Has Got its Seasons all Mixed Up!

I was going to have a walk today but the weather forecast was for gale force winds so didn't want to get covered in dust and derpy from the buildings that are coming down just now. What happened.. well we only had a few strong blasts, otherwise it has been a clam warm day. So should have gone out!

I spotted this camellia tree today in our garden flowering. It is a spring camellia and shouldn't be flowering at this time of year. It has at lest eight flower on it and more to come.. but the bad weather with snow down to low levels on Sunday will knock to back! Sorry I don't know its name.

Uses for the Camellia Flower

Aside from being stunningly beautiful and being available for cut bouquets, there are many other uses out there for camellias. The bigger use for Camellias is actually tea production, this is a tea plant. There are many teas that are made from this plant and they produce a great taste for tea. These plants are also used for cooking oils, there is a tea oil that comes from these plants and this is made when the seeds are pressed down, this has been used to cook a lot of different dishes.

The Symbolism of Camellia

The symmetrical beauty and long-lasting quality of the flower have long been appreciated by young lovers as the token for expressing devotion to each other. In the eyes of the Chinese, the petals reflect the spirit of a lady, and the holder of the petals (the calyx) represents the young man entrusted by the lady as her protector.

The calyx of the camellia falls with the petals when the flower has finished blooming. This is unlike most other flowers, where the calyx seems to hang around the tree even after the petals have dropped. This phenomena symbolizes an everlasting union between lovers. In many parts of China, the camellia is considered as the flower for young sons and daughters.
Taken from and for more information on Camellias