Thursday, December 13, 2012

Flowers for the House

What's better the camellia, below, or the dried hydrangea blossom at its left?


Checking on a flagstone terrace project yesterday the camellias stole my attention.  These, above/below, on view from kitchen & master bedroom.



 Walking on gravel past my camellias in bloom.  Life's abundance & I feel it.



How can anyone live outside the camellia zones?


 Professor Sargent, above, is 2 stories tall.  Sitting in my antique wicker chair inside the breakfast room I look up into his blossoms.  Over 2 decades now.


Blowsy.  Adore this phase.


If I had stamens like this, above, I would show them off too.


My blowsy ballerina, above,  is peaking as the azaleas are molting.
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Tells me, 'Happy Birthday girl, you've made it another year."  Odd, my birth day never does.
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Garden & Be Well,    XO Tara
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Pics yesterday in my garden.

11 comments:

Cindy said...

Happy Birthday! I love camellias, and they won't grow here! They are gorgeous. And very blowsy, in a good way.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Tara! I just posted about December birthdays, did not realize you had one!
Best, from Ellen

Nella Miller said...

Happy, happy birthday, Tara ...wish I could grow them here in Canada, beautiful things! N.x o

Desert Dweller said...

Well, not sure how I can live outside the camellia zone, but someday I'll just have to visit it. (though I still might try some in large pots, where I can control the soil pH!)

Anonymous said...

LOVE these camellias. Don't remember life without them...maybe it wasn't 'living'!
I know you have a spring birthday and assume you mean another year's end.
Sending love my dear friend.
xs

Anonymous said...

You would have totally died! Whatever year it was (pre 1987; the "big freeze" hit Virginia! Well; that was the year that we "provided the venue" for the most beautiful "rehearsal dinner" EVER!!

Friends of my close friend from Virginia; the mother called me about where their son's rehearsal dinner could be held in Pasadena California!
(that is one smart mother! I think)

So I suggested our club.....(that is where the reception is!)
Oh. well then...

I ended up talking to this girl for two hours on the phone. and suggested our house!

It was the most spectacular party ever! a Clear tent over a lawn with a fountain in the middle! The camellias were in full bloom (the lady whose house we bought won every camellia contest!)

And it was without a doubt the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen (been to a Serbian Orthodox wedding?)
Crowns, ribbons.......it took almost 3 hours!

Brilliant and fascinating! And the thing I remember the most was the people from Virginia's astonishment and LOVE for the camellias!

LOVE!!!!

(I have to post pics of THAT garden in Pasadena)

Tara; you will LOVE!!!

Anonymous said...

Well happy birthday. too! I feel like I have known you in another life!

When is your birthday???

Penelope

Renée Finberg said...

happy b-day
and merry Christmas to you TARA.
thank you for your great comment!!

xox hugs

Maggie said...

Happy Birthday to you!

Thank you for the camellia photos. They are lovely, and remind me of my grandmother who, living in Virginia, had them in her garden. I loved seeing them blooming in the dead of winter.

Here in Pennsylvania, they seem nonexistent, although I heard there is a variety that might survive here.

Sandy Fry said...

Since moving from the midwest, I've lamented that peonies don't do well here in Georgia -- but when I saw this I realized, "camellia's are the peonies of the South".

Connie in Hartwood said...

I recommend camellias often, when asked the ridiculous question about which roses bloom best in the shade. I totally agree with you... how DO folks live where they cannot grow camellias. They are a fabulous transition with roses from sun toward the shadier parts of the yard.