In Greensboro, the camellias are in full bloom. They are a lovely, flowering bush, related to the tea plant. Camellias were cultivated in Asia for centuries before arriving in Europe or America. The flowers range from red to pink to white. The plants with their woody stems and evergreen leaves do well in acidic soil alongside other acid loving plants- like rhododendrons.* In Greensboro, tey bloom at a time when, short of holly and nandina berries, the local landscape can look pretty bleak. The blooms, surrounded by those waxy green leaves, look especially lovely when peeking out from a fresh dusting of snow.
While admiring the bloom above, consider ordering a copy of Alexandre Dumas' The Lady of the Camellias. If we get snowed in, all of Greensboro can read the book and have an online discussion- right here on GDP! Every time we think about that book, we are reminded that Guiseppe Verdi put the story to music and called it La Traviata. So, next time you look at those pretty little blooms, think about the fact that they have quite a botanical and artistic history.
*If you are interested, read more about camellias, here.
Comments