I plant all my shrubs, both roses and camellias 5 to 6 feet from the foundation. You need air to circulate around each bush and your house.

Rian: Thanks for the infomation and it makes me feel a little relived. Our house has brick wall.

Actually the two winter's star camellias we bought are espaliered plants with support in a flat form. We planted these two side by side 6 feet apart, 2 feet from the side wall. They do have more space but I don't want to move them too far away since that won't look too good.

The other 2 plants planting close to the wall are bonanza and april's kiss. We are going to move them as much as possible.

My husband already grined when I told him he would have to move the plants a little. I tried to convince him this is good for HIS house:)

It's much easier to move the bushes when they are babies than when they grow up! Been there, done that! Plus there is always the risk that a transplanted bush might not recover.

Espaliered plants should be O.K. two feet from the wall, as long as you can get back in there to take care of your home, and also have good air circulation for both your home and the plant. If you're not real sure, now is the time to make the changes. I have some climbing roses 2 and 1/2 feet from my stucco home, on trellises, and as long as I keep them trimmed back behind there, all is well.

You'll love your camellias, and soon, when you are gazing at their beauty, you'll know all the hard work has been well worth the effort.

Sandy

Sandy: Thanks for the reply. I really love these camellias and that is why I rushed to buy 10 of them. Still figuring where to put the rest 4. I think I'll let me stand beneath some pine trees for the shade.

I will leave the 2 espaliered camellias where they are and keep in mind that we need to prune them to keep in place. Will moved one of the other 2 out from the wall and put it another place.

By the way, the winters' stars are very fragrant. I never knew that camellias are fragrant.

Happy thanks giving day.

Changsong

Thank you Changsong. You have a wonderful Thanksgiving also!

I have 6 new Camellias that I "sort of" know where I want to put them, but am having trouble with a final decision. I am a big antique rose fan, but I love camellias just as much. I treated myself to these for my birthday. One of them is fragrant, but it is a strange mixture of mold and honeysuckle! I think the name of it is Calliope. I'll check out Winters' Stars.

I would like to train a camellia on a trellis that doesn't get enough sun for a rose, but might be just the right amount for a camellia. I have lots to learn, as I don't know how to train one that way yet.

It is good you moved the camellias that needed moving. I think you'll be glad that you did. A camellia nursery in Florida told me that the wind should be able to move through them and around them, and that birds should be wanting to nest in them.

Sandy

Also, if you need to have work done on the house, you don't want the brittle branches broken by the people doing the work. One of my neighbors had painters splash white paint over his plants. They keep their leaves a few years so...... it takes a while for the plants to look good again after they get abused by workers who are gone in a few days.