Newbie

Hello there. I'm new. I suppose I should have done this first yesterday but I posted a topic on the general forum and no-one seems to want to reply - boo hoo.......

My problem is this. I moved into a cottage in Cornwall last August and in the middle of the north facing front garden is a camelia. it's more like a small tree than a bush. It was fine when we moved in and in the pic on the Agent's details from this time last year, it was in flower and looking quite healthy. It flowered early this year - January but the flowers were quite small and now some of the leaves have curled and turned yellow.

Does anyone know anyhting about camelias please? I haven't done anything to it - no pruning - nothing.

Thanks.

 

hi pattiw welcome to gc, I cant help you with camelias there is plenty of members that will have great knowledge of these

 

Thanx lindarosa. I hope so! I could also do with a bit of advice about what else to plant in this north facing garden. The soil doesn't seem very good and a nice friendly guy opposite has given me a big bag of soil food. When I've dug it over and treated it, then I want to put in some stuff for the summer - with a bit of colour.

By the way had a look at your site - like the watercolours. Been to India myself 5 times.

 

Hi pattiw I cant help either I'm afraid, but welcome anyway :D

 

Welcome to another Cornish person! Beginning my self, so will be interested in finding out the answers you get!!

 

Hi and welcome pattiw. I know nothing about camelias either but someone who does is bound to come along soon and help you.

 

Hi, there pattiw and welcome to GC.

I love Camellias and they fall in the same category as Rhododendrons / Azaleas, Magnolias, Gardenias and to some extent Hibiscus, and such like.

First, they like peaty soil and they all like iron. They do like filtered sun although some will survive in full sun, and I mean like I get here! I would think yours needs some nourishment and a bit of TLC at the mo, so a general fertiliser would do.

Sorry you were ignored yesterday ... don't know where I was! Away with the fairies probably, knowing me! :D

 

Thank you. I guess you are right about tlc. The garden has been a bit neglected as it was a 2nd home before. It's north facing so doesn't get too much full sun but we've had some weather to rival Portugal in the last 6 weeks. There's a nice azalea, which seems to be OK but the rest is mainly heathers, which are looking very tired. I think I'm going to rip out and start again, treat the soil and so any suggestions for some colour for the summer would be welcome

 

Hi Sarah. Maybe we can share useful tips for this lovely Cornish soil! Well mine's not so lovely at the moment but...........

 

Hi pattiw and welcome to another Cornwall person, which bit are you in and are you coastal or inland?

There are quite a few things that will grow in a north facing garden. I imagine close to the house will be dryish shade with more sun towards the bottom of the garden. Anything you plant against your northern boundry will be south facing so you get the benefit of any flowering plants facing their flowers towards you.

Cornwall is generally acid/neutral clay (although there can be local variations) so we can grow things like Rhododendrons, Camellias etc. To get an idea of what you could grow where, try the BBC website and fill in the type of plant you want, conditions etc and it wll come up with a selection for you.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/

I don't grow Camellias myself so can't help with your problem I'm afraid but good luck.

 

Thank you Blackthorn. I'm coastalish - Tywardreath. It's not a very big garden. At the moment there's a very nice hydrangea which is thriving just under the front window. There's a 10' x 12' square area which is covered in gravel, in the middle of which is a round bed with the camelia in the middle. I'm looking for something to put in that bed under the camelia (it's more like a tree than a bush) There are some very tired looking heathers in the border - a thriving azalea on the northern boundary and on the other side of the garden path is a sort of rockery area, which has got one or two pretty plants now coming through, a lot of bluebells and daffs and some more tired looking heathers. I'd like to fill up some of the gaps and get some colour in there for the summer. I'll probably get rid of the heathers - they look like they've had their day. I think it all needs a bit of tlc - it was a 2nd home before we moved in so everything was done for low maintenance. Any suggestions will be gratefully received.

Thanks for the bbc link

 

You're welcome pattiw. Maybe a pic of the area will help?

 

Hi Pattiw and welcome to GC Jazz