Camellias
A GARDEN VISIT
Yesterday I visited with Margaret Moseley. As usual I came home with a list of ‘must have’ plants.
Margaret has been an inspiration for many gardeners. Every season her garden is filled beauty wherever one looks.
Above, a welcoming entrance… the large tree to the right is a Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), straight ahead is a Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume).
Margaret laid those stones when she was in her 70’s!
Below, a seating area beneath a flowering cherry tree (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’) surrounded by azaleas, camellias and underplanted with a variety of textured & fragrant groundcovers… 
Well thought out focal points….
Her philosophy…
Camellias in bloom…. my new plant list…
Some of these Camellias are heirlooms, rare in the trade. While they may be a challenge to locate, don’t give up, they are out there.
One of my personal favorites is Camellia japonica ‘Ava Maria’ (above). When I first saw it in Margret’s garden the hunt to acquire one was on! Her very generous daughter Jane located it for me. It is a gift I treasure, as is Margaret’s friendship.
Note: plant names are visible if cursor is on photo. To read more on Margaret & her garden visit GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY. She is often featured.
TAKING IT EASY
It has been raining, or just plain cold and not pleasant to be working outside right now, so I’m just taking it easy.
That means cuddling with the kitties in front of a fire….
Meet Dahlia, above, she is shy and this is her first appearance on the blog.
Her pillow, a gift from Margaret Moseley, who, like me, has too much garden and too many cats! (Can one ever have enough of either?)
Catching up on reading & researching camellias.
There is always room for one more.
Just have some baking to do…. don’t hate me… this is the first time ever I’m ALMOST prepared!!
A COLOURFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
Autumn is definitely the most colourful time of the year in my garden. Above, fall foliage and camellias.
The dogwoods (Cornus florida) are at their peak with both the foliage and the fruits ablaze.
I just love the way this tree frames the veranda and gives me a marvelous view of the cardinals who fly in to devour the berries.
Elsewhere, the Oakleaf Hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) are in phase 3 of their 4 season show. This native is unsurpassed.
Some views from the veranda…
For more autumn beauty see Boy Fenwick’s photos on the blog Reggie Darling. He has also captured the most incredible sunset. Enjoy!
GARDENING IN THE SOUTH
Perhaps what I appreciate most about gardening in the south is the fact that it is year round.
While many of the deciduous hydrangeas are loosing their foliage, the Arum groundcover is coming into its own and will soon blanket the ground.
Then there are the shrubs that bloom a second time. Above, the Chinese Witchhazel (Lorapetalum chinensis) in its second flowering.
For the rest, far from looking bare the camellia sasanqua are putting on quite a show. From a distance they could be mistaken for cascading roses ….
Close up, just as enchanting with as much diversity in form.
The potager is done with the summer crop and we are now planting garlic (late), seeding lettuce and arugula, planting kale, cabbage and broccoli. Believe it or not the summer peppers are still going strong, I just harvested these….
When the summer wildflowers die down I can see the bee hives…. wish you could taste the honey….
No, we don’t do that, we have a beekeeper in fact the bees are his, we just supply the nectar and then share the honey, good deal!
FALL TOUR
The area of the garden I’m sharing now on this Fall Tour is little seen because it’s incomplete. Not that any garden is ever ‘done’ or completed, however this part is has only ‘bones’ and is waiting for me to flesh out the details. Till now it did not seem too pressing because all the important plants were tiny (1 gal.) but over the years they have matured. So its time has come. 
This green space above, divides the grapes and berries on the right from the vegetables on the left. (My husband’s Vegetable Garden is MY POTAGER)
This feature, four upright exclamation points, is one I repeat in different garden rooms (with different plants) throughout the garden. Here, Eastern Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) ‘Degroot’s Spire’ marks the intersection of several foot paths; to the right ( West) is the Rose Walk terminated by the Schiaparelli Bench….. (below)
to the left (east) lies the North Border which runs parallel to the Potager ….
and straight ahead, (south) the Viburnum / Clematis Court.
Looking back, (north) the uprights frame the putti that resides at the end of the Cutting garden…
Going forward (south) through the Viburnum Court, around the bend, Oakleaf Hydrangeas frame the path to the Main Walk and the back of the house. (note the Camellia sasanqua blooming on the right.)
This winter some garden construction is on the agenda.
THE FIRST CAMELLIA
The first camellia to bloom in my garden is Camellia sinensis, the Tea Plant.
No big drumroll for it is not the showiest, but then neither are crocuses, yet we delight to see them.
This plant is my introduction to the Camellia Season, and yes, this is the plant from which tea is made.
Fast on its heels is Camellia sasanqua ‘Sparkling Burgundy’.
Camellias and hydrangeas have the same cultural requirements; below, another good reason to plant them in close proximity.
This was taken in the ‘Circle of Friends’ so you can see this area is really non-stop beautiful throughout the year.
A bit blurry, but you get the idea.
BTW my Camellia sinensis has provenance. It was gifted to me from Penny McHenry but it was a seedling from the garden of Martha Tate.
CLEMATIS, HYDRANGEAS & BURNT SUGAR
Nothing signals the end of summer like Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora) and hydrangeas cut for drying.
The hydrangeas are cut with some ‘old wood’ I find they hold their shape better that way. Later, when I arrange them, I will cut the stem to whatever length required.
