'Buttons and Bows' and 'Royal Velvet' Camellias

The thing I love most about camellias, is that they flower in winter, the time when most plants are busily hibernating and getting ready to dazzle the world in spring. The rest of the year around, camellias are all green glossiness, but come the colder temperatures and those buds that have been busily forming burst into the light with colours and shapes and beauty aplenty.

The current subject of my lyrical waxing is this little stunner with the cutest of names – Buttons and Bows. I have had this little one for quite a few years, and it had stubbornly refused to flower, though never losing its green finery. A major part of gardening is patience, and loving on your plants regardless (a bit like parenting, really) so imagine the thrill when I walked out my front door and saw the first flower – every bit of care and attention was instantly worth it.

It is often a challenge to choose camellias just from the labels that come with them. I think Buttons and Bows is way prettier in person, but I did buy it based on that image. 

I was so thrilled that hubby bought me a second one (available from Bunnings) so that eventually we will have a pretty pair at Bountiful.

The one area where I think the picture labels don’t do a plant justice is in depicting the size of the flower. We were keen to plant a camellia hedge along the front of our carport-to-be at Bountiful, and in our search for a vigorous grower that will top the two metre mark, we have settled on Royal Velvet.

 If I had just been looking at the picture labels, I know this one would not have grabbed me in the same way that seeing them in reality did – the flowers are just enormous and against the darkest of green foliage, they take your breath away. My photo doesn't do it justice at all.

Compare the size of Royal Velvet with Buttons and Bows! 

So excited to get the carport up and put in our camellia hedging.

For now, we are feeding them all well with a product recommended to us by the always helpful Melissa at Flower Power in Narellan. It is called Kahoona, and is for acid loving plants – so is suitable not only for the camellias, but also gardenias (my faves), rhododendrons (of which I have a couple) and azaleas. 

Be prepared for the smell when you open the bucket – I was in the kitchen when I opened mine, and had both hubby and son wondering what on earth I was cooking up, preparing to run a mile at the thought it was something they’d be asked to eat.

The musical connection for this post is easy-peasy, as Buttons and Bows began its life as a song, published back in 1947 and sung by Bob Hope to the beautiful Jane Russell as Calamity Jane in the movie, The Paleface. It also won the Oscar for Best Original Song, and was released as a successful single after the film by Dinah Shore. I’ve included the clips of both versions. Don’t you think one of my little pink beauties would sit perfectly in Jane Russell’s hair?

Welcome at last to my world, Buttons and Bows. You were certainly worth the lovin’.

Tracey  🌸

PS Sometimes there are flowers that bring a precious face or memory to mind and I for one love the idea of a garden peopled with such loving references. Buttons and Bows is such a little cutie, and I couldn’t help but be reminded of a sweet friend of mine, a beautiful young mum who had a lot of rubbish poured into her ears as she was growing up which threatened to sabotage her gentle spirit. Every time she chooses to put her hand into God’s and believe His truth instead of the lies of the world, He comes through for her. Every time I think she couldn’t possibly get more radiant, she does. It’s taken some time and patience and loving on, just like Buttons and Bows, but she is blooming. When this little piece of sweet pink perfection finally comes out of its pot and into my garden at Bountiful, it will always remind me of Libby 💗  

Thanks to YouTube channel of Bones McNally  for The Paleface 

and The YouTube channel of Alan Cromack for Dinah Shore.