What a treat to find evergreen shrubs that flower during the dull days of winter. Queens of the winter flowers, Camellias are attractive evergreen shrubs that are highly prized for the beauty of their exquisite blooms, their splendid evergreen foliage and their compact shapely habit. Bursting into flower for weeks when the rest of the garden offers little, Camellias are ranked as one of the very best flowering shrubs.

• Following the fall-blooming Camellia sasanqua, Camellia japonica (Japanese Camellia) becomes the star of the winter garden. This predominant species of the genus counts over 30 000 cultivars in a wide array of flower forms and colors. The blooms can reach 5 in. across (12 cm) and create a gorgeous floral display from late winter to spring. Slow grower, these broadleaved, evergreen shrubs feature a shapely habit and a handsome, glossy foliage.