Camellia Sinensis
Both of these lovelies are in my home today. The tea plant, above, was a gift from Marmalady and her green-thumbed hubbie. Earlier today, DH snuck in the bud below and placed it on my desk for me to discover.
Notice the similarities between the two - both have a similar leaf shape with serrated edges. I've never heard of anyone making tea with Camellia Japonica, until I found this blog posting! You can also eat the flowers! (I haven't tried either.)
Camellia Japonica
The DH and I mark the beginning of spring on Feb 1st. On this day, we always have fresh flowers in the house. Around here, nature does too! Snowdrops are blooming and daffodils poke far out of the ground. Pansies are doing well and people are putting out the primrose. Spring comes early and stays a looooong time.
My joy is like Spring, so warm
it makes flowers bloom all over the Earth.
~Thich Nhat Hanh
There may be fewer signs of spring where you live, but they exist if you look closely! How do you honor the anticipation of spring?
Note: I'll get back to my Darjeeling stories soon, I just needed a little break. Happy almost weekend!
There's a Camellia sasanqua in my neighborhood and I'm hoping to try to make a tea-like beverage from it when it leafs out in spring. I tried in fall, but the leaves were too tough.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the blog post about making "black tea" from Camellia japonica...fascinating! I had not found that post before, but this is something I've been curious about for a very long time, see other camellias for tea.
About spring, one way that I am made aware of spring is by the change of birds. Even before the migratory birds arrive, I start seeing breeding behavior in a lot of the resident birds. The other day I heard a chickadee singing its song, rather than just making the "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" sound. Things look a bit too springy here though for this time of year...I saw some bulbs coming up already, it seems a bit early...it's been so mild!
Timely post... just this morning I noticed that some of our daffodil greens have poked through the earth... some only an inch, others almost three inches of growth. There is hope for spring. We had two days of beautiful spring like weather, unusual for this time of year, but a promise of what is yet to come. I wish my camellia sinensis looked as healthy and vibrant as yours. My is one sad stalk... trying to grow... buy having little success. I'll just keep talking to it!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI visited your blog today - I saw you on 'Tea and Talk.' Your photos are so pretty, colorful, and full of life!! I see you have a love for tea too. Me and my daughters started a blog, and we would love it if you could visit us and follow. I would enjoy coming back to visit with you. Your blog is filled with wonderful pictures. I hope to hear from you, and have a sweet day.
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley
How lovely! The jonquils are popping up here, and it's been such a warm winter I think "spring" is just a few weeks away!
ReplyDeleteAs we prepare for snow - I listen to the birds as they start singing and the great horned owl calling for a mate. I check all the little nooks and crannies to see if there is green somewhere - usually the mosses and lichens are the first to "bloom". It's tricky as we have had some of our very worst storms in March - 4feet, 3 feet, like that. But when the little streams are really running and we have sun 3 days in a row, I begin to hope. At the moment, we are kind of hopping from one foot to the other, wondering when we'll get snow.
ReplyDeleteYour season is always a month ahead of ours over here. I'm glad the snowdrops are out --- and I'm looking forward to mine!
ReplyDeleteYour little tea tree is looking wonderful! Mine is two years old now and still living, but it has a hard time thriving during the winter, although it is an inside plant. I suppose a grow light might help --- but it sure is a pretty little tree!
How fun to find that little bloom there. Here we are also seeing the signs of spring and I am loving it. I may even be able to put away my winter lights soon, as the flowers will take there place and make my heart sing.
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