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The 2024 Garden Year

January 19, 2024 January Our year started with snow, ice and frigid temperatures in mid-January. Our temperatures stayed below freezing for almost a week. I think it was the most consistent cold that we've experienced since moving here. Fortunately, it was a dry snow so there wasn't too much damage. Once again, we almost lost the azara and I'm afraid there would have been some breakage if I had not kept knocking the ice off. February 14, 2024 February In past years, it seems that inclement weather seems to hit around Michael's birthday in mid-February. After the January snow and ice, this month was actually quite tame. Nothing exciting to report - mostly birdwatching . Early flowers like hellebores, cyclamen and crocus begin to bloom in mid month. March 3, 2024 March I got into a walking routine which I'm happy to report I am continuing this year. You get to the point where you feel guilty if you miss a day. I do miss days occasionally but I'm learning that ...
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Camellia - state flower of Alabama

Our state flower used to be the goldenrod. I remember learning this in grade school in the late 1960s but it turns out that the state flower was changed to the camellia in 1959. I guess school textbooks were not updated that often back then. Why the change? Well, some garden society ladies thought that the goldenrod was undeserving as the state flower and many considered it a weed (it was initially chosen by school kids in 1927 as their favorite flower). So, the state flower was changed to the camellia in 1959, and since there are different varieties of camellias, Camellia Japonica was specifically selected as the state flower in 1999. I don't know why it took forty years to do this.

I don't resent this decision and I have nothing against goldenrod (in fact, I grow it in the garden) but I'm absolutely gaga over camellias. I got the camellia fever a few years ago and planted a lot of them. Most are still very small. I think camellias are the perfect flower and I marvel at their symmetry and beauty.

This is peak season for the camellias and almost all of ours are blooming. Here is a sampling:

'Dr. Tinsley'

'Taylor's Perfection'

'Nuccio's Pearl'

'Professor Sargeant'

'Spring Festival'


'Magnoliaflora'





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  1. SheilaMarch 18, 2009 at 3:22 PM

    All lovely blooms!

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  2. F CameronMarch 18, 2009 at 3:29 PM

    Phillip -- fantastic blooms and photography! You'd love coming up here to visit Camellia Forest Nursery.

    cameron

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  3. Phillip OliverMarch 18, 2009 at 3:33 PM

    Thanks Sheila!

    Cameron, I've always wanted to visit it - do you live close to it?

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  4. Digital Flower PicturesMarch 18, 2009 at 3:46 PM

    Nice Collection. I think I like 'Spring Festival' the best. Camellias come within about 75 miles south of here. If you are near the shore and site it well it may grow in southern Connecticut. Too bad because it makes a great landscaping plant. You are lucky to be able to grow them.

    BTW, the pictures of these and the bloom day were fantastic.

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  5. C. C.March 18, 2009 at 4:19 PM

    Your flowers are gorgeous. The previous owner of our house planted camellias everywhere. There are so many that I tend to take them for granted ... more than 20 feet tall in colors of deep rose, red, white, pale pink, pure white, and even a striped rose and white. I don't know any of their names. They seem to be blooming all at once this year, which is unusual. I'll try to add a picture to my profile.

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  6. Phillip OliverMarch 18, 2009 at 4:21 PM

    Digital, coming from you, that is a major compliment!

    Hi CC, thanks for visiting!

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  7. LesMarch 18, 2009 at 4:35 PM

    Beautiful shots!. I have one Goldenrod, but I have 10 Camellias and am trying to figure where I will put some more - they are near the top of my favorite plants list.

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  8. WayneMarch 18, 2009 at 5:28 PM

    Ahhh, the southern garden hath many beautiful plants!

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  9. AnonymousMarch 18, 2009 at 6:03 PM

    Awesome Phillip! Camellias were my Dad's favorite and he would get cuttings and root them from everywhere he went. Some were so double they look like carnations. I am going to try to get some photos and cuttings for you when I go back to the house in town. Your photos really bring back wonderful memories! Great Shots... Judy

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  10. Sweet Home and Garden CarolinaMarch 18, 2009 at 6:15 PM

    I didn't realize until recently that Alabama's state flower was changed from Goldenrod to Camellia.

    The Camellia is truly a beautiful flower but unfortunately one that I was not acquainted with growing up in the rural countryside.

    Your collection is outstanding.

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  11. joeyMarch 18, 2009 at 6:57 PM

    I can see why you are gaga over your stunning camellias (so tempting to those of us who can't grow them :)

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  12. AnonymousMarch 18, 2009 at 6:59 PM

    We've got camellias blooming here. They're amazing flowers.

