How quickly could a Camellia grow?

[bebeboeuf]

I have bought a small one that has some lovely buds on ready to flower. It’s only about a foot high at the moment and I’d like it to ideally give some interest when looking out of the bay window to the front so ideally like it around 3-4 foot high.

Itl be in a south facing position - could I be lucky with it filling the space this summer?

Highly unlikely, I think. I planted one a couple of years ago, that had been very neglected in a pot for many years, and although it is looking very healthy with lots of blooms, it has hardly grown much larger. They are pretty slow growing.

They are slow growing in my opinion and need ericaceous soil

Ah that’s a shame.

Could you recommend something that would suit?

What about putting the camellia (which are fabulous BTW and I keep buying them) in a pot with the correct sil and buying a peony to fill the space. Later flowering (but do not like to be moved) and normal soil. They die back in autumn, and have the luxurious blooms of camellias

A Hydrangea could be a good fit for the position you're talking about. So many different varieties and put on a very dependable display.

Sambucus Nigra 'Black Lace' might work for you - black foliage, white flowers, berries in the autumn?

I have two - one is about 30 years old and around 8 feet tall up a fence, the other is approx 15 years, and 4-5 feet tall.

Some varieties do grow faster than others I think, so it could be pot luck which sort you have.

I think a paeony would be too small.

Camellia are lovely but some colours look awful when the flowers fade, if they go brown at the edges.

Hydrangea or sambuca would be nice. I think it would be worth deciding what months you want the flowers, whether you want berries and flowers, and whether you prefer evergreen, and narrow down from there.