The Camellia Garden Field Guide is a layperson's guide to camellia-growing fun. This evergreen shrub, besides producing the world's most popular drink (tea), is prized by gardeners for its winter-blooming flowers. The authors are two accidental camellia enthusiasts who wrote this book for people like themselves, who once were novices seeking help with choosing and growing these amazing plants, as well as for new owners of old gardens needing guidance on restoring their treasure. Written in everyday style, this book is filled with fun facts about the camellia's Asian heritage, its royal European pedigree, and its American rebellious streak (Boston Tea party) which reverberates to this day. The authors offer great tips on getting started, building a collection, selecting camellia plants (including must-have varieties), restoring old plants, ideas for displaying blooms, and directions for year-round maintenance and care.

Hardy camellias reward the gardener with striking and profuse blooms when the rest of the garden sleeps. This encyclopedia is the definitive guide to these beautiful and varied flowering plants.

Gardeners seeking to adorn landscapes in more northerly climates with delicate camellia blossoms will learn how to in this comprehensive guide. Following a brief history of the genus Camellia and the breeding process which has enabled strains to survive in colder climates, this guide outlines the steps to success--from siting, planting, and fertilizing to pruning, propagating, and controlling pests and diseases. Besides offering a wealth of time-tested advice--from one who for more than 40 years has mounted extensive research in the cultivation of camellias suitable for areas outside of their natural habitat and has had a type of camellia named after him--this handbook provides a list of camellia varieties that will thrive in zones five and six, as well as appendices identifying camellia societies, nursery sources, collections, and suggested readings.

This highly illustrated, practical guide offers comprehensive information on the important species of the genus Camellia, as well as the numerous cultivars raised around the world.

A fantastic garden journey that only California can provide In The California Garden Tour, veteran travel writer Donald Olson highlights 50 outstanding public gardens and provides all the information you need to make the most of your visit. From San Francisco and the East Bay to Palm Springs and San Diego, Olson includes iconic gardens like the Getty Center, new favorites like Alcatraz, and uniquely Californian destinations like Lotusland and Sunnylands. The easy-to-use format includes visitor information, an evocative description, and full color photography for each garden.

Presents traditional and time-honored methods for gardening, including holistic solutions to insects and weeds, building fertile soils, saving heirloom seeds, and using garden materials for trellises and sculptures.