Every place my Dad lied in he planted a magnolia. When eventually, and somewhat reluctantly, he agreed that, aged 84, his macular degeneration had reach a point that he couldn’t cope safely on his own, he moved to a nursing home near Bristol. We asked permission from the owners to plant a magnolia on their lawn. He died in 2001 and as he hadn’t specified what he would like done with his ashes, I his youngest child and only daughter, bought a magnolia and put his ashes into the earth. I moved house last summer – now thinking with a wry smile on my face – what would the new owners make of our unmarked but treasured spot?
