Camellias – Nursery and Garden open to the Public – Sunday 16 August 2015

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We have acquiesced to several requests to be open this weekend – so Sunday 16 August – 8.00am to 3.00pm – we will be open. Camellias – still plenty in flower in the garden -many Japonicas and Reticulatas – and still many (a thousand or two) plants – sasanquas, japonicas, hybrids and some species.

Camellia sasanquas for that screen or hedge or just for a sunny spot in the garden; japonicas for those part shade positions.

Drop in – we will find something for every body.

Beautiful weather for gardening – get out in it!

Camellia japonica 'Royal Velvet'

Camellias, camellias camellias and vireya rhododendrons

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We are well into camellia season – so we are open again this weekend – Saturday and Sunday – 8.00am till 3.00 pm.

We have mostly small pots, 140mm, with plants 30 to 90cm tall. About 200 different varieties – if anything that makes the selection process harder – lots to choose from. But no one complains – they just love the variety – ones you don’t see every day. So come in, walk the garden, pick your favs, and buy yours this weekend.

Sasanquas – the sun camellias – are just about finished flowering, but we are still selling plenty. Singles, semi doubles, whites through pinks to red and some bi-colours. Useful for hedging, screening, specimen plants or just have them in the garden. These evergreens make a wonderful garden plant all year.

But it is the time of the japonicas now – hundreds of flowers out right now. These prefer part shade in this part of the country and love high shade from trees. Again ranging from singles, semi-double, formal double, informal double and elegans form and colours from the purest whites, blush, peachy pinks through to reds and some edging into the purples – if the soil and weather suit. Then there’s striped, variegated, bi-coloured, edged and more.

This is a great time to plant, while the plants are in their winter dormancy.

See the ‘culture notes’ on this web site for more detailed information.

The Queensland Camellia Society has its annual show and sale at the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens auditorium on Sunday 5 July – there will be bloom displays, information, camellia talks and plants to buy.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10, 11 and 12 July is the best sub tropical garden show in the country – Queensland Garden expo, at the Nambour Showgrounds – Sunshine Coast. Too good to miss – and we will be there.

Get into the garden this weekend. Cheers.

Camellia japonica 'Candy Flame'

Open this weekend – camellia nursery – buy direct from the grower

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Open again this weekend – walk the gardens and see the 300 plus camellias, 20 plus magnolias, vireya rhododendron and a few azaleas – then buy one or some or a whole bunch of camellias from the 5000 – approx – available.

We have over 250 different varieties of camellias – sasanquas for the sun, japonicas, hybrids, species for those part shade spots.

We will also be at the Maleny Garden Club ‘Gardening on the Edge’ weekend at the Maleny Showgrounds. Lots of plants for sale including Leonie’s roses and our camellias and lots more. Six local gardens open for garden visits.

This is our first show of the season and we will have a great selection of camellias available. See us at Maleny or at the nursery in Palmwoods.

This is a great time to buy your camellias as the garden is full of camellias in flower. Planting now suits camellias as this is their dormant time – no growth – just flowers. Plant now and let the plants settle in before they start their new growth in Spring.

Camellias must have a well drained, acid soil. When planting, add course sand or fine gravel to heavy soils along with some well composted/matured cow, horse, goat, sheep, alpaca manures. The sandy stuff helps drainage, the manures enrich the soil. Always water in well and mulch to help suppress weeds and to insulate the soil and roots.

Camellias will add great colour to any garden in winter and they also make a great garden plant during the rest of the year with their dark green, glossy leaves.

Great weekend for gardening…cheers

Camellia japonica 'Clarence Hearn'

Camellia sasanqua 'Narumigata'

Camellias for sale – hundreds of them

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Our garden and nursery is open to the public again this weekend – 30 and 31 May 8.00 to 3.00 pm

We have had sasanqua camellias flowering since March and we have had lots of visitors to see them in the garden and to purchase some for theirs. A great time to see these lovely things in full flower. Sasanquas will flower for another couple of weeks at least. If you want to see them, then now’s the time.

And now the japonicas have started to flower – they have been spot flowering for a couple of weeks, but this weekend we have some beautiful flowers out.

Some flowers we picked from the garden this morning.

Nursery Open to the Public Saturday 25 October – and a bit of camellia culture

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What Beautiful weather – all we need now is a week of good soaking rain….Following last weekend’s open days, we will again be open this Saturday 25 October – 8.00 am to 3.00 pm.

We have several hundred camellias – sasanquas, japonicas, hybrids and some species – about 175 different varieties – there is sure to be something that appeals.

All our available plants are in 140mm pots, 9 to 12 months old with well developed roots. Plants are between 20 and 90 cm, depending on the natural development of that particular variety. These plants are putting on their new season growth now and are just itching for a new home. Now is a great time for planting – although last month would have been better – but we covered that in the last blog.

We hope that you will visit if you are needing camellias.

A bit of camellia culture.
We are requested on a regular basis, what is the best camellia camellias for growing in the ‘Brisbane’ area – as an example. Let’s start by saying that all the 40 or 50 varieties of sasanquas that we grow suit local conditions. All sasanquas perform and flower at their best in full sun, although they will take a part shade position with easy. Sasanquas are the autumn flowering ones – starting to flower in March/April – Mikuni-ko starts even earlier – and going through to July for the late flowering ones like Bert Jones. So any sasanqua will suit the Brisbane region and most regions from Maryborough to Hobart and in between. Just remember the basic needs of a well drained, acid soil, and sufficient water to get them established for a start. There are a few sasanquas that give us grief and they include Betsy Baker and Pink Frills (a beautiful flower but a poor shrub). Selection will ofter depend on flower form and height and shape of bush you are after, whether a specimen, a group planting, or planting for a screen or hedge, or for a specific effect like a ‘Japanese’ style garden.

Japonicas are less easy to categorise – but start with the same well drained and acid soil, and part shade. Plant in full sun in this area and the plants will generally struggle to thrive as they are suffering sunburn at a time when the roots are yet to establish sufficiently to support the plant. So, part shade, and we prefer morning shade – especially on the formal double flowers that will burn in the sun – and after all, it is the beautiful flowers we hang out for.

Pick you spot, check the soil, follow the basic rules for planting as we have covered before, water and mulch. Do NOT over fertilise.

Any questions, just ask…

So, get out in the garden this weekend, get some sun – it is said that we are all becoming vitamin D deficient because of our sun aversion – and enjoy spring.

Cheers

Camellia Reticulata - Lady Pamela