Experts travel world-wide to see Exbury camellias

Exbury is one of the first stops for members of the International Camellia Society who are visiting England this year.

The world-wide organisation holds a Congress every two years in a different part of the world. This year they travel from all four corners of the globe to Cornwall where they will discuss the naming, hybridisation and propagation of the camellia.

En route they will spend the day at Exbury to see the Gardens' famous collection of camellias, put together by the Rothschild family over almost 90 years.

"We have more than 2000 camellias in the Gardens and at least 250 different varieties, some of which were bred here and are called after family members," said head gardener John Anderson.

One of these 'Exbury specials' is named after Charlotte de Rothschild, who is involved in the day-to-day management of the Gardens.

'Charlotte de Rothschild' (the camellia) has a beautiful white blossom with yellow stamens.

Exbury one of the country's top camellia gardens, continues to win numerous awards for its collections, including many prizes and medals for the quality of camellias at last year's RHS shows.

"The new Camellia Walk, planted seven years ago, is reaching maturity and has proved well worth the wait," said John, who also revealed that Exbury has several examples of a camellia that may not look spectacular but is grown world wide more than any other.

"Camellia sinensis is the shrub whose leaves are used to make tea. We've got them at Exbury - but I don't think anyone's ever made a brew out of them," he said.

The camellia experts visit Exbury on Monday March 31, when they will be given a tour of the Gardens.