Beautiful Camellias

My camellia bush was positively covered in buds before the week-long winter storm hit in January. It made me sad to see them all ruined. This past week we had some warmer than normal temps and once again the camellia is covered in buds…some just beginning to open.

Camellias look as if they should have a scent, but they do not…or at least the camellias I’ve seen do not. They come in quite an array of colors…all beautiful. Mine are a really dainty, sweet pink.

I cut some to bring inside. I placed them in a bowl, allowing them to float atop the water.

Growing up in the south, this is the way I always saw camellias displayed once they were cut and brought inside.

I placed them here in the entry so I could see them today each time I passed by…

If you grow camellias in your garden, what’s your favorite way to display this wonderful flower once you bring it inside? Do you put them in a vase like I did in a post about the master bedroom here, or do you prefer to float them in a bowl as I did today?

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Comments

  1. Donna@Conghaile Cottage says

    You are So Lucky to have camellias Susan! I sure wish they grew in the north…Oh Well, this is what makes visiting other zones so much fun! I LOVE the way you displayed them in the bowl…How long will the flowers last? Are they as delicate as peonies? They look stronger…I LOVE that color pink too. Thank you so much for sharing!
    Have a wonderful weekend,
    Hugs, Donna

  2. SavannahGranny says

    Susan, Your camellias are gorgeous. That bush is so full.
    I have always seen them floating but I think I like them in the vase best.
    I am so glad to see flowers blooming and in bud. It has been a tough winter for me. I am glad to see better weather.
    Thanks for sharing this beautiful hand of God.
    Ginger. 🙂

  3. If these would grow up in the tundra I would have them all over – gorgeous!

  4. Happy pink Saturday. I've never grown camellias, but love them, especially floating in a bowl. Love your home, it's beautiful.

    Cheers,
    Lisa x

  5. That is the perfect way to display camelias. Just floating in water.

  6. chateaudelille says

    How wonderful to have such a lovely bush so big with so many flowers. I look forward to when mine are so big. Fiona

  7. My camelias were hit by the winter weather also and didn't bloom…it is sad! Yours are beautiful and arranged floating in water is such a pretty way to show them off! Have a wonderful weekend…Cindy

  8. Love Being A Nonny says

    I have a post all ready to go about my Camellia bush. I do both….float them and put them in a vase with stems. I love that when nothing else is blooming and things are still gloomy from winter, my camellias peek their heads out to say *Spring is Coming.*

  9. Your camellia is BEAUTIFUL. I just love camellias. When I was little girl my grandmother would pin a camellia on her as well as my "Sunday" coat to wear to church.

    Last year I made a camellia flower bed in the back corner of the yard and put in 4 later blooming camellias. I lost one to "scale" (yuck) This weekend I will add some Camellia food and plant a new camellia. Our weather has been so spotty.

    Hope you are having a good weekend!
    Mary

  10. laxsupermom says

    Your camellias are lovely! How wonderful that the storm didn't ruin the tree. It looks like we're going to have a bit of a thaw today, and I'm hoping to see some lawn poke through the snow. Hopefully I'll see my first floral touch of spring soon. Thanks for sharing.

  11. Mother Nature, the decorator supreme. franki

  12. Hello Susan,
    I really love Camellias since I saw them blooming in Kew Gardens, London. So I planted some of them in my garden and one grew quite big for my sense. Not at all that huge like your but had wonderful flowers. Alas like so many of my beloved southern plants it got a funghi and died in the end.
    I would love to have a huge tree which allows to cut some of these beauties and I think, the way to float them is the very best.
    They look so glorious.
    Greetings, Johanna

  13. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful burst of spring! I love the way you floated them in the bowl. No signs of anything blooming here in MO yet. But I can enjoy wonderufl posts like this and wait patiently!

