Camellia flowers

A blessing of living in a mild winter climate (USDA Zone 7b) is that hardier plants from temperate areas elsewhere thrive here. Camellias are one of them.

I probably haven't appreciated them properly in the past.

They're not very supportive of native wildlife (C. japonica cultivars have highly modified flowers), although they provide cover and nesting sites for birds.

But in winter, they provide a wonderful array of flower shapes and colors; they're evergreen; and they're drought-tolerant and low-maintenance.

And now, in mid-winter, they're flowering, and providing an uplift of spirit. There's a lot to be said for that.