There is no doubt, Donation is the best Camellia for growing in Scotland
As a gardener I naturally find interest in most plants, a number of them we just have to find a spot for, Camellias come into this category. If living in Aberdeen you think the weather is too cold for this beautiful shrub try Donation or any of the other Williamsii hybrids,they are the result of a cross of C. saluenensis x C. japonica produced by J C Williams in the 1930s. Their leaves are smaller and tougher and they are remarkably hardy even in the north east of Scotland.
Williamsii hybrids produce an abundance of flowers, even in our cooler climate and are more successful than C. japonica in the Northern areas of the UK.They are also popular as their flowers tend to drop neatly as soon as they are over unlike some other Camellias which need dead-heading.
Possibly the most popular of all Camellias is Donation, a vigorous compact upright evergreen shrub, with luxuriant rich green foliage and large, semi-double, orchid pink flowers in April/May. Prefers a sheltered position with well drained lime free soil.
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That is a beautiful flower. I think it might grow well in the cooler climate of Northern Colorado. I’ll have to give it a try.
Dagny
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alistair says
Definitely worth a try Dagny. Plant where it does not catch early morning sun in Spring.
This really is a beautiful camelia! We are at least a zone too cold for them and I regret not being able to have them in the gardens… Larry
I think Camellia Donation is particularly hardy
That looks lovely; I’ve always wanted to try growing a camelia but have been putting it off for fear of all that faffery, moving it inside and outside all the time to prevent it getting a chill. This entry has given me hope!
It is a beauty, also Donation is the only one which there is no faffing about with in our garden.
I don’t think I can grow camelias in my zone either but I have always found them beautiful. The closest flower I can grow that looks something similar to them are the begonias. Donation is a pretty camelia.
Thanks for your comment Patty, do try this one its the hardiest of them all.
We have a couple of camellias – unfortunately I don’t know which varieties they are both of which are loaded with flower each year. Beautiful plants – my sister has one though that has been planted a couple of years and still no flowers or buds for next year even though it had a flower when we bought it!!!
They can take a few years to settle in.
Hi! sorry for the very late reply.
The flowers are gorgeous, I always like seeing them on some cities down in south Mexico (up in the mountains where is a bit cooler)
Thank you very much for joining the carnival! It was so great to have so many people from around the world to be part of it.
Yes Fer carnival was a huge success