A massive congratulations goes to NZPPI member Vance Hooper of Magnolia Grove, whose cultivar 'Genie' has been selected for His Majesty the King’s Coronation Collection.
King Charles III is a very keen gardener and so a collection of 25 selected plants will be presented to his Majesty to mark his coronation. Three of these are New Zealand-bred Magnolias, including ‘Genie’.
The other two cultivar selected were 'Starwars' by the late Os Blumhardt of Whangarei, and 'Felix Jury' bred by Mark Jury of Tikorangi, New Plymouth.
The gift is from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), specifically from the Rhododendron, Camellia and Magnolia Group of which the King has been the royal patron since 2018. Reportedly, he was delighted to receive the plants and they are destined for his Sandringham estate, which is undergoing a major rejuvenation under his personal direction.
The decision to include the three magnolias that have been bred in Aotearoa New Zealand recognises the outstanding work our breeders are doing in international magnolias.
Magnolia Grove is owned by Vance and his wife Kathryn. The stunning 8000 square metre garden is a highlight of the annual Centuria Taranaki Garden Festival. Vance was interviewed at length by Stuff just prior to the 2022 festival about his love of magnolias and breeding.