the eyes. When taking the photo you have the imposing building of the Bodleian and Hertford College on your left and right hand side.
The Hawksmoor Towers peaking through a gap.
Magnolia Blossom
Magnolia is an ancient genus of shrub. It is theorised they flowered early to attract beetles for pollination. The first Magnolia’s appeared before bees, hence the need to attract beetles. This explains why the petals of Magnolia are quite tough and rubbery. From a distance, they look quite delicate but on closer inspection they are quite thick.
Magnolia Blossom is not hardy and so can be ruined by a late frost.
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