This month many nurseries offer a nice selection of budded and early blooming camellias. These hardy beauties make fine holiday gifts for the gardener with or without a green thumb. Sasangua camellias sport many small, cheerful flowers on a low-growing, almost sprawling structure. Sasanguas make good espalier specimens as well as container plants. They have a more robust, bushy growth habit.
Flowers are fat and showy.
Many bulbs are up to 50 percent off. Selection is limited, but you will find some good buys. Fill a few pots up now and you will have nice color next spring. Perk up barren flower pots and boxes with cool-season annuals and perennials. Many nurseries offer 4-inch pots of primroses, pansies, violas, Iceland poppies and calendulas in bud and bloom.