Camellia

The pink Camellia in the garden already has some flowers. It is usually the first shrub to flower, and will go on flowering well into the Spring. Camellias are native to eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia. Although here they suffer from the frost and the cold wind, this species seems remarkably resilliant. The flowers this morning were blowing in the wind, and the light was changing all the time, but I did manage to get this shot. Amazing to think that a plant that originates in Asia can brighten an English Garden in Winter!