Sometimes, when cut on the tender green stems, the flowers tend to curl up. These looks really luscious…
I hope they stay that way.
The fragrance of Sweet Autumn Clematis is one of my favorites; perhaps, because for me, it elicits nostalgia. When I went to cut a few sprigs, I caught the aroma of burnt sugar… Creme Caramel? I sniffed my way to the Katsuratree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum). Typically, when the leaves start to colour to a buttery yellow in fall, it emits a scent some have likened to cinnamon or cotton candy.
Mine, is definitely Creme Brulee!
With the temps consistently in the 90’s since May, I cannot say I am sorry to see this summer wind down. And…
the camellias are already showing their buds. I welcome another gardening season.
I posted about this clematis here, please read it if you plan on planting one.
NATURE’S MASTERPIECES
These are some of nature’s masterpieces. Every bit as beautiful as roses… don’t you think?
REV. JOHN DRAYTON 
MAGNOLIAEFLORA
TAYLOR’S PERFECTION 
WHITE EMPRESS
ROSE DAWN
BETTY SHEFFIELD
The above Camellias all reside in the ‘Circle of Friends.’
Just a thought… there needs to be a larger more interesting focal point there.
CAMELLIA MADNESS
The Camellia Walk is in full flower.
The Helleborus are also at their peak, I love them together, makes for a lush planting…the only kind.
Just about here, I turn around to see………
The daffodils in The Meadow.
Up close & personal……… 
© All photos & text 2011
MEANWHILE, IN THE GARDEN..
On a tour of the garden today, signs of spring …
The Meadow is coming alive..
Soon I’ll post the results of 13 years of rescuing daffs and trying to achieve the ‘English Thing’.
Meanwhile the Winter garden is doing what it is supposed to and is at its peak….The “peak” lasts a few months… Above, Prunus mume & Helleborus, below, a camellia…
Below, evergreen shrubs make this is a very satisfactory garden area.
Notice, below, the variegated Boxwood, the berries on the Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica ‘Alba’) and the groundcover Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’ )…
This is usually the time of year projects get started &/ or continued to be worked on, some, for many seasons. There are so many projects…..
When we started this garden, we did not consider, EVER, declining physical stamina.
© All photos & text 2011
THE WINTER GARDEN
With all the holiday activities over I finally got into the garden. What a relief! It is so quiet and peaceful, in stark contrast to the last weeks. It truly is my sanctuary… just as I planned it.
Gardening in Georgia, one can have a winter garden that BLOOMS. From time to time a hard freeze will turn my magnificent camellia flowers to brown mush….
but in a day or two when it warms, the new buds open and the show begins again.
Even if they did not bloom, their evergreen presence create the ‘bones’. I always start with the winter structure when I design landscapes. Without structure, a collection of plants scattered about without any rhyme or reason, is just….. well, a collection of plants just scattered about! Below,’ BEFORE’ at a client’s.
While I love the warm spells, my hydrangeas (the macrophylla types) are all too anxious to welcome spring and start to break bud. Not a good thing!!
The next frost will damage the flower buds that are already exposed. I’m going to try covering with ‘Remay’ a protective covering , or ‘floating row cover’ used in the nursery trade. Hopefully they will be spared. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
© All photos & text 2011
DRUNK with CAMELLIAS!!
Vita Sackville West wrote of her garden… “I am drunk with roses!”
I, am drunk with Camellias!
blooming on the right …
Camellia japonica ‘Debutante’ 
The Camellia Walk snakes through the shade garden in the form of an inverted ‘S’
Below, it is the Camellia Walk which forms the background for the Mourning Bench.
In the Potager, below, a salad Garden, some collards & cabbages.
In the Cutting Garden, the seeds of the Lilies (Lilium formosanum)are ripe. Please e-mail me if you would like seeds. There were some request after I posted the flowers, HERE.
AND… The Continuing Saga of yet another project….
An improvement since the last time I posted this spot.
I will be away from the computer for a week. Will fill you in when I return.
© All photos & text 2010
WORDLESS WEDNESDAY
Camellia japonica ‘Lady Clare’
© All photos 2010
THE GARDEN UNFOLDS
An overcast and rainy day. Great for the garden, good for photography. In the last post the photo of the entrance to both the Camellia Walk & Circle of Friends was not clear so here are some taken today.
This is where the Camellia Walk begins. a few yards over to the right lies… (keep your eye on the pink flowering camellia)
the walkway that leads to the Circle of Friends. Note that the pink flowering camellia plays a role in both garden rooms.
The east side of The Circle of Friends, punctuated by variegated boxwoods (Buxus sempervirens ‘variegata’). This space is actually oval in shape. All the plants in this little garden were gifted to me or were cuttings from the gardens of friends, hence the name. It is encircled by camellias (as background structure) and hydrangeas.
On the west side, the structure of camellias is the back side of the Camellia Walk. Like most areas in the garden it is unfinished however, what I plan can be found here.
Leaving this area and following the path we intersect with the Camellia Walk . (it curves round)
This is marked by the interesting texture of four upright Japanese Plum Yews (Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’) and underplanted with variegated Japanese Sedge (Carex morrowii); the idea being to tie in the variegation and create an ‘Elizabethan Collar” around the yews.
A few yards past this intersection lies the Mourning Bench. As I have said before; one can pass it without noticing. It sits between the two variegated boxwoods on the right. Below…
Recreating Eden Landscape Blog 