Camellias for Early Colour
F
ew hardy shrubs signal
the end of winter better
than camellias, the
Horticultural Trades
Association's (HTA) 'Plant of
the Moment' for February,
providing some welcome
colour through late winter and
into early spring.
Highly valued for their
stunning floral displays and
fresh, glossy, evergreen foliage
and with dozens of varieties
available, you'll be spoilt for
choice, so pick from camellias
in shades of pink, red, white
and cream.
Their ultimate size, habit, and
rate of growth vary immensely
too, so consider how much
space the camellia will need as
it grows.
20 Landscape & Urban Design
Whether you'd like something
that stays small and compact
or will grow into a bold shrub
or even a flowering hedge or
screen, the choice is yours.
Like azaleas and
rhododendrons, camellias are
ericaceous plants, and this
means they need to grow in an
acid or lime-free soil to ensure
they stay healthy.
Alternatively, compact
varieties of camellia grow well
in large pots or half-barrels
filled with ericaceous compost,
available in garden centres.
Top four popular camellias for
pots or borders are:
•
'Donation' - Semi-double
rose-pink flowers. Upright
habit. Strong growing.
•
'Adolphe Audusson' -
Bright red flowers. Strong
growing.
• 'Debbie' - Peony-form
pink flower. Upright.
Strong growing.
• 'Lavinia Maggi' - Large
double white flowers
with pink stripes. Medium
vigour.
Top tip
Early flowering camellias
can be damaged by frost, so
position plants in a sheltered
part of your garden.
Move pots to sheltered sites
during bad weather.
Cover bushes with sheets
of fleece to protect buds
and blooms on frosty nights,
removing it once conditions
warm-up in the morning.
Planting combinations
Choose a range of hardy
shrubs, flowering perennials,
and bulbs to grow in
combination with camellias,
as well as a selection of
ground covering plants that
will spread out over the soil
beneath bushes.
Here are some popular
choices:
• Azaleas
• Conifers, including yew
• Crocus
• Cyclamen
Visit www.the-hta.org.uk/
plantofthemoment