During winter, my roses are sleeping but the camellias wake up and burst into vivid bloom. We await their arrival each year, along with the bees and the profusion of elegant pink, white and red blossoms that gives a breath of springtime to the winter landscape. This year, I am very happy to report an abundance of bees returning to the garden to enjoy the camellias! Our coastal climate is perfect for growing camellias, and you can enjoy these flowering shrubs in your garden from early fall through May by selecting several different varieties with different blooming cycles. Camellias come in a variety of colors, color variations and forms, and their gray bark and leathery evergreen leaves make them attractive shrubs even when they are not in bloom. I have always thought of the camellia as a beautiful ornamental plant and never realized that the cup of black tea I enjoy in the afternoon is related to the camellia shrubs in my garden. The camellia is native to China and Japan and was brought to Europe in the early 1700s. The English planted Camellia sinensis (tea plant) in America’s South around the mid-1700s to meet the growing demand for tea in their country. The Camellia sinensis bears single cream-colored flowers, and the plant’s foliage was dried, fermented and processed into both oolong and “common” black tea. Green tea is produced by a drying process but is not fermented, as black teas are. The Chinese have highly regarded tea for its medicinal, antibacterial and antioxidant properties for thousands of years. Some studies suggest that tea can help in preventing cancer, and recently, a Swedish study found that women who drink tea have a lower risk of ovarian cancer then those who do not. The ornamental forms of camellias found their place in American gardens starting about 150 years ago. Today, the most common camellias found in our Southern California gardens are Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua. There are more than 3,000 varieties of Camellia japonica that come in a multitude of sizes, colors and forms. Different japonica varieties can be chosen to bloom in the early, mid or late season. The Camellia sasanqua can tolerate sun or shade and is an early bloomer. A variety of sasanqua I have in my garden is usually in full bloom by October, and some varieties are known to bloom as early as August along our coast. The growing habits of the sasanqua make it easy to train into espaliers, hedges or bonsai. One way I learned to tell the difference between the two varieties is that the japonica blossoms will fall of the bush with the full flower intact, where the sasanqua petals will fall and scatter. The winter is the best time to select camellias for your garden, since most are in bloom at local nurseries. When selecting camellias, there are six basic forms to choose from. Single: One row of not more than eight regular, irregular or loose petals and a noticeable yellow stamen. Singles are rare among japonicas but are common among sasanqua. Semi-Double: Similar to the single only with two or more rows of petals that can be regular, irregular or loose. The most conspicuous characteristic is that the yellow stamen is usually visible and in the center and not intermixed with petals. The semi-double is the most common of forms with more than 1,300 varieties listed. Anemone: Is named after its resemblance to the sea creature rather than the flower. It is easily distinguished by its pompom center of petals intermixed with petaloids and stamens. It also has rows of relatively flat, undulating large petals. Peony: There are two peony forms, the full and the loose. It is difficult to distinguish between the two, but both have large flowers that do resemble the peony. The petals can be irregular or ruffled, and the stamen is either not present or is very inconspicuous, often hidden among the petals. Since we cannot grow “real” peonies in our climate, this variety is one of my favorites and reminds me of the peony bushes in my grandmother’s garden on the East Coast. Rose Double: Petals are arranged in a generally overlapping fashion, similar to shingles on a roof. The petals tend to roll back to reveal the yellow stamen in a concave center, much like a rose. These are truly “Winter Roses” and there are more than 200 rose form varieties. Formal Double: This form is easily recognizable. Two characteristics distinguish it from the other doubles: the petals overlap precisely, and the yellow stamens never show. Typically, the petals are regular rather than irregular. There are several hundred formal double varieties. Walter Anderson’s Nursery in Point Loma has taught me a lot about camellias over the years. Their guidance has helped me keep the old camellias (some have been in my garden for more than 50 years) and the new additions to our garden thriving. If you are considering adding camellias to your garden, the nursery carries a wide variety. Walter Anderson’s suggests feeding your camellias during certain holidays (to make it easy to remember) beginning with St. Patrick’s Day, then Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and finally their last feeding on Labor Day. An organic fertilizer such as Dr. Earth’s Camellia Mix (5-3-1) or Grow Power will work wonders and promote beautiful flowers. I also add a light application of blood and bone meal during the March and July feedings. Camellias should never be fed when they are in bloom, which is actually their dormant season. During the summer months, I add a layer of organic garden mulch to the ground surrounding them to keep their roots cool and moist. It is very important to never let your camellia plants dry out during the warm summer months, as otherwise the buds and flowers will not open. Camellias prefer slightly acidic soil that is rich in organic matter, and they also need good drainage — they hate “wet feet.” Quite often, camellias are killed by over-watering or poor drainage. They should be planted in a sheltered environment away from heavy wind, and most varieties prefer to be in a shaded area away from direct sun. Flourishing in a shady environment is one of the camellia’s best attributes, since it is difficult to find such a flowering shrub. As the buds begin to appear on the branches, you may want to disbud some of them to create larger, heartier flowers. Pruning of the shrubs should be done immediately after the blooming season is over and before new growth sets in. It is important to prune at this time to ensure a healthy blooming cycle the following year. The centers of the shrubs should be thinned out to ensure adequate air circulation to help control disease and pests. Long spindly growth should be tipped back to help thicken the side branches, and any dead wood and weak growth should be removed. You can enjoy some of San Diego’s best camellia blooms at the San Diego Camellia Society’s 62nd annual camellia show at Casa del Prado (Room 101) in Balboa Park on Saturday, Feb. 7, from 1 to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Linda is a local Realtor with Coldwell Banker who specializes in historic homes. A co-founder of the Secret Garden Tour of Old La Jolla, you can find her working in her historic La Jolla garden every chance she gets. Take a tour of Linda’s garden on www.LindaMarrone.com or call her, (858) 456-3224.