"Camellias"
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| Scientific Name: | Camellia x williamsii cv. Clarrie Fawcett |
| Common Name: | ‘Clarrie Fawcett’ |
| Plant Family: | THEACEAE |
A puddle of pink petals between the ramp from the Visitor Centre viewing deck and the Residence Garden will alert you to the presence of Camellia x williamsii cultivar Clarrie Fawcett. This free-flowering hybrid was raised in 1946 by the Australian camellia-breeder Professor E.G. Waterhouse.
Nearby, at the top of the Terrace Steps, three other camellias peep above the hedge. These are: Camellia japonica cv. Mariana; a pendulous, pale-pink beauty that is yet-to-be identified and Camellia japonica cv. Chandleri.
There are plenty more camellias to admire as we pass mid-winter and head toward Spring. One of my favourites is Camellia transnokoensis with its maroon-tipped buds and profusion of small, pure-white flowers.
There is a specimen of this wonderfully long-flowering shrub between C. ‘Clarrie Fawcett’ and the circular seat in the Residence Garden.
Jan Allen
Garden Information Officer