Camellias – sasanquas, japonicas and hybrids – we are being asked when we will be open….so we are going to open:

Open this Friday 27 October…after midday

Open Saturday 28 October 8.00 am to 3.00 pm

About 50 varieties of sasanqua, hundreds of them, 140mm pots, $12.00, putting on new growth now. Most 60 to 90 cm out of the pot.

Japonicas – a hundred or so different varieties – all putting on new growth. 140 mm pots $12.00 and plants are 30 to 90cm depending on variety.

Lovely looking plants.

No eftpos.

Now is a great time to plant….after the rain…and plants and roots are active.

Take care to give new growth protection as it is very tender….it can break if handled carelessly.

We would recommend letting your new plants acclimatise as these have been under shade cloth/hail net.

Open other times by appointment/arrangement. Ph 54450333

It has been a while since our last blog post.

We have had a bunch of open days over the past months, a number of shows including Maleny Gardening on the Edge, Queensland Garden Expo, the Queensland Camellia Society Show and Sale, the National Congress for Camellias Australia including a visit to our garden and nursery of around a hundred delegates, and we have been open by appointment for the past few weeks. The weekend of 26 August, we will attend the Camellias Australia National Camellia Show in Narrandera. 

We will continue to be open by appointment…please call in advance….and will have another few open days before the season is over….After Narrandera.

We do have a substantial number of camellias…Sasanquas, Japonicas and hybrids…..as we keep saying, probably the best range you will see anywhere. If fact we are being asked to take plants south for Camellia Society members at the Show. So whether you need just one particular plant, a few, a garden full, or a hundred or so for a hedge, give us a call.

In our garden, the Sasanquas have finished flowering and we have started pruning back in readiness for spring growth…and to allow us to walk between them where necessary. The Japonicas are still flowering and some, like the hybrids Orchid Princess and Nicky Crisp, are just starting. We have several weeks of flowering yet. Our challenge at the moment is the lack of rain….one storm with 17mm of rain in 6 weeks. So the flowers are going soft quickly. You can pick them when fresh and put them in a float bowl……..they will keep for a week or so.

Come the end of August or so, as the Japonicas finish flowering, and before they start putting on new growth, consider pruning any that  you want to contain, fertilise and mulch….and always water in well.

Here are a few camellias in flower in our garden at the moment. Love the bees.

Come and visit, give us a call, we can supply most of your camellia needs.

With a few thousand camellias ready for sale, Camellia Glen Nursery will open again this Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July 2017  from 8.00 am to 3.00 pm.

Camellia Glen has probably more camellia varieties than you will find in one place anywhere around. There are sasanquas for full sun, japonicas for part shade positions, reticulatas ……. just a few varieties, an extensive range of the small leaved, cluster flowering and often fragrant hybrids, and some of the species camellias that are sought after by the camellia collector and enthusiast. 

The range of varieties includes some of the hard to find camellias including the zigzag Unryu, the peacock flower Hakuhan Kujaku, some higos like Okan, Shiranui, and Hinomaru, formal double flowers like Shirley Norup, Margarete Hertrich, Pope John XXIII, Roger Hall, Black Tie, Phillippa Ifould, hybrid Buttons ‘n Bows, and so many more. Semi doubles and informal doubles include Drama Girl,  Mrs DW Davis, Nuccios Pink Lace. So many to mention.

 

Come and visit, walk our garden…..have a look at our camellias in flower…..buy some for yours.

Don’t forget the Queensland Garden Expo….on at Nambour Showgrounds July 7, 8 and 9…best real garden show in Australia. http://www.qldgardenexpo.com.au/

After a great week last week for our open days and a great show at the Maleny Garden Club ‘Gardening on the Edge’ on the weekend, we are ready for another…..we’re open 8.00 am to 3.00 pm Friday 16 June and Saturday 17 June 2017. And after that Friday 23 June here at the nursery. You can also see us at the Queensland Camellia Society Show and sale on Sunday 25 June at the Peace Hall, 106 McDonald Road Windsor. Doors open there 9.00 am to 3.00 pm. Plant sales, camellia bloom display and competition, camellia talks, morning teas and refreshments….$3.00 at the door.

Among the 250 odd camellias we have available are some of the unusual and hard to find varieties. We have a great range of the small leaved hybrids that cluster flower….some call them florabunda….including Sweet Emily Kate, Gay Baby, Fragrant Pink, Mandy, Our Melissa, Cinnamon Cindy, Fairy Blush, Fairy Wand, Spring Mist. Some of these are are fragrant as well…the best being the hybrid High Fragrance. Some of the species camellias we have available include the fragrant Rosiflora, Lutchuensis, Miyagii, Grijsii, Yuhsienensis, the small tree Crapnelliana with its extra large seed pods, the tea camellia Sinensis, and sinensis pink. Though not species, the unusual Tarokaja and Isaribi….both fragrant. Sasanqua camellias are great for the full sun and will also perform well in a part shade position. Great for single specimens, for hedging and for screens. A wonderfully versatile plant with dark green foliage all year and masses of flowers in autumn and early winter, sasanquas respond exceptionally well to pruning. There are low growers like Shi Shi Gashira, smaller growers like Little Pearl, Bonsai Baby, Mignonne, Silver Dollar, and tall ones like Rose Ann, Enid Alice, Edna Butler, Setsugekka, Exquisite, and the unusual Chojiguruma. Some of the japonicas are we have are old varieties….Alba Plena named in 1797, Aspasia Macarthur 1848, C.M.Hovey 1850, Chandleri 1825, Contessa Woronzoff 1858, Tricolor 1825, Rosea Superba 1843, Sasanquas Shishigashira 1894 and Setugekka 1898…..some are middle aged, Tama No Ura 1975, and some are new, Curramore Jacqueline 2015. And that’s just a start………….come visit, walk around our garden, buy some for yours.

