Gardening Of Landscape Camellias – Growing Columnar Shrubs

In the landscape camellias can be used as neutral fillers under windows or by a screened porch, and may be set about 3 feet apart. Some plants must be given at least 5 feet lest their lower branches be shaded by encroaching shrubs. Espaliers must have 10 feet to themselves.

The Private Area

Evolved out of the old backyard is today’s outdoor living area, usually the largest part of a suburban plot. Here, there is space for hobbies, games or other forms of relaxation and entertainment. With its open center enclosed by attractive borders, the old cluttered backyard has been transformed into a charming, secluded out-of-doors living room.

The most popular boundary is the simulated fence row. Hardy, broad-leaved evergreen shrubs in informal naturalistic plantings – and small flowering trees furnish interesting bays and promontories. For seasonal color, dogwood, redbud, Jerusalem thorn, mimosa are favored trees.

Camellias thrive in the light broken shade of these deciduous species. In fact, camellias of all types can be used to superlative advantage in the boundary fence line. They should not be planted: the exclusion of other shrubs but as occasional groups to complement the deep green of wax privet, gray-green of feijoa and light, yellow-green of anise shrub. A planting interval of about 5 feet is good here.

Pillars and Hedges

Tall-growing columnar shrubs such as a Camellia spaced at regular intervals of 15 to 20 feet in borders of azaleas or deciduous flowering plants, contribute rhythm, create dominance.

As sentinels to the entrance of a formal garden, specimens of the pillar-like Camellia japonica are ideal. In order to make sure that pairs grow uniformly matched, those cultivated from cuttings are preferred.

To define boundaries of formalized settings, clipped hedges of Camellia sasanqua cannot be surpassed. While a double, staggered row of plants at 18-inch intervals is ideal, a single row will serve almost as well. The plants must be pinched frequently to induce thick branching and clipped regularly during the growing season to insure a thick, compact hedge.

The smallest part of any well-designed plot should be the service area which is usually near the kitchen, driveway, and garage. As a rule, this part is screened off. Camellias are fine here, because they are hardy, evergreen and compact, make a permanent barrier and furnish flowers for cutting. Unity is important in such screens so one variety only should be planted.

Discover 100′s of Topics – 1000′s of Articles at Plant-Care.com for example:

• Lady Slipper Plant Care
• Bonsaí Tree Ligustrum
• Houseplant Ananas Comosus