They have an extended flowering period covering autumn, winter and early spring where their exquisite flowers and attractive green foliage brighten up the bleakest time of the year in our gardens. 

It was the monks in the Buddhist and Daoist Temples, and wealthy Japanese and Chinese gardeners who first appreciated the bright colours of some of the wild camellias growing in the forests. 

They selected the best and brightest and crossed these to produce varieties for their gardens and courtyards at least one thousand years ago.     

Today there are 32,000 camellias on the International Camellia Society register.    

Camellias are versatile plants that suit most gardens whether it’s large and rambling or small and compact. 

They can be grown as eye-catching hedges and windbreaks, or as companions to perennial plants in a shrub bed and are well adapted to grow in containers where they take on an aristocratic persona.  

To grow camellias successfully in containers you must, above all else, use a top quality potting mix. Ask for advice from a nursery as to which mix suits their specific requirements.   

Then every three years or so, potted camellias need either repotting into a larger pot or root pruning. Root pruning is an easy task even for the most inexperienced gardener.

First thing to do is to remove the plant from its pot. You’ll find it will come out more easily if allowed to dry out slightly. Then proceed to trim around the sides of the rootball taking off about 3cm or a bit more, depending on the size of the rootball.

Lay the camellia on its side and cut off about another 3-5cms from the bottom of the rootball. A serrated bread knife is the best tool for this. Next, place some fresh potting mix in the bottom of the tub, sit the plant in it, add more mix and firm around the sides. Gently water the plant in.

Regular root pruning produces a healthy camellia that will happily continue to bear lots of wonderful flowers for you for at least 20 to 30 years.  

All camellias respond well to pruning and can be pruned heavily if drastic size reduction is called for. Prune all varieties of camellias immediately after flowering.  

To see camellias and the beautiful daffodils at their best visit the Launceston Horticultural Society’s Spring Flower Show next weekend.

September 16,17,18:  Launceston Orchid Society’s annual Spring Show, Glenara Lakes, is on Friday from 2pm-5pm, Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday from 10am-4pm. Flowering cymbidiums for sale. Members are available for advice. Devonshire teas available.

September 17&18: The Launceston Horticultural Society will hold its annual Spring Flower Show featuring daffodils and camellias at St Ailbes Hall, Margaret Street, Launceston on Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday from 9am-4pm. Admission $2.

September 20:  The Australian Plant Society meet at the Max Fry Hall on Gorge Rd, Trevallyn, Launceston at 7.30pm.

September 21:  The Launceston Horticultural Society meet at the Windmill Hill Hall, High Street, Launceston at 8pm. Visitors welcome.

September 24 & 25:  The Central Coast Garden Club will hold its inaugural Daffodil & Flower Fair in the East Ulverstone Football Club rooms end of Parsons Street, Ulverstone  Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 10am-3pm. Featuring floral art, children’s activities, garden stalls, morning and afternoon teas, soup and sandwich lunches. Admission $2, under 16s free.