  14. Happier Than a Pig in Mud says

    Just beautiful Susan, I love them floating in the bowl! Being from Philly I've never seen this pretty flower in person, it's lovely:@)

  15. martinealison says

    Vous avez un camélia splendide et les fleurs malgré votre tempête sont tellement belles et délicates…
    Il est certainement bon que de pouvoir continuer à les admirer en les plaçant dans cette jolie coupe…
    Bisous et merci pour ces photos…
    Bon weekend.

  16. A Hint of Home says

    I love those bushes! I had several at our other property but didn't add them to our landscape when we moved here and I'm sorry I didn't.

    Told hubby the other day I found a spot I'd like to plant some and then I saw your post. I had him come in to look at your post. lol
    Yours are gorgeous!

  17. So pretty! Ours are blooming, too! They are the perfect shade of dark pink this year. Hurry up spring!

  18. How very pretty! They remind me of Peonies. (wonder if they are related)

    I don't know if camellias do well in my zone but might have to get one if they do!

  19. Ann@A Sentimental Life says

    I am always envious to see the beautiful camellias, since I live to far north where they won't grow. thanks for sharing!

  20. ~ Phyllis ~ says

    Your blog is a feast for the eyes.
    Beautiful photographs.

  21. So pretty. And, they look stunning the way U have displayed them.

  22. Marie Arden says

    Mine are blooming also- I hope no freeze over the weekend.
    They are one of the joys of living in the South- color in winter from these wonderful flowers.

  23. I adore the ruffled look of camellias, but have never been successful in growing them — and not always related to gardening or weather issues.
    We previously lived in a historic inner city neighborhood. I planted several camellia bushes near the street. I woke one morning to discover someone had not just snipped a bud or bloom, but dug and removed all the bushes! I decided maybe they needed a little more beauty in their life than I did. I never tried planting any more. Our current yard does not lend itself it camellias. So, I will just enjoy the beauty of yours!
    I love them, and other blossoms, simply floating!

  24. Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage says

    Hi Susan,
    Your pink camelias are gorgeous! Love the colour! That would be my choice of colour too and they look so happy in the pretty crystal bowl! Happy Pink Saturday.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

  25. Susan, I live in SOUTHERN Alabama…down by the coast. I love camellias. Ours have bloomed twice. I HOPE they come back! I always float mine in a bowl… Guess it is a southern thang!

  26. Hi Susan…I like the floating camellias the best.

    I've also taken brightly colored petals and layered them on a tray! They have to be very bright, though, like bounganvillia (sp?)

    Yours are lovely. No flowers budding here, yet. We are still slopping through the snow and today, rain! (Hope it will melt some snow.) Susan

  27. Camellias are one of my favorite flowering shrubs. Growing up in the south, my daddy was a builder/developer and the we moved into a new house on Camellia Drive. We had camellias everywhere. Really love your pictures, I've been in so many southern homes with camellias displayed the way you show them. Thanks for sharing. Please stop by for a visit.

    ~Emily
    The French Hutch
    http://thefrenchhutch.blogspot.com

  28. Susan, I'm amazed that the camellia bush is covered in blooms again. It is gorgeous! Did you see my tablescape this week? It too features pink camellias. The tablescape was done in January, but didn't get it posted earlier. Enjoy that camellia bush and thanks for sharing the beauty with all of us. ~ Sarah

  29. Southerncook says

    Susan,

    I grow numerous camelia's and I believe the one you cut, the name is Debutante. Your post has inspired me to do a post of some of my camelia's blooming in my garden maybe for Outdoor Wednesday. My favorite is Pink Perfection which was the favorite of my dear mother. I like you float them but if you can get a long enough stem they do work well in flower arrangements. Beautiful post.

    Carolyn/A Southerners Notebook

  30. Southerncook says

    Susan,

    For some reason I posted a comment and it disappeared??? Your camelia's are beautiful. I grow many camelia's and I believe the one you have floating is called Debutante. You have inspired me to do a post about my camelia's, maybe for Outdoor Wednesday. I have quite a few varieties and am planting an espaliered camilia on the back garden brick. Camelia's are one of my favorite flowers. I call them the "Queen of the Southern Garden". Here in N FL they are blooming somewhat later than usual.

