February 27, 2011
I flew into Santa Barbara from the white winter of New York to spring colors splashing through my garden. I felt a little bit like Dorothy touching down into Technicolor Oz.
With fresh eyes, I’ve realized how striking the camellias are in this somewhat bleak, early springtime. I planted them to be a year-round source of color for the garden, but returning home from such a harsh winter landscape, I felt inspired to make an arrangement of them inside. The result was beautiful, simple to arrange, and sturdy. Plus, the Spanish feel of this flower really complemented the Spanish style of our home.
There are many different varieties of Camellia. I have five different types in various colors in my yard. The most impressive versions of this flower, in my opinion, are the anemone-form and peony-form camellia. Apparently, these are not supposed to do well in our costal climate, but mine have been thriving. I guess you never really know until you try, right? I hope you enjoy these snapshots of my arrangements, and maybe feel inspired to plant some Camellias this spring.
