BRIGHT SPOT IN THE GARDEN; CAMELLIAS CAN DRESS UP DRAB WINTER SCENE.

Byline: Carol Bidwell Staff Writer

The garden can be a pretty bleak place between late fall and early spring. The perennials have died back, the roses are pooped after a summer of blooming, and there's nary a spot of color to be seen.

Unless, that is, you've planted camellias.

``A lot of times in the winter, they'll be the only things blooming in the garden,'' said Tim Thibault, curator of the camellia forest at Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge. ``They're a really welcome spot of color in what otherwise is a really drab time.''

Because fall is planting time, nurseries are stocking camellias right now, and - with any luck and a bit of help from Mother Nature - you could have bushes of blooms by February.

Many gardeners shy away from camellias, mistakenly believing the frilly pink, red and white flowers are impossibly demanding, impossibly fragile.

But nothing could be further from the truth, said Thibault and Tom Nuccio, part-owner of Nuccio's Nurseries in Altadena, since 1935 one of the prime camellia breeders and sellers in California.

``They have this reputation for being fussy plants, and I just don't understand it,'' said Thibault. ``About the only way to kill a camellia is with root-rot.''

``You can put camellias in the ground and they take care of themselves,'' said Nuccio. ``I think probably more camellias are killed from too much care than through too little. They're not that hard to grow.''

Well, they do need a bit of help. Like just the right filtered-sunlight conditions, and just enough - but not too much - water.

But if you have only sunny spots in your garden, check with your nursery; some varieties thrive in sun.

And camellias can adapt their watering demands to fit in with other growing companions, said Thibault.

Generally, Valley gardeners will find two kinds of camellias in local nurseries: japonicas, the medium-size, ruffly flowers on glossy-green shrubs that most people envision when they think of camellias, and sasanquas, tough, tall plants with delicate, single flowers whose petals fall like snow when they're spent.

Varieties of both will grow in the Valley, but most will be happier with less sun and more moisture than most Valley growers are used to providing for perennials or other flowers.

A third type of camellia, sinensis, is sometimes available in nurseries, but is known for its dark-green foliage rather than its tiny, unspectacular blooms.

The best time to plant camellias is when you can feel fall in the air, when daytime temperatures go down into the 70s, Thibault said.

Check labels on plants at the nursery to see whether they're sun or shade varieties, and look for vigorous plants with glossy leaves, round, fat buds, and one or two open flowers so you can see what you're buying.

To plant camellias in the ground, dig a shallow hole - the roots grow sideways shallowly rather than straight down - and replace half the dirt dug from the hole with potting soil to lighten the mix. Then use the soil to cover the camellia, making sure the plant's crown is above-ground, advises Nuccio.

If your soil is heavy clay, it's a good idea to line the bottom of the hole with gravel to ensure good drainage, he said.

``They don't like to be sloppy wet,'' Nuccio said. ``You can't give them too much water, when you water, but it needs to drain away. They don't like to stand in water.''

If planting camellias in the ground, it's a good idea to surround them with other plants that thrive in the same sun-and-water conditions, such as azaleas, magnolias, forget-me-nots or old-fashioned violets.

Most camellias will also be happy in a large tub or a half-whiskey-barrel of potting soil; just make sure the container has drainage holes, said Nuccio.

In the ground, most camellias need a good soaking once a week, with an extra drink on especially hot, dry, windy days.

In containers, they usually need regular watering two or three times a week.

Camellias need steady moisture, particularly when they're getting established, said Thibault. He feeds his camellias a 4-to-1 (cottonseed-to-bloodmeal) fertilizer when the first signs of spring growth appear, then a second dose six to eight weeks later.

Both experts recommend a layer of high-acid mulch - pine leaves are good - to keep the ground moist.

The oak and pine forest in the middle of Descanso Gardens, where 35 acres of camellias grow 15 to 20 feet tall, provides the perfect environment.

The best time for pruning is when blossoms are fading, Thibault said.

Prune any limbs or shoots that drag on the ground, he advises, and any dead wood in the center of the shrub to open up the center of the plant.

Make sure to haul away any cuttings, as well as any brown leaves or blossoms, which may carry petal blight.

At Descanso Gardens, visitors can see hundreds of varieties of camellia - many of them purchased from the nursery of Frank E. Uyematsu, who had been ordered to an internment camp in 1942 in the early days of World War II.

The gardens' original owner, newspaper magnate E. Manchester Boddy, bought 100,000 plants, enabling Uyematsu to close down his nursery and bank a bit of cash before his family was taken into custody.

