Originally from eastern Asia, Camellias are popular all over our planet. The two most popular types you see in gardens here are Camellia sasanqua with smaller leaves & Camellia japonica with larger leaves. The sasanquas flower first through autumn/winter and the japonicas follow in winter/ spring. Both types like an acid soil, so ideally add plenty of compost and/or manure when planting. Camellia sasanqua with their smaller leaves make great long term hedges and will tolerate semi shade to full sun. Camellia japonica is more suitable as a specimen perhaps trimmed to shape at the back of a garden border or left to grow into a small tree with its distinctive pale smooth bark. Either way Camellia japonica needs semi shade to prevent leaves burning. If you are put off by flowers “bruising” after rain, chose a species with smaller flowers. In the right conditions, Camellias are a long lived low maintenance plant with a huge selection of flowers to choose from. One of the smallest white flowers belongs to the most well-known Camellia sinensis even if you’ve never heard of its botanical name aka green, black, white or oolong tea. The photo is of Camellia sinensis hedges in India. Let us know if you’d like us to set up a plantation on your property.