A magnificent star magnolia tree grows on Main Street. The past two seasons, it has suffered spring frosts that have nipped its delicate blooms in the bud—literally. Mercifully, this spring has been frost-free, but cold nonetheless—refrigerator cold, not freezer cold—and the tree still struggled to flower. These photos of its new blooms are my paean to one of nature’s great glories.

This is also a reminder that we needn't travel to far-away, exotic lands to find good subjects. They are all around us.