Camellias: Bring Year-Round Elegance to Your Garden

Camellias, often called the "Queen of Winter Blooms," are beloved by gardeners for their stunning, rose-like flowers that provide a burst of color during the colder months when most other plants have retreated into dormancy. Native to Asia, particularly China and Japan, Camellias have found a special place in Southern gardens for their elegance and adaptability. If you're looking to add some beauty to your winter landscape, Camellias are a perfect choice. Here's a guide to growing and caring for these winter beauties.

Exciting news, garden enthusiasts! Camellias are arriving at the Earth Works Garden Center just in time for the perfect planting season.

Pick Your Camellia

Choosing the Right Camellia Variety

The two most common types of Camellias found in gardens are Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua.

Camellia japonica produces larger, showier blooms and flowers during late winter to early spring. It grows best in partial shade and makes for a stunning focal point in the garden.

On the other hand, Camellia sasanqua has smaller flowers but blooms earlier, from late fall into winter. Sasanquas are more sun-tolerant and can be used as hedges or screens due to their compact growth habit.

Both varieties are evergreen, meaning they’ll provide lush greenery throughout the year in addition to their lovely blooms.

JAPONICA

SASANQUA

Planting Tips

Camellias thrive in well-drained, slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. Plant Camellias in an area with dappled sunlight or morning sun and afternoon shade, as too much direct sunlight can scorch their leaves.

When planting, dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper than the plant’s original container. Camellias prefer to be planted slightly above ground level to ensure good drainage. Water thoroughly after planting and mulch around the base of the plant to retain moisture and keep roots cool.

Why Camellias Are Perfect for Winter Gardens

What makes Camellias truly special is their ability to brighten up a garden during the dreary winter months. Their large, colorful blooms stand out against their dark green leaves, creating a striking contrast in the landscape. With proper care, Camellias will reward you with years of beautiful blooms, turning your winter garden into a vibrant oasis when you need it most.

Incorporate Camellias into your garden this winter, and enjoy the beauty of these timeless, resilient plants.

Camellia Care

Once established, Camellias are relatively low-maintenance. They prefer consistent moisture, so water them regularly, especially during dry periods. However, avoid overwatering, as Camellias do not like soggy roots.

Fertilize your Camellia plants in late winter or early spring after they have finished blooming. Use a fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants, and be sure to follow the recommended application rates to avoid burning the roots.

Pruning is essential to maintain a healthy and attractive plant. Camellias benefit from light pruning after they have finished blooming to remove dead or damaged branches and encourage new growth. You can also lightly shape the plant at this time if needed.

Camellia Tea: From Garden to Teacup

Did you know that the tea you drink comes from a type of Camellia?

Camellia sinensis is the plant used to make green, black, and oolong teas. While ornamental Camellias like Camellia japonica are prized for their blooms, Camellia sinensis is cultivated for its leaves, which are harvested, dried, and processed into various types of tea. Growing your own tea garden is possible if you have the right climate—Camellia sinensis thrives in warm, humid regions with acidic soil, much like its ornamental cousins. Imagine brewing a cup of homegrown tea straight from your own garden!

From Backyard to Paradise: Stunning Natural Swim Pond

This is the third water feature we've built on this property, and it's the most ambitious yet! From the intricate filtration system to the custom waterfall cave, this project is designed to be both low-maintenance and breathtaking.

Watch as our team transforms this backyard into a resort-style paradise. Whether looking for pond design inspiration or tips on building natural swimming pools, this video covers it all!

See More Projects

The Power of Mulch: Protect and Beautify Your Landscape

Mulching your landscape provides essential benefits that improve plant health and garden aesthetics. It helps retain soil moisture, suppresses weeds, and regulates soil temperature, protecting roots from extreme heat and cold. As mulch decomposes, it enriches the soil with organic matter, enhancing its texture and nutrient content, particularly beneficial for sandy soils commonly found in Florida.

At Earth Works Gardens, we recommend pine straw or pine bark mulch for best results. Pine straw is lightweight, long-lasting, and excellent for erosion control, while pine bark mulch decomposes slowly, providing extended nourishment. Both options are beneficial for our many acid-loving plants, improve water retention and soil structure, and add a polished, natural look to your landscape.

By choosing pine-based mulch, you'll enhance the health of your soil, promote plant growth, and create a neat, professional appearance in your garden.

Tips for Proper Mulching

Apply the proper depth: Spread mulch 2-3 inches thick for optimal moisture retention and weed suppression. Avoid going too deep.
Keep mulch away from plant bases: To prevent rot and pest issues, leave a small gap around the base of trees, shrubs, and plants.
Refresh mulch annually: Replenish mulch each year to maintain its benefits, especially after decomposition or erosion.
Use the right type: Organic mulch, such as pine straw or pine bark, enriches the soil as it breaks down.
Water after mulching: Water thoroughly after applying mulch to help it settle and provide benefits immediately.

Butterfly Koi: Mutts or Beautiful Jewels of the Pond?

October 3, 2024, Aquascapes Inc Water Gardening Blog

Butterfly koi are beautiful, elegant fish – but did you know that many koi connoisseurs think of them as mutts? Some go so far as to say they’re not even koi. Let’s look at how butterfly koi originated so you can decide for yourself if you think these long-finned creatures are worthy of your pond.

In the early 80s, a population of common, brown and gray carp with long fins were found in a series of canals and ditches in Indonesia. A company in New York took an interest and brought the fish into the United States and sold a few. They did not sell well because most fish lovers thought they were ugly. However, an enterprising and curious group of breeders at Blue Ridge Fish Hatchery placed an order for a dozen of these fish to see what exactly they were. Ugly, with long fins, is what they discovered.

Rather than call it quits on these new-found fish, the breeders decided to breed them with their finest, regular-fin koi and made several discoveries.

Long-fin genes are dominant, so breeding the fish back to color would not breed out the long-fin gene.
Long-fin koi are robust and disease-resistant.
The fish could be bred back to color, and Blue Ridge Fish Hatchery has created many colorful lines of longfin koi.