Camellia season is here!

​Winter is my least favorite season, but Camellias make it so bearable. When I lived in the south, these gorgeous subtropical shrubs would bloom through the whole winter, but up here the Japonicas usually wait until March. I have 7 cultivars of camellia in my garden, but the first to bloom might be my favorite. 

This is RL Wheeler. It has huge, 3-4” wide variegated blooms. It’s a relatively fast grower but can grow well in pots. 

I got mine deeply discounted in South Carolina 3 years ago and it’s been in a pot ever since. By the way, camellias are usually pretty expensive but you can find great deals at the end of Autumn when nurseries are clearing their inventory or in the spring after they are finished blooming. 

Eventually, I’ll put these camellias in the ground, but I love that planters give me the opportunity to move these around. Camellias are unbelievable when they’re in bloom but fade into the background the rest of the year. It’s nice to be able to move these plants into view during the spring and then push them aside during the summer so other plants can shine. 

These are a few others growing in my garden. 

Ashtion's High Rise is new this year for me & I'm really enjoying it! 

My least favorite so far has been Spring's Promise. The flowers are really small and it's not as strong of a performer as my other camellias. 

Unfortunately, the landscapers destroyed the blooms on my Arctic Rose and Kramers Supreme. They are usually great performers for me and hopefully, they will be more careful this season. Never prune a camellia in autumn. I wasn't home when the disaster struck!