My camellias are in full bloom! They are the first flowers to bloom in my garden every year, along with the azaleas. They start blooming in late February and make winter feel so short!
Growing up, I never liked camellias. The flowers turn brown and drop from the plant, leaving an unsightly mess. My parents had a bush right by the front door of our house, and it always looked so untidy. I was glad when my parents finally got rid of that bush.
However, at my current San Diego house, the previous owners had planted camellias all along the side of the house opposite the gate. You can see them from the kitchen and living room windows, but fortunately you can’t see the mess on the ground around them. I actually started to appreciate them, especially since the varieties planted here are particularly pretty.
This is the bush right outside my kitchen window. It has such perfectly-formed, beautiful pink blooms, a very welcome sight as I’m working in the kitchen.
This pink variety with white edges is also very nice. I had no idea camellias came in such colors, although I have had azaleas like this.
This pink striped color was a fun surprise when I saw it bloom for the first time. I have seen roses with streak patterns like this. I love that there is a variety of light pink camellias planted here. There are also solid white and darker pink camellias, which aren’t my favorite, but they add variety to the row of bushes and look good all together. If I had been the one to pick which flowers to plant, I don’t think I would have chosen camellias, but since they are already here, I am enjoying the pretty flowers. They are certainly a lot nicer than I had expected when I moved in and realized I had a whole row of camellia bushes.