Looks like that could be it Allison

Karen

A purple Magnolia that I do not know the name of!
Any ideas?

Neil.

That's a beauty Neil. You might want to start a new thread for this lovely tree. That way it will be noticed and more help will arrive to ID it.

And show us the whole plant, too, Neil. Sometimes the flower alone isn't enough.

At first (purple) blush, I'd lean toward 'Leonard Messel' - but the flowers don't seem to flop enough.

Dear John, it was not windy enough for the flowers to flop! I do live in England and there was a fence in the way!
Any idea on this Berberis as it got me with a thorn, as they normally do! They are great for protection for intruders as they have a calthrop thorn device on them! Stops most things!
Regards from across the Atlantic.
Neil.

How about Magnolia lilifolia or one of it's cultivars?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M...

http://www.floridata.com/ref/m...

Perhaps you could ask Dave to split your posts off Neil, it's lost here.

Magnolia Susan is most likely, I have it. The petals are usually paler inside but the shape and outer colour is spot on, your photos are taken from underneath so the insides can't really be seen. The other similar widely sold one is Magnolia liliflora Nigra but that has a more purple outer.

Magnolia 'Susan'

A pic I took in 2009 from underneath ..



Berberis darwinii is the other, one I bought but it died.

Dear Janet, thank you so much!
The Berberis i thought was that, but was not sure as there are many cultivars!
Regards.
Neil.