A Little Camellia Tending

A little camellia tending to kick off the week.

This morning I spent some time tending to the camellias in front of our house. I trimmed back the azalea on the right of the porch to provide some breathing room for the smaller camellia and plucked yellow leaves from the larger one. I also trimmed back the azalea on the right so that we can get behind it to access the water hose more easily and pulled up some ivy that was creeping toward the foundation.

The camellia-azalea duo is a classic, and I appreciate the azalea, but camellias have a special place in my heart. my parents’ farmhouse is flanked by massive camellias on nearly all sides. They serve as home for many a wren. When we first moved back to North Carolina, before heading to Spain, I was awakened most mornings by the birds in the camellia outside my bedroom window. I felt like Cinder-effing-ella. The wrens (and a cardinal) have shown a little interest in the larger of our two camellias, and I hope it might serve as a home for them someday.