Camellias

Tim:
When my husband and I moved into our current property 7 or 8 years ago, we had to completely rip out and re-do the landscaping.  One of the few things we kept were 4 mature camellias, which had survived despite having their root zone covered with thick black plastic and 1-2 inch rock, mostly because they had been situated properly.  They are now all between 8-12 feet tall, and provide the entrance to the house with lush green foliage all year, and the most amazing display of flowers beginning very soon!  I couldn't say for sure what varieties I have, but there is one reticulata, I think, that looks like the pictures of "Curtain Call", one candy stripe that I most certainly would not have planted myself, but tolerate nonetheless, and two beautiful pinks - my largest hardiest one is a shell pink that sometimes throws in a few flowers that look triple or quadrupled.  Having not been ruined by a grandmother with a penchant, I LOVE  camellias, and find them beautiful when placed and pruned properly.  I DON'T like them in little soldierly rows cut into tuffets for Miss Muffet, as my cross-the-street neighbor has chosen to do.  I see what you mean about some of the flowers looking like artist's creations, rather than nature's, but there are so many beautiful ones to choose from, I am sure there is something that would suit your late winter/ early spring garden!  Just make sure the site is right, and don't mulch too much, unless it is really clean mulch and you can keep it picked up from the dead flowers, as I have had to fight little bouts of phytophthera (sp?), when I was overzealous with the bark.  Apparently when they are done blooming, they don't want too much water.
 
Good luck,
Karrie Reid
Folsom Foothill Gardener
Zone 9
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index