Those camellias are beautiful, John. I was at a garden center yesterday and they must have had a hundred of them in bloom. Alas, it started pouring down rain right as I was approaching them. Now I don't let a little rain stop my garden shopping, but this was unreal - a real spring downpour in December! (Some areas around here got 8-12" - just amazing!) I am going to go back and check them out... We were talking about camellias being able to take more sun than given credit for today at garden club. I planted two last year that received sun until 3 p.m. (plus heat from brick house) and they came through our drought and heat wave just fine. I now think I am ready to try some more. (If I can find garden space...) Thank you for sharing, John. I always look forward to viewing your photos. ~ Suzie

Suzie:

I always think I'm running out of space, too--and then I find just a bit more for one more plant, and another, and another, . . .

I have planted some of my more finicky camellias under deciduous trees, so they're shaded in summer and "come out" from fall to spring. It seems to make them happy.

I'll post more photos as more camellias start blooming. WIth luck, different varieties will be blooming all winter long and through spring, until at least mid-June.

What I really like is that the early camellias bloom with the last roses of the old year, and the late camellias bloom with the first roses of the new year.

John,

Do you know which specific varieties you have? They're lovely.

~Lee Anna

Lee Anna:

I have more than 40 different ones. The ones in the photo are "Appleblossom," "Tom Knudsen," and "Cleopatra." Several others are also in bloom right now.

Nice pictures, John. Camellias are what I really look forward to in winter, too. The sasanquas are coming to an end soon, but the Japonicas are starting to really light up the garden.

And I am thinking about what I could take out in a narrow strip in the side yard to squeeze in a few more camellias.

Those are gorgeous, John. Are they heavily scented?

About the only things that bloom here in the southern New England winter are pansies, hellebores and witchhazel.

Cady:
None of the ones blooming right now are heavily scented, but some scented ones will bloom later this winter.

I'm so glad that I saw this photo John.
Just this morning I was thinking what am I going to plant under the canopy of some deciduous trees on the side of my tiny yard.
Camellias make perfect sense for the seasonal sun / shade pattern change and will really brighten up the winter landscape outside of my living room window.
Thanks for stirring my brain cells !

Mich:
I saw some camellias in bloom last week as I passed through Marin (I spent the night in Sausalito), and they looked great (despite that horrid rain!).

This fall I was lucky enough to acquire a camelia that is supposed to be hardy in this zone, 6b. So far, I have lovely pink blooms, what a pleasure! And, of course, the evergreen foliage adds to the winter landscape.
I'd love to know more about their cold-hardiness. Thanks.

This fall I was lucky enough to acquire a camelia that is supposed to be hardy in this zone, 6b. So far, I have lovely pink blooms, what a pleasure! And, of course, the evergreen foliage adds to the winter landscape.
I'd love to know more about their cold-hardiness. Thanks.

Lavra:
To learn more about their winter hardiness, click on the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: ICS

lavra: What variety of camellia do you have? I had a small camellia that I ordered through the mail, it made it through two winters and died last winter when we had a warm November and a sudden drop in temperature in December. Never had any blooms. I had it on east side of my house. Where is yours? Thanks.

Thanks for sharing the beautiful Camellias, John. What is your favorite Camellia/Camellias? Do you have a favorite scented one? I only have three, two 20' c. japonica and one c. Sasanqua, which isn't blooming this year.
Yeona

Yeona:

That's a tough one. I have so may "favorite" ones. They're all different. . . . .

My favorite scented camellia, on the other hand is easy: "Scentsation." It has a rich, truly glorious scent!