It’s winter…apparently, and now is a great time to see camellias flowering at their best, and over the coming weeks. We will continue with our open days….see details below…..so that you can visit us at Camellia Glen and see these beautiful flowers in our gardens. We have arguably the best range of camellias available for sale with over 250 different varieties. These include sasanqua  camellias, the sun hardy autumn flowerers that are in full flower now, japonicas, these like at least part shade for us, hybrids that are covered in flower and many of them fragrant, some higos, reticulatas and species. Something for everyone.

Open days run from 8.00 am to 3.00 pm.

Friday 2 and Saturday 3 June – open

Friday 9 June – CLOSED

Saturday 10 June – open. ALSO Maleny Garden Club Gardening on the Edge – 10 and 11 June

Friday 16 and Saturday 17 June – open. ALSO Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show 16-18 June

Friday 23 June – open

Saturday 24 June – CLOSED. 

Sunday 25 June – Queensland Camellia Society Show and Camellia Sale – Albion Peace Hall, McDonald Road, Windsor, Brisbane.

Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July – open

Friday 7 to Sunday 9 July – CLOSED. See us at the Queensland Garden Expo, Showgrounds, Nambour, 7 to 9 July 2017

Friday 14 July – open

Saturday 15 July – CLOSED. ALSO Friday 15 and Saturday 16 July – Toowoomba Camellia Show.

Friday 21 and Saturday 22 July – open

Friday 28 and Saturday 29 July CLOSED 

Friday 2 and Saturday 3 June – open

Friday 9 June – CLOSED

Saturday 10 June – open. ALSO Maleny Garden Club Gardening on the Edge – 10 and 11 June

Friday 16 and Saturday 17 June – open. ALSO Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show 16-18 June

Friday 23 June – open

Saturday 24 June – CLOSED. 

Sunday 25 June – Queensland Camellia Society Show and Camellia Sale – Albion Peace Hall, McDonald Road, Windsor, Brisbane.

Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July – open

Friday 7 to Sunday 9 July – CLOSED. See us at the Queensland Garden Expo, Showgrounds, Nambour, 7 to 9 July 2017

Friday 14 July – open

Saturday 15 July – CLOSED. ALSO Friday 15 and Saturday 16 July – Toowoomba Camellia Show.

Friday 21 and Saturday 22 July – open

Friday 28 and Saturday 29 July CLOSED

Here are a few in flower at the moment:

Now is the best time to be planting camellias in your garden; the plants are dormant in that they are not in active growth, and this will give the plants a chance to settle in over winter ready for the spring growth. Get some for your garden.

We have the nursery and gardens open to the public again Friday and Saturday. Sasanquas are still flowering very well and there are more japonicas in flower every day. Come visit…..we have some great plants available……over 50 varieties of sasanqua and about 150 different japonicas including hybrids and higos, as well as a range of reticulata and species. Still the best range of camellias you will see….And we are here most weeks. 

See the previous blog for full details of our open days.

A favourite camellia, and one that we have grown here at Camellia Glen for the past 20 years, is one of the oldest Australian camellias dating back to the 1840s. It is the japonica Aspasia Macarthur – a creamy white, informal double, full flower with ruffled petals, it always has the odd streak of pink somewhere on some of the petals.

Aspasia Macarthur also has the reputation of producing many sports, with some of those producing their own sports. These include Lady Loch, Can Can, Otahuhu Beauty, Margaret Davis, Jean Clere, Just Sue and Strawberry Blonde. At times you can find Margaret Davis and Otahuhu Beauty flowers on a bush of Aspasia Macarthur. 

These are flowering in our garden today.

Jean Clere and Strawberry Blonde are yet to flower this season.

Come and visit.

We will be open again this Friday 19 May only this weekend. But we will be open again the following Friday and Saturday. See our previous posts for the details.

Hopefully, we will get some rain,  the camellias love this cooler weather and the rain always keeps everything fresh.

These are a few that are flowering for us at the moment. Come and visit….walk our garden….buy some for yours. We still have the best range of camellias and the largest number of hybrid camellias available, as well as many hard  to find varieties.

