March signals the start of the autumn camellia blooming season. These shrubs are often overlooked, but are ideal hardy plants to add colour to your garden over winter.

In March, South African gardens slowly transition from a hot, sweltering summer to the cooler autumn and winter months. With this comes the unfortunate end of the flowering season for many popular garden plants, turning gardens from colorful kaleidoscopes to more muted landscapes. But one shrub begins the period of its prime this season and heading into winter – camellias.  

Species in the vast and impressive Camellia genus are largely native to Asia. Their delicate blooms and vigorous flowering made them ideal for the home garden, leading to the development of more than 3 000 different cultivars gardeners have the pleasure of choosing from.   

Camellias are not usually the first choice for 21st century gardeners, often viewed as ‘traditional’ or ‘outdated’. But, much like other golden oldies that have come back in fashion, the negative connotations associated with these shrubs are slowly changing. If you’re searching for a new flowering shrub to add to your shade garden for some autumn and winter color, give a camellia a try.   

Camellias are best planted in cooler months in autumn or early spring to establish before extreme cold or heat sets in. They prefer partially shady spots, but some species like Camellia sasanqua can handle more sunlight.

Avoid deep shade as this will cause them to drop their buds. Camellias need to be watered regularly, especially during the flowering season, but are otherwise tough and low maintenance. Thanks to their cold-tolerance, camellias are ideal for chilly regions of the country where frost is common.   

ALSO SEE: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GROWING CAMELLIAS

All you need to know about growing camellias