They work well in pots – and if you have chalky soil you’ll have to pot them – although they get on just fine in clay, and make good statement winter plants in an otherwise quiet winter urban garden.
But while they are woodland plants and can grow vigorously in the right spot (with some shade and acidic soil), camellias actually make great small garden plants, too.
Vivid pink camellias are just the job Too brash and blowsy for some, these glorious flowers deserve a warmer welcome, especially at this time of year.
While it’s true that some camellias spend most of the year just showing off their dark green, shiny foliage, the varieties that start flowering around now can keep going for up to three months.
Another is the camellia, which can be dismissed as being a bit Barbara Cartland due to its unabashed pinkness, but is gloriously welcome in these dark days of January – and beyond.
