This wonderful old fashioned variety is still hugely popular and can withstand all but the harshest, most windy conditions – making it perfect for cold areas. It’s one of the earliest camellias to flower – with luck producing a display of glorious white blooms over Christmas and New Year.

An early flowering camellia with a wonderful and generous paeony-shaped bloom, delicately shaded palest yellow centres appear on this lovely shrub as early as December. The bright green leaves gradually darken with age providing a glossy backdrop to the luminous flowers when they appear. For the rest of the year, they provide essential structure, which is invaluable during the winter months when many other plants have lost their leaves. A reasonably fast-growing plant with an upright habit it can be planted into a mixed or shrub border or used as a stand-alone specimen. It can also make a fine, informal hedge or screen. An added advantage is that it can do well in a pot for those with a small space or very alkaline soil.( Camellias dislike alkaline soil.)

Position: partial shade (but not east-facing)
Soil: moist but well-drained, humus-rich, acid soil (or ericaceous compost for container-grown specimens)
Rate of growth: average.
Flowering period: December to February.
Hardiness: fully hardy
Garden care: Protect the emerging buds and flowers from cold, dry winds and early morning sun. Water established plants in dry weather to prevent bud drop. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser in mid-spring and again in June. Top-dress annually with shredded bark or well-rotted leaf mould. After flowering lightly trim or prune any branches that spoil the appearance of the plant.