More than a half-century later, the flowers still put on a breathtaking show in the early morning, when sunlight filters through a mist of fog over Descanso's Japanese Garden.

The earliest-blooming varieties of camellias set flowers in midfall, or whenever the daytime temperature dips consistently below 75 degrees, but the blossoms won't open until temperatures hit 60 degrees.

Other kinds of camellias bloom later, through the winter and into the spring.

Peak blooming time is usually in February, although some varieties can continue to flower into the late spring or even early summer if the weather is cool.

Camellias are sort of a trick of nature. Their flowers are gorgeous - especially the multipetaled japonica - and most people's reaction is to plunge their nose into the blossoms for a sniff. But they're almost always surprised; most camellias have little or no fragrance - bred for show, not for smell.

And you'll probably never see a yellow camellia; the only yellow found in the flowers you'll buy at the local nursery have yellow pistils at the center of the white, pink or red flowers. Rare yellow camellias have been found deep in the darkness of tropic bamboo forests, and breeders have been working unsuccessfully for years to cross the genes for the yellow petals with the better-known - and hardier - varieties, said Thibault.

An expert's camellia picks

Tom Nuccio's family started breeding and selling camellias from his father's back yard in 1935, then expanded to their Altadena nursery in 1946. Over the years, they've imported many varieties from Asia and bred many of their own. Here are some of Nuccio's favorites for Valley gardens:

Ace O' Hearts, red, medium to large, semi-double to rose shape on dark green foliage; one of the most sun-tolerant.

Adolphe Audusson, dark red, large semi-double flowers.

Covina, rose-red, small, semi-double profuse blooms; one of the most sun-tolerant.

Debutante, light pink, medium peony-shaped flowers.

Grand Prix, very large, brilliant red, semi-double flowers on vigorous, upright growth.

Kramer's Supreme, red to light red, large to very large blossoms, sometimes lightly fragrant.

Mabel Bryan, large, semi-double, white-striped pink and red; compact growth.

Magnoliaeflora, blush pink, medium semi-double blossoms.

Nuccio's Pearl, medium formal double with pointed petals, blush white with center and outside rimmed with pink.

Purity, white, medium rose shape to formal double blossoms.

Tiffany, light coral pink to deeper pink at edge, large to very large.

Silver Waves, with vigorous, bushy, upright growth and very large, white, semi-double blossoms.

For more information on Nuccio's camellias, call [phone].

Camellia can-do

If you're fascinated by camellias - whether you're a novice or an experienced grower - you can learn the best varieties to add to your collection and the best cultivation techniques at a variety of camellia-related events scheduled for Descanso Garden in the coming months. Events are free with garden admission. For more information, call [phone].

Camellia Festival 2000 is scheduled for Feb. 24-27 at the gardens, at 1418 Descanco Drive, La Canada Flintridge, including events for adults and children. Festival events include:

Feb. 24 - 7 p.m., joint meeting of the Pacific Camellia Society and the Southern California Camellia Society, featuring a presentation by Robert Ehrhart, past president of the American Camellia Society, who grows more than 3,000 camellias at his Walnut Creek home.

Feb. 25 - 1 p.m., learn how to select and prepare camellia blossoms for exhibition.

Feb. 26 and 27 - 1 to 4 p.m., camellia plant sale; 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., kids learn how to create waxed camellias to take home; 2 p.m., walking tour of the camellia forest and class on how to grow camellias; 3 p.m., pruning and grafting demonstration; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., tea sampling in the Japanese Tea House.

Other camellia-related events at Descanso Gardens include:

Talks by Tim Thibault, curator of the gardens' camellia forest, from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 4, ``Sasanquas and Other Early Blooming Camellias''; and 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 5, ``A Year of Camellia Care.''

Camellia forest walks are scheduled at 2 p.m. Jan. 16 and 30, Feb. 13, 26 and 27.

Pacific Camellia Society shows run from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 16 and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 17; Southern California Camellia Society shows from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 30 and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 31; and Southern California Camellia Council Shows from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 27 and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 28.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, 2 boxes

PHOTO (1-- cover -- color) Lone survivors - CamFellias provide flash of color in winter's gloomy gardens.

(2) ``A lot of times in the winter, they'll be the only things blooming in the garden. They're a really welcome spot of color in what otherwise is a really drab time,'' says Tim Thibault, curator of the camellia forest at Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge.

(3) Camellias, like these in bloom at Descanso Gardens, bring color to winter gardens.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

Box: (1) An expert's camellia picks (see text)

(2) Camellia can-do (see text)