In the dark days of winter the Camellia shrubs are its empress. Their beautiful shiny evergreen leaves keep our landscapes from looking barren, but it is their beautiful offering of blooms in the fall through early spring that earn them their crown. Camellias are available in many shapes, sizes and colors. They can spread in front of flower beds, define spaces as tall background shrubs or serve as specimen focal points in landscape, and are excellent in containers.

Here are four varieties that you might consider for your landscape and why we love them.

For your smaller space you might try Chasonette. Chasonette Camellias display profuse, brilliant pink, double blooms and glossy, dark green leaves. They grow to be about 2 to 3 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide. Their flowers are perfect for cutting, while also an excellent choice for a low hedge or groundcover.

Setsugekka Camellia is another great choice. Known for their large, perfectly formed, semi-double white flowers with ruffled edges with bright clustered golden stamens at the center, their structure is dense with a semi-weeping habit and glossy dark green foliage. This camellia is stellar in the landscape, reaching about 8 to 10 feet tall and wide.

Yuletide Camellia is more than just a holiday favorite. Yuletide makes a beautiful addition to a winter garden with its single, brilliant fiery red blooms centered with bright yellow stamens. Its blossoms stand out in high contrast against glossy, dark green foliage. This camellia is great as a colorful hedge, screen or “thriller” in a container. It will reach 8 to 10 feet tall and wide.

Pink-a-Boo Camellia is as fun as its name. Its large, wonderfully fragrant deep pink blossoms are centered with bright yellow stamens and are perfect to snip and float in a bowl to be enjoyed indoors. Pink-a-Boo is another excellent colorful hedge, but also great as an espalier screen or border shrub. It gets to be 8 to 10 feet tall and wide.