By Kevin Mankey with James Wall.
Ok, after much debate, here are our top 10 favourite camellias. Actually we couldn’t decide out of 12 !
This wonderful range of plants only get better with age. They are easy to grow, low allergenic and simply rewarding plants.
Camellia’s also provide that splash of colour during the winter when so many other plants are dormant.
Sasanqua and Japonica are two of the main types. Sasanquas flower earlier and are better suited to hedging and espaliering whereas Japonicas are larger leaved, flower later and won’t tolerate as sunny a conditions. Both types have there place in the garden.
Sasanqua Camellias
Yuletide – Compact grower, small dark green foliage, single scarlet red flowers with permanent yellow stamens.
Paradise Blush – Deep rosy pink buds which open to white semi double flowers. Flowers over a long period.
Setsugekka – Large white single flowers, with wavy petals. Prominent yellow stamens in centre. Good screening or espalier variety.
Avalanche – “Slimline” variety growing 2-3m high x 1.2m wide. Ideal for narrow garden beds. Large double white flower with a hint of perfume. Long flowering season.
Bonanza – Striking deep red variety with large semi-paeony flowers with wavy fluted petals. Dense, upright grower.
Sweet Jane – A hybrid bred in Australia and said to be the one of longest flowering camellias. Flower is a small, soft pink semi double, opening to pale pink, and ageing to almost white.
Japonica & Other Hybrids
Desire – Formal double long lasting blooms of soft pink with deeper pink outer petals. Strong, upright shrub with lush foliage.
Debbie – Bold rosy-pink fully double blooms on an upright growing shrub. Great as a hedge in semi-shaded areas.
Grand Marshall – Vivid red large informal double. Strong upright growth habit ideal for hedging and screening up to 3m.
Brushfields Yellow – Late flowering variety with medium sized “antique white” flowers which have a ruffled primrose yellow boss of petaloids in the centre. Great for pots.
Volunteer – Deep rich pink anemone flowers are variegated on each petal with a white edge. A truly unique variety named to commemorate the International Year of Volunteers in 2001. Bred in New Zealand.
Dona Herzilia De Frietas Magalhaes – Mid season blooming variety with unique anemone style flowers which are reddish maroon in colour with an unusual violet shade.