Re: What to plant beneath camellias

Hi Nan,
My experience with camellias parallels that of Moira and comes from gardening in San Clemente clay, I think closer to you than other advisors. The roots of very mature plants were indeed mat-like and close to the surface, but I did cover them with a layer of composted mulch, about 1" to 2". When a Pasadena gardener suggested they like baby tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) as a mulch, I planted that under the camellia skirts. It was very successful, being on the north side of the house, and I'll wager the combination is still there.
A beautiful underplanting I saw in that same Pasadena garden was limelight helichrysum (H. petiolare) all along the front of the camellia row. The lime color contrasted beautifully with the dark camellia leaves and set off blooms which were shades of pink and white. 

Hope this helps.


On Jan 18, 2007, at 10:19 PM, N Sterman wrote:
A friend has a row of camellias that have lost their skirts - their lower 2-3' of trunks are completely bare She'd like to plant something beneath them but what? I am not sure there is enough room around the roots, I'll be exploring that tomorrow, but if there is, what can I tuck in there other than ferns? She lives on a bluff just over the beach so the temperature is mild, even in full sun, and the air is humid.
If there is no room around the roots, can I put any soil over the roots? Or will that suffocate them? 

Thanks!

Nan
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