‘Camellias do what they’re not supposed to. They bloom in the dead of winter.’
I found this quote by Tom Johnson in the February 2016 issue of Southern Living entitled The Camellia man. These camellias were cut this morning at Camellia’s Cottage. A storm is threatening to come through and yet these beauties are holding their heads up high. And they have enough staying power to let me fiddle around with them long enough to make this wreath form and also to take some beauty shots.
Allie Mac told me that those who are true camellia lovers need to go out to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens to the Birmingham Camellia Show February 26-28 this weekend for the annual Camellia Show. And while you’re there be sure and stop by Leaf and Petal for wonderful gifts and plants!
The weather looks like it will be perfect! If you can’t get to the gardens, get outside! Your own camellia may be blooming her fool head off and I wouldn’t be surprised if someone in your neighborhood has a camellia or two! They’re in bloom right now and the seasonal show won’t be around long. So be on the lookout!
Thanks for stopping by Camellia Cottage!
Love y’all Camellia
Hi, my name is Camellia, a fictional character who is an Alabama girl born and bred. Brenda Wyatt created me as a composite of the finest ladies from her home state who will share good things about life in the south. Alabama is a place where we love our folks, our friends, our homes, humor and hospitality. My name comes from the state flower, the Camellia. You might call it a shrub, but if you live here you either call it a bush or just say- ‘Would you look at that Camellia’. Like Brenda told me, ‘Darlin’ your name is gonna be Camellia; it’s the epitome of a southern lady- but like me, it blooms in the dead of winter’. Shh…don’t tell it- Brenda is of a ‘certain age’, but she’s decided to flourish later in life and learn some technology! At some point I hope to introduce you to my fictional friend (what other kind would I have?) named Allie Mac, a play on Camellia spelled backwards. 
Brenda was conflicted as to which character would be the main one. Thank the Lord, I’m the one who won out, Allie Mac is always telling me I need to update and I’m the one telling her we need to do things like we’ve always done. That’s how things are in Alabama- embracing the future and hangin’ on to what’s good about our upbringing. We were taught to write a thank you note, not an email or a post on social media but a real thank you note on real paper written with a real pen, put in an envelope with a real stamp from the US Post Office. It’s just the right thing to do.
Camellia's Cottage 