Camellia

5,000 step walk this morning before the heavy rain which is due in the next hour or so.
The highlight was finding this large Camellia bush which was covered in delectable flowers. It has weathered the recent storms very well.

In my youth I was taught to pronounce its name with a long e. As Cameeellia.
But my horticultural friends use a short e and as it is followed by a double ll I am sure they must be right.

It is an evergreen member of the tea family with over 200 species and over 3,000 hybrids.