Pop-Up Event: Fall Camellias in Bloom at Hedgleigh Spring, Swarthmore, PA –
Home Garden Tour with Charles Cresson

No longer are camellias the delicate jewels reserved for only the most protected sites in the landscape. Recent breeding breakthroughs have provided a remarkable selection of varieties possessing increased cold hardiness, enabling wider use in our landscapes. So now the fabled camellia of the South can be an easy to grow garden plant in our region, tolerant of drought and heat. With their long succession of bloom, even on the same plant, and the choice of spring or fall bloom seasons, camellias are outstanding evergreens for shade. Discover how the best varieties survived for years in this Delaware Valley garden.

Join local expert Charles Cresson in his garden at the peak of fall bloom, featuring specimens up to 15 feet tall, to learn how to select the best varieties and where to site them in the landscape. A comprehensive reference handout of more than 50 hardy varieties will be provided.

Charles Cresson has been growing camellias outdoors in his garden, Hedgleigh Spring, for over 40 years and has been trialing the hardier introductions for over 30 years. The garden, which spans four generations of his family, is known for its early 20^th Century design and collection of plants and combinations. He is also a garden designer, consultant, photographer and author. Cresson studied horticulture at the University of Vermont and the University of Bath in England and has worked for the Royal Horticultural Society and W. Atlee Burpee Co. as well as several local public gardens. He has taught bulbs at Longwood gardens for 30 years. He is the award winning author of 3 books, Charles Cresson on the American Flower Garden, Ornamental Trees and Rock Gardening. In 2001, Cresson was awarded the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Certificate of Merit.

Hedgleigh Spring has also been featured in The American Man's Garden by Rosemary Verey, The Collector's Garden by Ken Druse, in numerous magazines, and in a 2020 BBC documentary Monty Don’s American Gardens.

This is a Members Only event. Registration is required. The cost is $20 per person. Only guests who are on the same membership as the registrant are permitted to attend. The visit is limited to 15 participants. There will be a waitlist if needed.

This tour is also being offered on Thursday, November 6^th.

Registration will open September 24^th. Registration closes November 2^nd. Click here if you would like to become a member of HPS/MAG before registering for this event.

Please wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. The property is very level and easily navigated. If raining lightly, please bring an umbrella. If raining heavily, the rain date is Friday, November 7^th.

Address and parking directions will be sent to all registrants in their confirmation email.

Contact: Laura Axel at [email protected]