Warm, sunny days are followed by snow flurries and cold southerlies.
Fate dictates if a southerly blast strips the blossom off the early street ornamental cherry trees just when the avenues are perfect.
Or if we are frost-free (fingers crossed), the wind might do its worst while the beautiful Magnolia campbellii in the botanic garden's camellia borders are covered in the purest white flowers.
One group of resistant plants is offered by the red-flowering camellias.
All the red camellias flower well, but the darker red flowers are much more resilient to a little rough weather or sun scorch compared to the paler pinks or whites.
Any damage or potential ageing from weathering is much less noticeable.
The result is flowers which look perfect and last longer.
The best time to select and buy camellias is during the flowering season.
Consider the foliage and habit as well as the flower, so that the plant has all the attributes you want.
Because there are thousands of camellia cultivars, changing fashions, and a limited selection of popular cultivars available today, it is best to make a choice from camellias on offer locally.
Deciding on a plant from a book or garden and then searching for it can sometimes be a long and difficult process.
A large selection of red, pink and white camellias is growing together in the Dunedin Botanic Garden camellia collection.
Marianne Groothuis is curator of the camellia collection at Dunedin Botanic Garden.
- Marianne Groothuis
