wrote in message
...
Greetings Urglers. I've just climbed over the fence from the shedde to ask
if anyone recognises this:
http://i60.tinypic.com/5d1yo.jpg
http://i58.tinypic.com/2sax9cj.jpg



It's a tree at Webbington Hotel in the Mendips, a former Edwardian house
come venu. The tree is huge, and rooted in a sunken courtyard suggesting it
was planted in a deliberately sheltered spot. The present terrace has been
built around this little courtyard.

As well as the fruit photographed there were some dense conical floral
spikes, a yellowy white in colour, looking like unopened magnolia blooms,
most of them brown and discoloured as though frosted.

My picture of the flower spikes failed, this is similar but the ones at the
Webbington had a green covering up to the waist line, the same colour as the
leaves:
http://i61.tinypic.com/x1h72f.jpg

My gut rection is that it is a massive magnolia, and the edwardian planting
date would not be unreasonable. But I thought I would ask the experts.


On the hotel's web site it can be seen in the banner, to the right of the
four gables, and in a photo of the terrace, overhanging the terrace with
some umbrellas in the foreground (http://www.webbingtonhotelandspa.co.uk/ )

Not an expert but I have one and it looks like Magnolia grandifolia, an
evergreen sort, there are various named forms like 'Exmouth' which is why
the flowers are not exactly the same as other trees you may have seen.
Introduced to the UK in 1734 from SE USA

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk