the magnolia in the park

the saucer magnolia tree in flower is one of the highlights of spring here in town. the tree is near the entrance of Fredriksvern Verft which is a park that was a naval base in the days of wooden ships. this particular tree is famous and its historical setting is one of the many reasons folks flock to the park.

the large tulip-like individual flowers don't last long especially in warm weather but they don't all bloom at the same time. while some flowers are in full bloom earlier ones have already lost their petals and the latest ones with less direct sun won't bloom for another couple of weeks

the longer the cool weather lasts the longer we can enjoy this wonderful spring treat, both romantic and exotic.

i took this series of photos with my S22 phone on a foggy morning a few days ago. in full sun it is hard to avoid overexposing the bright reflective white petals. while the lighting was good it was windy and the flowers were rarely still. so getting a sharp focus in the low light was a challenge. i settled for a soft focus, being flowers and all it works for me

whether still in bud, full bloom or losing its petals each of these stages has it's charm and beauty

the leaves will open later making the bare, sharp twisting branches a perfect complement to the flowers, especially with the old stucco wall as a backdrop