Ballerina camellia on many wish lists
THE new ballerina camellia will be on many gardeners’ wish lists after the Queensland launch of the plant in Toowoomba.
The ballerina was released yesterday in the lead-up to the 2017 Toowoomba Camellia Show and Garden Expo, to be held on July 15 and 16.
Expo committee member Greg Johnson said the release was stage three in the lead-up to the expo which will be held at the TAFE horticultural centre.
“It’s been an exciting few weeks for us. The first event was the actual launch of the show. Then on Friday last week we were able to announce the winter garden for 2017.”
A garden is a special place, it is heaven, it is a haven and it makes you feel pretty good... — Greg Johnson
Mr Johnson said the release of the ballerina was a culmination of all that activity and was the first of its kind to be released in Queensland.
“If you love life, if you love gardens, if you love people, if you love variety it (the expo) is a must,” he said.
“A garden is a special place. It is heaven, it is a haven and it makes you feel pretty good about yourself and about life in general.
“That is why people would come, because they are looking for that peace.”
Mr Johnson said the expo was also for a good cause, raising much-needed funds for the Toowoomba Hospice.
“We love the hospice, everybody in Toowoomba loves the hospice. It is such a beautiful place,” he said.
“It costs $1.7 million a year to run and this camellia show contributes, hopefully this year, up to $20,000, which will be great.”
Anyone wanting to get their hands on the new ballerina camellia can do so at Coroneos Nursery in Toowoomba or at the expo.
The camellia is described as early flowering, to flower all through autumn and winter, and will produce delicate, white formal flowers with light pink edges and a hint of perfume.
The Toowoomba Camellia Show and Garden Expo’s Winter Garden was announced last week as the garden of Viola Nicolson and Colin Fitzgerald at Rangeville.
It can be viewed at 32 Leslie St, Rangeville on July 15 and 16 from 10am to 4pm in conjunction with the expo.
The expo will be held on Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16 from 9am to 4pm. The cost is $8 for show entry, $5 for garden entry or $10 for both.
The weekend will include local car displays, speakers, Japanese tea ceremony, plant displays and competitions. For more go to toowoombacamellia show.com.