Today 
Buying a camellia in flower lets you choose exactly the colour you want for your patio show-stopper. This single plant will give you delightful spring colour and its glossy, deep green foliage looks impressive all year round, even when its not in flower. Place it in a shaded, sheltered position in view of the house so you can always enjoy the display.
Plant it:
March - April or October - November
At its best:
April-May
Takes just:
30 minutes
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Make sure there are plenty of holes in the base of your pot and add crock shards to improve drainage. -
Fill your pot about two-thirds full with ericaceous compost, leaving enough room for your plant. -
Make a hollow in the compost big enough for your camellia's rootball and place it in the pot. -
Position the plant centrally in the pot with the top of its rootball about 5cm below the rim. Fill in around the roots with compost and push down with your fingers. -
Spread a layer of colourful pebbles over the compost as a finishing touch. Avoid using limestone or shells, which could leach calcium into the soil and turn the leaves yellow. -
Water thoroughly using rainwater to settle the compost around the roots. Avoid using tap water and don't let your camellia dry out.
"For instant impact, buy the largest camellia you can afford."
"Keep the plant in a sheltered spot so that frost doesn't damage the flowers, and prune after flowering in the spring."
