Episode: #1 30/08/06	Proudly Presented by
Presenter: Neville Passmore

Neville took a walk through what could have easily been mistaken for the mountains of Southern China, complete with sloping soil and misty gardens. It turns out he is in the foothills of Perth in the Araluen Botanical Park, where the breathtaking Camellias are exploding with beauty and grace. Camellias hale from the mountains of East Asia and they are usually found growing under light tree cover. These flower 'factories' are amongst the most admired plants on the planet. If you know the conditions they come from then growing them at home is a lot easier and their requirements are actually quite simple. Mountain soils tend to be rich, thin and of course, long sloping. Now this translates, as far as the plants are concerned, into free draining soil that is constantly moist and yet has an acid reaction. The easy way to get over this when you are planting out camellias is to use a specific Camellia/Azalea Potting Mix. While it can be used for potting, you can also dig a hole and surround the root ball with the Camellia Potting Mix, which is just the right pH and it is perfect. If soil is free draining it is almost impossible to over water Camellias because they just love to have moisture around their root system. A tip to help your plants through a long, hot, dry summer is to introduce some Water Saving Crystals into the soil around the root system. This will create a moisture reservoir that the plant can draw on during those tough times. The addition of mulch around the root system will also keep it cool through the summer. There are three main camellia families: -The Sasanqua Camellia has simple flowers, they bloom in early winter and they are more heat and sun tolerant. They are ideal for hedges. -The Japonica Camellia flowers from mid-winter, they have showy blooms and generally need more shade. -The prima donnas of the family are the Reticulata Camellia. These have huge, flamboyant blooms through late winter and well into spring. Azaleas are often grown together with camellias, they flower at the same time and they have similar origins although Azaleas tend to come more from the Himalayas. Potted azaleas are a great idea for a living bunch of flowers for a few weeks in the spring and represent great value compared to cut flowers. Head down to your local garden centre and take a look at the displays of these magnificent, high country heart throbs. Featured Products Rainsaver Water Storage Crystals - When added to potting mix or garden soil, the crystals absorb up to 500 times their own weight in water. - The water is released over a period of time as the plants require it. - Reduce water usage and increase the times between watering. - Effective for up to five years and biodegrade harmlessly. - Available in a range of pack sizes. - Ammonium Based Thrive Camellia & Azalea Potting Mix - Ideal for containers and garden grown azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons and other acid-loving plants. Also can be used for blue hydrangeas. - Formulated for acid-loving plants. - The pH of the mix is 4.8 - 5.8 - Organic based mix improves soil quality. Araluen Botanical Park Araluen is located in the Darling Range, 35 kms south east of Perth. 362 Croyden Road Roleystone WA 6111 Tel: (08) 9496 1171 Fax: (08) 9496 1081 Email: info@araluenbotanicpark.com.au