Kudos for Camellias

Descanso’s flagship flower is blooming in profusion and there are abundant meetings, lectures and flower shows for the beginner as well as the professional gardener.

Bring a camellia from your garden for identification and learn more about it, arrive early on Saturday to any of the shows and enter your camellias in novice and intermediate categories (no cost to enter) with a chance to win cut glass crystal, or just come by to admire the flower that is called the ‘Empress of Winter’ during the Camellia Festival, Feb. 23-24. You can do it all this season at Descanso Gardens. All events are open to the public. Check out the variety of options below.

PACIFIC CAMELLIA SOCIETY MEETING
Thursday, Dec. 6 | 7 to 10 p.m. | Room B
Thursday, Jan. 3 | 7 to 10 p.m. | Room B
Thursday, Feb. 7 | 7 to 10 p.m. | Room B
Everyone is invited to these meetings to discuss camellias and their care,
talk with experts, learn about the upcoming show season and meet other
camellia enthusiasts.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CAMELLIA JUDGES SYMPOSIUM
Saturday, Jan. 5 | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Room A
Anyone interested in showing camellias or judging others will want to join this class. The Southern California Camellia Society presents the program for exhibitors and judges at all levels of expertise. Participants will learn to present and judge blooms in different categories, and experts will offer tips to move blooms from the bush to the awards table.

PACIFIC CAMELLIA SHOW
Saturday, Jan. 12 | 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Van de Kamp
Sunday, Jan. 13 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Van de Kamp

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CAMELLIA SOCIETY SHOW
Saturday, Jan. 26 | 1 to 4 p.m. | Van de Kamp
Sunday, Jan. 27 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Van de Kamp

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CAMELLIA COUNCIL SHOW
Saturday, Feb. 23 | 1 to 4 p.m. | Van de Kamp
Sunday, Feb. 24 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Van de Kamp

CAMELLIA CULTURE AND CARE LECTURE
Saturday, Feb. 23 | 2 p.m. | Classroom A
Camellia experts will talk about the care and culture of camellias. Learn when to fertilize, water and prune.

CAMELLIA PRUNING DEMONSTRATIONS
Sunday, Feb. 24 | 2 p.m. | Classroom A
Experts will share secrets to pruning camellias. Learn to shape and prune for bigger and more flowers.

PACIFIC CAMELLIA SOCIETY SHOW
Saturday, March 8 | 1 to 4 p.m. | Van de Kamp
Sunday, March 9 | 9 to 4 p.m.| Van de Kamp

A Walk Through the Camellia Forest
By Wayne Walker, Camellia Horticulturist

Camellias are in bloom this time of year, with the early bloomers leading the way. The magnificent Camellia sasanquas began to bloom in October. They are sure to thrive through December and, if nature allows, will last into the new year. You can find sasanquas on the way to and in the Japanese Garden. Then, if you walk across the main lawn to the information center and turn left into the forest, you will be walking under them on your left. Moving through the West Camellia Forest you will find a large group of sasanquas in the southwest corner. Then, if you stroll back down the road that runs through the west forest to the main lawn, you will see the popular ‘Mine-No-Yuki,’ also known as ‘White Doves’ on the left. ‘White Doves’ took a blow last winter from a falling branch and is a little thin this year, but did survive to decorate another season with its showy, peony-form flowers.

As you wander through the West Camellia Forest you might find a path lined with new plants on both sides. This is the Camellia Gallery planted in the fall. These species camellia are arranged to lead from the small flowering plants at the west, to larger flowers on the east.

Both blossoms and foliage on these special camellias can have a different look than the more common C. japonicas. Look for tubular or small, single flowers, and foliage that can be slender, wavy, ribbed, coarse or serrated. The Camellia Gallery path ends by the Higo camellias.

You also can see new plantings of C. nitidissima, a beautiful yellow camellia, at the base of the stairs leading through the forest to the Boddy House. We plan to have more yellow camellias in this area in years to come.

I hope you enjoy your strolls through the Camellia Forest. You never know what will be blooming or what you my find but you can be sure to find beauty wherever you look.