The garden around Netherby Homestead has many large, well-established old camellias. Earlier this year Bill Parker and Craig Carol from Camellias R Us nursery, met Karlene Brummer, who is one of The Friends of Fagan Park garden volunteers, at a camellia propagation workshop. The discussion turned to the many camellias without names in the Netherby garden.
Bill and Craig offered to come when the camellias were flowering, to identify as many of these lovely old trees as possible. May was the perfect time, with many of the camellia sasanquas in full flower. Camellia sasanquas are the ones that like sunshine and flower in early autumn, camellia japonicas prefer the shade, are more formal in flower shape, and flower later, right into winter.
Bill and Craig were met by the enthusiastic volunteer gardening team, camera and notebooks at the ready. To our delight Bill and Craig were able to identify almost every camellia in the garden, including the ones not yet in flower. By bud, foliage and growth pattern they knew them.
Bill and Craig were great in action – so often absolutely positive, occasionally pausing to confer, once or twice not quite in agreement! A few japonicas are ‘wait for the flowers’.
There are seventy camellias in the garden, six immediately around the house, many more in the larger garden across the lawn, where deep shade creates perfect conditions for camellia japonicas to flourish.
The clipped camellias at the front of the house are pale pink Momozono, two bushes of Setsugekka on either side of the doorway, with wavy white petals and golden stamens, and deep pink Bonanza. Further around on the east side of the house is one of the oldest camellias in the garden, an unusual form of camellia japonica (Speciosissima) with a waratah type flower. It was just beginning to flower in May and is still full of blossoms now in July. Puzzled visitors occasionally remark – this flower looks like a waratah…?
Our heartfelt thanks to Bill and Craig for so kindly sharing their time and expertise.
By Angela Morgan
