In the camellia collection in the lower Dunedin Botanic Garden, the camellias flower from April through to November.
The autumn-flowering camellias are usually cultivars of Camellia sasanqua, but there are also a few true camellia species.
This year, the species Camellia puniceiflora is flowering better than ever. Its name suggests this flower is perhaps a little puny. I prefer to consider it dainty.
Camellia puniceiflora has a small single pink flower with five or six petals, which can reach 6cm across. In reality the flowers on our shrubs are usually much smaller.
The petals are variable in size and are the softest pink with a slight sheen.
You will have to get down on your knees - and it is worth it - to appreciate the delicate apple-blossom fragrance, because the shrubs we have are well under a metre high.
These slow-growing bushes have a natural weeping habit and can eventually grow up to 2m high.
Several of the autumn flowering sasanqua camellias have also started to flower.
Due to their stems' flexibility these types of camellia are perfect for training to grow flat, known as espaliering.
The border at the front of the tea kiosk displays several flowering sasanquas trained against the restaurant wall.
Explore the camellia collection with a colour-coded map - available from the information centre - which shows where the camellia species and sasanquas are planted.
• Marianne Groothuis is the camellia and themes plant collection curator.
