Posted by Carol Stocker…Tower Hill Botanic Garden will host the 185th annual Massachusetts Camellia Show on March 1st and 2nd. During the show, which is sponsored by the Massachusetts Camellia Society, hundreds of beautiful camellia flowers at their peak will be on display at Tower Hill Botanic Garden.
Camellias are evergreen shrubs and small trees that can take six different flower forms. A native of Japan, China and Southeast Asia, Camellia flowers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with bloom colors ranging from icy white and pink to coral and brilliant crimson. Camellias, which usually have rapid growth rates and thrive in temperate, humid climates, are also used to make tea and sweat seasoning and cooking oil.
The Massachusetts Camellia Society show is the oldest continuing exhibition of camellias in the United States. During the annual show, visitors will have the opportunity to view hundreds of flowers on Camellia trees featured in Tower Hill’s own collection, along with blossoms from a variety of private collections.
“The annual Camellia Show is the perfect way to escape the cold and experience the tropical greenery of Tower Hill’s indoor gardens,” said Kathy Abbott, new executive director of Tower Hill Botanic Garden. “The camellia is a wonderful and unique flower known for its beauty and commercial uses. We’re pleased to have on display this March such a diverse and beautiful collection of these special plants. It’s a great way to spend a winter day in New England.”
Massachusetts’ fondness for camellias dates back hundreds of years to the China Trade, when they were reportedly exported to the West by Chinese merchants who mislabeled them as tea plants to protect their market.
During the Camellia Show individuals will also have the opportunity to participate in several events at Tower Hill that are included with the price of admission, such as:
· A Tea Tasting with Upton Tea Imports from noon to 3 p.m. on March 1st and 2nd
· A discussion on The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Camellias and the History of Camellias in Boston at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 1st
· Walking Tour of the Camellia Show with Sandy Katz, president of the Massachusetts Camellia Society at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 2nd
Many of the camellia plants at Tower Hill originated as cuttings from the private collection of Isabella Stewart Gardner. Tower Hill was invited to preserve this collection in the summer of 1998 when the greenhouses that housed Isabella’s collection were dismantled.
The Massachusetts Camellia Show takes place at Tower Hill Botanic Garden on Saturday March 1, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 2nd from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the Camellia show is included with regular admission to Tower Hill and is free for members.
For more information, please visit http://www.towerhillbg.org/index.php/visit/what-s-happening/flower-shows/camellia-show/
Founded in 1986 by the Worcester County Horticultural Society, Tower Hill Botanic Garden is nationally recognized as one of the finest gardens in the Northeast. The Garden has experienced tremendous growth since its inception, and is now one of the leading cultural organizations in Worcester County with more than 80,000 annual visitors and 10,000 active members.
Tower Hill Botanic Garden, located at 11 French Drive in Boylston, is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Wednesday evenings through September, the garden is open extended hours until 9:00 p.m. Tower Hill is less than an hour away from Boston, Providence, Hartford and Springfield.
For more information, please visit www.towerhillbg.org.
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