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Love camellias? Then you’ll love Sherman Library & Gardens in Corona del Mar this month, because Sherman Gardens features over 120 different varieties of camellias. This winter-blooming plant is at its best at the end of January, when the garden will be resplendent with a huge variety of camellia flowers.
To celebrate camelias, Sherman Gardens is hosting Camellia Week January 20 – 24. This special event includes talks, classes and displays for everyone to enjoy. Drop in to see the beautiful Camellia Bloom Table; attend a tour by Sherman Gardens’ camellia expert, learn how to create your own bonsai using dwarf camellia, or discover how to use camellia flowers to create floral arrangements for the home.
In addition to opportunities to learn from plant specialists, you can also purchase camelia plants from local growers.
To register for classes or for more information, visit https://thesherman.org/camellia-week-2025.
Monday, Jan. 20: Camellia Paper-Making Demonstration
Demonstration times: 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
Free with Garden Admission – No Registration Required.
Join Debra Mauzy-Melitz from the Coastal Bonsai Society to learn how make a camellia out of crepe paper. At the beginning of each hour from 10 am to 1 pm, Debra will demonstrate how to make camellia petals out of Italian heavy crepe paper and stamens, leaves and buds out of double-sided German crepe paper. These crepe papers are different from the crepe paper you may have used in the past and allow the finished product to look more realistic. Everyone is welcome to watch but four garden guests can make their own camellia free of charge at each demo. All tools and supplies will be provided.
Tuesday, Jan. 21: Creating Bonsai with Dwarf Camellia
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Fees: Members are $75, Non-members are $85.
Join Debra Mauzy-Melitz from the Coastal Bonsai Society to learn how to maintain and display a camellia in the Japanese tradition. During the class attendees will prepare a dwarf camellia to be grown into a bonsai design. The workshop will discuss the various styles used in bonsai and determine which style best fits each tree. Guests will also learn how to anchor a plant into a bonsai pot and the difference between bonsai soil and regular planting soil.
Since the zodiac animal for 2025 is a snake, expect to see some snake decorations slither their way into the workshop. No experience is necessary for the class and there will be an opportunity to practice wiring before working on the plant itself. Each guest will take home a dwarf camellia from Nuccio’s Nurseries, and the knowledge to successfully grow and develop their camellia bonsai over the coming years.
Wednesday, Jan. 22: Tea 101 by Jadetiger Tea
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Free with garden admission.
Join Tea Sommelier, Lan Pham Zentil founder of Jadetiger Tea, to learn the basics about tea (hint: Camellia Sinensis), what is tea, how to steep it, top three tea mistakes we don’t know we’re making, tea benefits, and more. Enjoy a sampling of organic tea and come see what a tea leaf looks like in person.
Thursday, Jan. 23: Camellia Flower Arranging for the Home
11 a.m. to noon
Tickets are free but registration is required.
Join Norm Nakanishi for a flower arranging demonstration using camellia blooms from the Sherman collection. Guests can learn how to use camellias to create beautiful arrangements during the winter months.
Friday, Jan. 24: Camellia Collection Tour with Carol Younger, Senior Horticulturist
11 a.m. to noon
Tickets are free but registration is required.
Explore the wonders of the extensive Sherman Library & Gardens Camellia Collection with Carol Younger, a Camellia expert. Guests can take a tour of the garden, enjoy the 120 varieties on show, learn tips and tricks about Camellia care, and get the best advice on which ones to choose for their garden.
About Sherman Library & Gardens: Sherman Library & Gardens is a nonprofit organization that has been deeply rooted in Orange County for over half a century, serving the community as a sanctuary and education beacon for history and beauty.
Founded in 1966 by Arnold Haskell, and named for his friend and mentor, Moses Hazeltine Sherman, this iconic institution serves as a guardian of regional history and artifacts, a living library of plants both native and exotic, and a conservator of artistic works influenced by and produced in the Pacific Southwest.
Today, Sherman Library & Gardens is a monument to Haskell’s dream of an educational and cultural center including a premier botanical garden and outstanding research library. Sherman Library & Gardens was recognized by the Newport Beach City Council with a proclamation, naming Sherman Library & Gardens as the “Cultural Hub” of Corona del Mar.
Sherman Library & Gardens is located at 2647 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar.