Re: What kind of cactus in 3rd pic/What type of Southern Mag?
The cactus is an Opuntia lindhemeri that I got at the CT cactus show and sale, from a guy who had been growing it for years in central New Jersey. I've tried pads out in the open and they rot; however, protected by the wall/eaves of the house the pads I planted have exploded in growth and I had to prune them already. The awesome thing about it is that they are LARGE and don't shrivel up in winter. Coastal CT is right up its hardiness limits though.
The magnolia is a 'edith bogue' I got from twombly nursery in Monroe, CT. It got some mechanical damage last winter from snow load, but this year it exploded and doubled in size. It is my favorite tree, by far.