    I most often float them but if you can get a long enough stem on them they also do well in flower arrangements. I enjoyed your post immensely.

    Carolyn/A Southerners Notebook

  31. under spanish moss says

    Camellias are such as wonderful plant. During the cold winter months, it is so nice to see the colorful flowers. The dwarf vareity is great to use in landscaping projects. Love how you brought them indoors to enjoy.

  32. Beautiful!

  33. On Crooked Creek says

    Susan,
    Beautiful camelias. . .pink is one of my favorite floral hues! Have a great weekend!
    Fondly,
    Pat

  34. Susan (Between Naps on the Porch) says

    Jan, that is terrible. You have a generous spirit to look at it that way.

  35. Susan (Between Naps on the Porch) says

    Caroylyn, thanks! I do believe you are right…that sounds so familiar!

  36. Designs By Pinky says

    I wish I could grow them, they are so beautiful! Love them floating like that! XO, Pinky

  37. Those camellias are blooming now?! I guess it's just amazing to me to see anything blooming right now – everything here in northern IL is still bare and lightly snow-covered. What beautiful flowers…I don't believe I've seen those here in my area.

  38. I love floating flowers or even petals in a bowl. Your display is gorgeous!!

  39. Vicki V @ blestnest.blogspot.com says

    I used to have both pink and white camellias when lived in New Orleans. They are SO beautiful! The pink ones are my fave.

  40. I live in the Sierras and I have two camellias in pots (large ones) on the porch. Some camellias do have a subtle scent. Love all the wonderful colors and types of camellias.

  41. I am a bit jealous as I would adore having a Camellia bush growing in my yard, but I do not think they grow in north Texas….more the climate in east and south Texas.

  42. Sue (Someone's Mom) says

    I love to float flowers. We don't have camellias, but I float roses in the summer. I always thought they did have a fragrance…I learned something!

  43. Hello to our own Lady of the Camellias. Thank you for sharing these beautiful blossoms with us. I think they look equally wonderful floating or in a vase. I had missed your bedroom metamorphosis post, so I'm very glad you included a link to it. What a transformation! Truly fit for a princess.

    Wishing you health and happiness …

  44. Gabriela Delworth says

    Happy Pink Saturday!

    Love Camellias and your bush looks fabulous! It's huge.

    ~ Gabriela ~

  45. Susan, I have the same type of camellia. Don't you love how beautiful the ruffled petals are? Never thought to put them in a vase as I have always floated mine. Definitely going to try the vase style next time.
    Jane T.

  46. Bella Michelle says

    I think my camellias have brought forth a larger yeild "after" the cold than before…maybe it is their little way of defying the weather! I love you pink double, just lovely.

  47. Happy Pink Saturday, Susan.

    We've got camellias blooming here, too. I love them in all colors. Sometimes I float the blooms in water, and sometimes I place them in a vase.

  48. Fishtail Cottage says

    So pretty! you should link this garden post up to Cottage Flora Thursdays? Would love to see you link up! xoxo

  49. Susan,

    Your beautiful pink camellia bush inspired me to purchase a camellia today…. I've been trying to decide what to plant in my bed that winds down the side of my house to my kitchen window and a gardener friend suggested a camellia given the growing conditions there. I wanted something tall enough to be seen from the kitchen window and I wanted something that bloomed. I bought the apple blossom, which has white flowers rimmed with a blush pink. Thanks for inspiring me once again!

  50. I love camellias – they are probably my all-time fav for flowering bushes. We always had them growing up in AL. Sadly, they will not survive where I live now, but I do sometimes get a chance to enjoy the one at my dad's house over Christmas. If I ever get back down that way for good, I will no doubt have a yard full of them. I've never tried growing them as an indoor container plant. Anybody have experience with that?

  51. Susan BetweenNapsOnThePorch says

    Teri, I've never tried to grow them that way either. Wonder if they make a miniature variety?

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