I have grumbled in the past about @shepherdmanswife ‘s magnolia that fills our front garden, a green leafy shrub without interest all summer, deposits masses of dying leaves in autumn, and is a bare twiggy shrub without interest all winter, all for the sake of 2 or 3 weeks of blossoms, that have a tendency to blow off or turn brown in any frost. So why do I love this camellia which shares many of the characteristics? I do like this shrub which produces early gorgeous blooms easily visible from the house at a time when the rest of the garden is only just thinking about waking from winter hibernation. It is prone to frost damage, but the blooms seem to survive strong winds, and the leaves stay firmly in place. It’s the domestic version of the wild blackthorn blossom – a sign that winter is firmly behind us.
Super capture! I think the beauty that plants like camellia and magnolia give us in the Spring is well worthy of a place in our gardens even if they aren't so spectacular the rest of the year.