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  13. GailMarch 18, 2009 at 8:10 PM

    Lovely Phillip...Just wonderful...I think I adore these flowers myself! You know I planted White By The Gate last week; then added coffee grounds to it this morning. Don't know if it will help but it certainly smells delicious! gail

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  14. AnonymousMarch 18, 2009 at 8:12 PM

    Raindrops just enhance their beauty!

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  15. Bren HaasMarch 18, 2009 at 8:59 PM

    Wonderful photos as always. I think I have to add a few of these to my want list for the garden this summer. Wonder how well they would do in zone 5?!
    Happy Gardening Dear Friend and thank you for sharing your work.

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  16. Catherine@AGardenerinProgressMarch 18, 2009 at 9:12 PM

    So many pretty ones! I love the Magnoliaflora! Our camellias are behind this year. I think it's going to be a couple more weeks still.

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  17. Rob (ourfrenchgarden)March 19, 2009 at 1:13 AM

    Hi Phillip

    Often Camellia are grown by the frontdoor over here.

    I'm always taken by the perfection of the blooms and so early.

    I enjoyed your photos.

    Rob

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  18. AnonymousMarch 19, 2009 at 1:56 AM

    Phillip, glad I found you, because I wrote a post about camellias in Feb. this year. I love all the varieties of this flower -visit my blog - I don't think I see the one that's in my yard. Stunning pics by the way!

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  19. Lisa at GreenbowMarch 19, 2009 at 3:52 AM

    I love camellias too. I can't grow them though. I have often lamented this fact. I think they look like roses. I will never forget the first time I saw some blooming. I was a neophyte gardener and had never heard of them. I wondered what kind of rose had that sort of leaves and no thorns. Ha... so much to learn. I am still learning.

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  20. Monica the Garden FaerieMarch 19, 2009 at 5:37 AM

    I also like goldenrod as it's a native plant, but camellias are much showier, so you can see where garden ladies (among others!) would rally for that. Michigan's state flower is the apple blossom, and I'm cool with that as Michigan is the second largest apple grower in the U.S.

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  21. Jean CampbellMarch 19, 2009 at 5:55 AM

    I wish Georgia had as elegant a State Flower as the Camellia. Those Cherokee Roses grow into huge thorny things as big as a house. Not that camellias are small -- some of mine are the size of gazebos.

    I love when the petals fall, covering the ground like a carpet all around.

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  22. Roses and LilacsMarch 19, 2009 at 6:15 AM

    What a beautiful collection of blooms. I don't blame your for your obsession. Up here in IL people try to grow them as house plants without great success.
    Marnie

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  23. Dirt PrincessMarch 19, 2009 at 8:23 AM

    Phillip....we do live in Alabama...so it doesn't suprise that it took them 40 years to make a selection. Nothing in this state suprises me

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  24. RandyMarch 19, 2009 at 2:05 PM

    What a pretty post! Great shots, Phillip. Speaking of out dated books. My science book in grade school said scientist were hoping to visit the moon someday. We were a little out dated too. LOL

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  25. KathyMarch 19, 2009 at 6:22 PM

    The Magnoliaflora is my favorite, too. I'd have to grow them in a heated greenhouse, if I grew them at all. That's what Winterrowd and Eck do in A Year at North Hill.

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  26. AnonymousMarch 20, 2009 at 5:18 PM

    Hi Phillip, you are the master of the camellias! What a funny story about the state flower too. Goldenrod gets no respect! Although it is starting to get back into the good graces. I remember my mother blaming it for her allergies when in fact it was ragweed. The poor innocent goldenrod just happened to bloom at the same time and was much more noticeable than the evil guilty party.
    Frances

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  27. NathanMarch 20, 2009 at 5:23 PM

    Lovely photos. Camellias are such a nice flower.

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  28. MachelleMarch 21, 2009 at 11:39 AM

    Hi Phillip,
    Nice history lesson on our state flower, and yours are SO beautiful! I'm almost jealous. LOL, Unfortunately I have never grown one, why? I don't know. I was trying to think of something to grow against the back of our house, it faces east and has lots of dappled shade. I was considering Camellias and Rhododendrons, What do you think?

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  29. BobMarch 21, 2009 at 10:15 PM

    Really wonderful shots. Seeing those camellias reminds me of the ones that I had growing up. They were small trees! thanks for sharing this great plant.

    all the best, Bob

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  30. AnonymousMarch 23, 2009 at 3:35 AM

    Our camellias have finished blooming by now, but it is nice to see pictures of yours. Every time I see one, I want to add it to my garden. I guess I would need a 20 acre plot of land to accommodate all my "wants." Enjoy your flowers.

    Jan
    Always Growing

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  31. Dig, Grow, Compost, BlogMarch 23, 2009 at 6:41 PM

    As much as I like goldenrod, I think the camellias are more photogenic. :-) Every one of yours is gorgeous.

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