The camellias have started flowering really well…..the sasanquas, the autumn flowering camellias, have been in flower for a few weeks now and are looking great. You can see lots in flower as you drive around town and we saw hundreds as we drove around Maleny and Montville over the weekend. Early japonicas are just started to flower and it looks like it will be a great season…..lots of buds and there is still moisture in the ground after the rain. A few showers of rain are always good for the garden and the camellias especially like it at this time of the year – keeps the flowers fresh.

We will be open this coming Friday 5 May and Saturday 6 May, 8.00am to 3.00pm. For a more complete list of open days, please refer to the previous blog.

 

This is a great time to plant camellias…the plants are largely dormant in that they are not putting on new growth, although after the dry summer and the March rain, a few are making hay and putting on growth as well as flowering. But planting now lets the plants settle in and establish the roots in readiness for the spring growth.

Enjoy the flowers in your garden, and although the sasanqua flowers will shatter and fall in a couple of days, the japonicas can be picked for a vase, or do as we prefer, cut just a short stem ( only 1 cm) and place in a float bowl. These can last well enough for up to a week.

…..and remember, it’s World Naked Gardening Day on Saturday 6 May 2017……… but don’t worry, we won’t be……

Camellia Glen Nursery will be open again this Friday and Saturday 28 and 29 April 2017…..8.00am to 3.00pm.

We have sasanquas in flower now and looking great…many to choose from.

And the garden plants have responded well to the March rain and are looking great. This Sparkling Burgundy is one of the earlier varieties to flower and is a mass of colour. The bees and the birds are loving it.

We have over 40 different varieties of sasanqua available for sale now in 140mm pots and looking great.

We also have about 100 different japonicas – these are ready for sale – just not flowering just yet.

Come and see us. Details on the web site. Www.samelliaglen.com.

When planting out new camellias, dig the hole slightly larger than the root ball, tickle out the roots so that they are not in the pot shape, add composted material, well aged manures ( avoid chicken poo and mushroom compost as these can be alkaline and we need a slightly acid and well drained soil) and backfill. Plant slightly raised so that when the plant settles, it won’t be in a hole. We need a well drained location for our camellias….they don’t like wet feet.

Mulch around your newly planted camellia…I will often add cow/horse poo to the top of the backfill and mulch over this. The worms love it. Water in well to get out the little pockets of air and to settle the plant in.

Sasanquas love a full sun position. In South East Queensland where we are, we always recommend giving japonicas half shade at least. Better still, filtered sun under high tree cover. Protection from morning sun will ensure the flower won’t scorch.

Get out into the garden…and if you don’t have one of you own, go for a walk in a park or a forest. It’s good for you.

So it is getting around to camellia season again. These are a few in flower this week.

We have had a few challenges over the seemingly endless hot and dry summer…..less that 100mm of rain from September to March and then 397mm in March. We were lucky with ex-cyclone Debbie – we got some wind and the following rain. No damage to speak of, just a couple of days without power.

So the camellias in the garden put on less new growth than they might have if we had received the usual spring/summer rain, but they are better for the rain and have put on flower buds. We have noted that the flowers have started later than last year and in some cases are a little smaller than we would expect. But nature has its way, and these beautiful plants will be enjoying the rain and the change to cooler weather.

There is not a lot to do with your camellias at this time of the year….perhaps keep water up to them – the wind can dry out plants quite a lot –  trim out unwanted branchlets although this should have been done over spring and summer. Just sit back and enjoy the show.

OPEN DAYS

Yes, we will have open days again this season, although we have had a steady stream of folk visiting by appointment already.

We plan to be available most Fridays and Saturdays, unless we have camellia shows or other commitments. We are still open by appointment at other times. Please contact us first.

Opening hours will be 8.00am to 3.00pm.

Here’s a list of dates:

• Friday 21 and Saturday 22 April – open
• Friday 28 and Saturday 29 April – open
• Friday  5 and Saturday 6 May – open
• Friday 12 and Saturday 13 May – open
• Friday 19 May – open
• Saturday 20 May – CLOSED. Plant Collectors Fair, Mt Coottha Botanical Gardens 20 and 21 May
• Friday 26 and Saturday 27 May – open
• Friday 2 and Saturday 3 June – open
• Friday 9 June – CLOSED
• Saturday 10 June – open. ALSO Maleny Garden Club Gardening on the Edge – 10 and 11 June
• Friday 16 and Saturday 17 June – open. ALSO Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show 16-18 June
• Friday 23 June – open
• Saturday 24 June – CLOSED.
• Sunday 25 June – Queensland Camellia Society Show and Camellia Sale – Albion Peace Hall, McDonald Road, Windsor, Brisbane.
• Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July – open
• Friday 7 to Sunday 9 July – CLOSED. See us at the Queensland Garden Expo, Showgrounds, Nambour, 7 to 9 July 2017
• Friday 14 July – open
• Saturday 15 July – CLOSED. ALSO Friday 15 and Saturday 16 July – Toowoomba Camellia Show.
• Friday 21 and Saturday 22 July – open
• Friday 28 and Saturday 29 July CLOSED

More as we get closer to that time.

Come visit, walk the gardens, enjoy the 400 or so camellias in our garden, buy some for yours. Walk a forest, walk a garden….they say it’s good for you. But we’ve always known that……