‘Complementary Plants’ (Ted Irving)

If you have ever wondered what to grow for colour in your garden after the rhododendrons finish bloom, Ted Irving suggests a number of plants which are complementary.

In early summer, several kinds of Mock Orange (Philadelphus) have masses of white flowers, some having the added bonus of fragrance such as ‘Belle Etoile’. Other kinds are the weeping, single-flowered ‘Galahad’ or our native P. lewisii which is taller growing but also scented. The Golden Mock Orange (P. coronarius ‘Aureus’) is grown more for its yellow foliage colour than flowers but is liable to scorch in hot sun. Following in summer are Rugosa roses which are disease resistant and do not require much attention. Some varieties have the added bonus of colourful hips. They bloom most of the summer and varieties can be chosen from low to tall growing to suit any sunny location. Ted mentioned ‘Henry Hudson’ with large white flowers and ‘Frau Dagmar Hastrop’ a fragrant pink with crimson hips.

Flowering later in summer is the Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus). This plant has either large single or double flowers and prefers a warm sunny and well drained location to flower well. They are very drought resistant. Ted’s preference is for the single varieties and he recommends ‘Red Heart’, white with a red center; ‘Diane’ a single white but with yellowish foliage and ‘Blushing Bride’ a double light pink.

Another shrub mentioned was Mahonia ‘Charity’ which blooms in late wintr but the dark green foliage is attractive all year. It grows tall but can be pruned hard to keep it low and prevent a leggy appearance.

‘Camellias’ (Fred Collins)

We have never had a speaker talk about camellias but Fred Collins has been growing and propagating these plants for many years. Fred is one of the founders of our Victoria Rhododendron Society and now lives at Cobble Hill after becoming a rhodoholic and Camellia grower at Haney in the Fraser Valley.

Fred gave a brief history of the Camellia which was introduced into England in the early seventeen hundreds. Interest flourished because of the species which produced tea but the collectors also brought the more colourful species. George Forrest collected plants of C. saluenensis for Mr. Williams in Cornwall and from which the famous C. x williamsii hybrids were developed.

There are several species of Camellias grown, the most common being varieties of C. japonica while C. sasanqua is winter blooming and C. reticulata with very large blossoms is of borderline hardiness here. The varieties of C. x williamsii are very suitable to our area and have the advantage of dropping their spent flowers after blooming. There are nearly 20,000 named varieties of camellias and they make admirable companion plants for rhododendrons, mostly blooming with the early varieties in April.

Camellia japonica readily produces ‘sports’ with streaking of the petals fairly common and thus many new varieties are named. The early japonica varieties often held on to their spent flowers and unless removed left an unsightly plant for a time. The flowers of some white varieties often spotted brown in wet weather.

Fred showed slides of numerous camellias he has propagated and grown in his garden. Some of those mentioned were ‘Debbie’, a williamsii hybrid with double deep pink flowers; ‘Brigadoon’, a large semi-double medium pink, ‘Nuccio’s Gem’ an excellent formal white with a pale pink edge; ‘Mrs. Tingley’ a formal double pink; and ‘Mathiotiana Supreme’ a formal double red.

Fred ended his talk with slides of his rhododendrons and magnolias. For those

wishing a good book on camellias, Fred recommended the ‘Dictionary of Camellias’ by Stirling Macaboy as a well-illustrated reference, printed in Australia but perhaps available through Timber Press.