Margaret Thornhill 
I spent fifteen years buying camellias labelled “compact” at garden centres, only to watch them sprawl into six-foot monsters that swallowed my borders. That’s when I learned the hard way: camellia sizing is gloriously confusing, and the tag doesn’t always tell you what you really need to know. If you garden in a small space—or … Read more
I’ll never forget the moment at last year’s winter garden society meeting when someone asked me, “Helen, which camellias smell nice?” The room fell silent. Three dozen camellia enthusiasts looked at me expectantly, and I had to deliver news that surprised almost everyone: most camellias don’t smell at all. Their faces fell. It was as … Read more
And if you’re curious about the root system that makes camellia transplanting possible in the first place, I’ve written a deeper dive into camellia roots and their relationship to soil health that might fascinate you. Start planning your move. Your camellia is more resilient than you think—I promise. Transplanting camellias is entirely achievable for any … Read more
“`html I get the email almost weekly. “Helen, can I grow camellias in Zone 6? I’ve always loved them, but I thought they were off-limits for me.” My answer is always the same: yes—but only if you choose wisely. Most camellias are born gardeners of warm climates. Yet after two decades collecting and growing over … Read more
“`html Last spring, my neighbour knocked on the garden gate looking worried. Her prized Camellia japonica ‘Adolphe Audusson’—a deep red treasure she’d planted two years earlier—was turning yellow. Not dramatically, but in that telltale way between the veins while the veins themselves stayed green. I walked over, looked at the plant, and asked one question: … Read more
“`html I’ll never forget the day I successfully air layered my ‘Donation’ camellia for the first time. That plant had been in my garden for nearly fifteen years—a reliable, generous bloomer with those stunning pink semi-double flowers. For years, I’d watched visitors admire it and ask if they could buy a cutting. But I’d been … Read more
“`html Last spring, I was transplanting a ten-year-old Camellia japonica ‘Elegans’ to a sunnier spot in my zone 8a garden. As I loosened the root ball from its pot, I was struck by something I’d seen hundreds of times before—yet never stopped marveling at. The roots didn’t plunge deep into the soil like an oak … Read more
Start with prevention: healthy soil, proper spacing, good drainage, and regular scouting. If pests appear, identify them accurately, then choose your treatment thoughtfully. Horticultural oil and insecticidal soap solve 95% of camellia pest problems. There’s rarely a need for aggressive chemicals. Most importantly, don’t delay. That’s the mistake I made, and I won’t repeat it. … Read more
“`html I’ve seen it happen dozens of times in gardens across North Carolina and Georgia: a gardener eager to tidy up their camellias reaches for a hedge trimmer in late spring and gives the whole plant a quick shear. It looks fantastic immediately—neat, compact, uniform. Then comes autumn, and nothing happens. No buds. No flowers. … Read more
“`html Ten years ago, I stood beneath my oldest camellia—a magnificent ‘Donation’ japonica that had dominated a shady corner of my garden since before I bought the house—and felt a twinge of guilt. Here was this architectural marvel, heavy with rose-pink blooms every winter, and directly beneath it was bare, compacted earth. Not a single … Read more
