The Queen of the Southern Garden

In many parts of the United States it is very cold and even here in North Florida it has dipped down into the teens. This time of year though we enjoy one of the most beautiful of blooms, the Camellia. There are so many different varieties that bloom at different times. Some are early bloomers, some mid and some late but in any case they are always enjoyed especially when it's cold when there is nothing else blooming.

This particular Camellia is one I just discovered last year and planted a plant as soon as I had seen it in a friends garden.

The name of this gorgeous Camellia is Frank Houser. I believe it is a fairly new hybrid and probably named after the hybridizer.

The size of it is just amazing and the color is a cherry red which goes well in my house anytime. It is almost the size of a salad plate.

I love placing these gorgeous blooms on my kitchen window sill because they make me smile every time I look at it.

Camellia's are semitropical evergreen trees or shrubs related to the tea plant. It is native to China and Japan. Many varieties of this plant are grown as ornamentals in the South and the Pacific Coast regions of the United States. The state of Alabama has adopted the Camellia as it's state flower and they will bloom from Winter into Spring. Our area is truly blessed to be able to grow this gorgeous plant and I have many in my Southern garden

 Today Susan at a Southern Daydreamer is hosting her blog party, Outdoor Wednesday and I haven't participated in this fun party in a long time. I thought today would be a good time to share one of our most prized ornamental plants, The Queen of the Southern Garden. To see other participants of Outdoor Wednesday you can click here. Thank you for visiting my blog and please do come again.