Camellias

The Camellias are in flower, just as they were twenty eight years ago when we became custodians of this garden.

They are two unknown varieties, long intertwined into each other forming one large shrub. They were large established plants when we first arrived. I'm guessing they are over 50 years old. 

Camellias were first introduced into Western Europe in the early eighteenth century; they were first thought to be tender plants, grown under glass. But they are tough as old boots, withstanding the harshest conditions our winters might throw at them. They are the aristocrats of flowering shrubs and come in a variety of flowering colours, their only weakness is that none of the varieties are scented. 

But that hardly matters. Their glossy verdant leaves create a welcome shape and form during our cold bleak winters. 

They are also a good indication of soil pH, as Camellias (as well as azaleas and Rhododendrons) thrive in acid or slightly acid soils; although the best and most reliable indicator of soil pH is to buy a soil testing kit. 

So, if you are planning a garden, or just looking for a shrub to fill a space, you can do no worse than choose a Camellia. 

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