Dear frannyflowers 7b Marietta GA,
Are you talking about japonicas, sasanquas, or hybrids? If the fall-blooming sasanquas are what you're looking for, you'll find that almost all cultivars are fragrant. However, very few japonicas are fragrant. _Camellia japonica_ 'Kramer's Supreme,' which is readily available in the nursery trade, is supposed to be sometimes fragrant, depending on various factors, including soil, exposure, air temperature, etc. The same is true of _Camellia japonica_ 'Herme,' and its numerous sports. A third is _Camellia japonica_ 'Scented Treasure.' If you Google "fragrant camellia cultivars" or "fragrant camellia varieties," you may come up with a list. The Nuccio's Nursery Catalog (2011) has a list of the fragrant camellias they have for mail-order.

I find that the scented camellias are only "stick your nose in it" scented to me. I don't get a whiff just walking by...

That said, this is a timely post as I was going to ask about camellias that tend to be frost resistant in Spring. Most of mine are currently Sasanqua. I need some Japonica that tend not to get frost bitten or shaggedy looking when fried by frost.

Dear ggg 8 ATL,
A couple of my personal favorites are _Camellia japonica_ 'Lady Clare' and _Camellia japonica_ 'Governor Mouton.' These are antique varieties that are still readily available in the nursery trade. Both are excellent landscape camellias--tried and true. 'Lady Clare' has a long blooming season--November till March or April. It has huge dark pink semi-double blossoms with prominent yellow stamens. It is a fast growing plant, with dark green foliage and pendulous branches. It was introduced to Western horticulture in the late 1880's by the famed Caledonia Nursery in the Channel Islands. 'Governor Mouton' is an Oriental red, loosely double camellia, marbled with white splotches. For me, it blooms profusely in February and March. It is one of my favorite camellias not only because of its beauty but also because it is the first japonica I grew successfully as a plant-mad teenager.

As you are, no doubt, aware, there are thousands of named and registered camellia varieties, many of which are well-suited to garden use in our climate zone. Take a look at the Camellia Forest Nursery's Website (www.camforest.com) for excellent information on the cold-hardy cultivars they have available for mail-order. David Parks runs this Chapel Hill nursery, and his father Dr. Clifford Parks is a world renowned authority on camellias. Dr. Parks has worked extensively to develop cold-hardy landscape camellias, many of which are offered for sale by Camellia Forest. Camellia Forest also offers many of the Ackerman camellia hybrids that have been bred especially as cold-tolerant landscape plants.

'Berenice Boddy' is another highly reliable _Camellia japonica_ cultivar that's commonly available in the local nursery trade. It's a light pink semi-double that blooms in February for me. It can stand the cold. It sets a lot of seeds, and you will have camellia seedlings surrounding the mother plant. (Oh, horrors! esh-ga will be thinking, "Invasive! Invasive!"

Thanks so much for the suggestions!

I am a newbie to camellia growing - actually this will be my first. Can anyone recommend tricks to growing them here in the ATL, GA soil? thank you