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The three-inch cream coloured blossoms of the Magnolia virginiana 'Jim Wilson' Moonglow are blooming! These typically bloom late spring and throughout the summer.  None were spotted this spring and it was thought that the tree might require another year before putting on a show.  But just last week, the tree showed us a few flowers and with a little more searching, it was found to have a lot more buds waiting to flower.  This particular Magnolia was chosen for the garden because it closely resembles a flower reconstructed from fossil records and DNA detective work (reported in The Smithsonian Magazine, Aug 2, 2017).

Mesozoic Garden Update: 95% of the plants have been put in the ground and as the temperatures drop in the fall, the remaining 5% will be planted.  These include a Moss display in a pot, on a boulder and on a log and some Sword Ferns to fill out the empty spaces.  Irrigation is installed and functioning, and the bark mulch laid down a few weeks ago has given the garden a tidy appearance and a beautiful smell of the forest.  The dinosaur footprints will be repainted in brighter colors during August and later this fall the informational sign for the footprints and the plants will be installed.  Small plant identification signs should be in place by the end of August.  Stay tuned for the announcement of an open house in September.