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The CAMELLIA database
How to order:- Indicate your interest in the space provided on the Order form.
Availability:- TBA. Order your copy now.
Current Status: Plant Names + Photo Intensive. Input from Horticulturists to follow.
Contributors: (1) George Kelly, Co Down, N Ireland.
Classification Used: N/A
The Project : Ongoing.
Update Frequency: Twice per year envisaged.
Applications:
Of interest to any Camellia Society, Nursery, Hybridiser etc. around the world.
Installation is unnecessary. The database is intended for viewing in a CD drive using a registered installation of
the Ideas Genie software. You CANNOT view the material on this SWAP CD in evaluation mode.
If so desired, licenced users of Ideas Genie can restore this database from the CD and adopt it as a
starting point to document their own collection.
The photos (and plant information) on the CD may be viewed either selectively or in slide shows.
The Slide show components are designed to be
entirely suitable for both home enjoyment and for professional presentations.
Useful for Gardening Club talks.
Self running demos can be configured for display booth use in Garden Centres.
Data on any plant in the database can be easily accessed.
...and a multitude of other uses!
About Camellias:
There are hundreds of cultivated
varieties of Camellia within the C. japonica species. In addition, hybridisers have introduced many C. x williamsianii cultivars, many of which are suitable for colder regions.
I havent found any formal group classifications. However there are six distinct flower forms
Ideas Genie allows any number of groups and any number of sub-groups to be defined, and plants can be
associated with their respective groups.
The Camellias could be grouped by Flower forms if you so wish.
About the Camellia Database:
To coin
a phrase from mountaineers, I could say that I took at least one photo of nearly all of the 138 varieties at the Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, Belfast, “because they were there”.
I heard about
the International Camellia Society Trials at the park when demonstrating the Ideas Genie software to the Parks Department staff at Belfast City Council.
Being a very keen Camellia enthusiast, I
visited the park armed with a copy of the planting plan, kindly supplied by Eugene Trainor, the man in charge of the original planting.
The Camellia flowering period was nearly over, but In
Ireland, the last blooms on most of the varieties occur in early summer, and are unspoilt by frost. I usually found at least one perfect bloom. Some later flowering varieties were in their full splendour.
Later, Eugene sent me a very interesting pamphlet, produced by Belfast City Council Parks Department, summarising the aims of the trials, the judging , and a list of the 20 Best Flowering
Camellia Cultivars as agreed by the judges.
I had formed a shorter list of my own favourites over the photo shoot period. A few of them appeared on the judges list. I must find out if the others I
liked were in the Nos 21 to 30 (one being Camellia japonica ‘Contessa Lavinia Maggi’ pictured above.
More about all of that in the database!
More about the Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park
It is impossible to
do justice to the beauty I witnessed. My digital camera at that time had limited memory, and I had to make a number of journeys over a 3 or 4 week period. That turned out to be a good thing, as I had the
pleasure to observe the significant changes in the park over that period.
The numerous Rhododendrons at the park flower at approximately the same time as the Camellias. Some of the magnificent
specimens are forty or fifty feet tall. The Rhododendron plantings are much more extensive than the Camellias.
The main path (on the outside of the walled garden) at Lady Dixon is planted with
the International Camellia Society Trials on the left, and Deciduous Azaleas on the right. I had been reading a lot about the Knaphill and Exbury Azalea hybrids. To my delight, here they were in
abundance!
Unfortunately documentation does not exist for the names of the deciduous azaleas, as they were planted many years ago.
They practically erupted into colour over the weeks of my photo shoots.
Without a doubt, they were one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen.
The park is much better known for Roses.
The Belfast Rose Festival, a world famous event, takes place in July every year. A panel of International judges make the final assessments on The International Rose Trials
culminating in the presentation of prestigious awards to the participating growers.
The province is steeped in Rose history due to the success of two local breeders, Sam McCreedy (now New Zealand)
and Dickson Roses.
NOTE: Ideas Genie must be purchased and registered to view any database in the SWAP library.
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