Descanso Gardens Camellia Festival Feb. 4

Come celebrate the camellia, a flower rich in history, with Descanso Gardens at the annual Camellia Festival on Feb. 4. This one-day festival is filled with enchantment, discovery and beauty.



The Descanso Gardens Camellia Collection is the largest camellia collection in North America and has been named an International Camellia Garden of Excellence by the International Camellia Society. More than 34,000 camellia plants call Descanso Gardens home, and power this epic landscape.



During the Camellia Festival the best means of making one’s way through this blooming collection is to follow the forest faeries. Presented by A Faery Hunt Theater, these lovely sprites will lead frolicsome walks through the gardens to share flower facts, magical stories and exciting surprises. These 20-minute fanciful tours will meet at Magnolia Lawn and run from 9:30 to noon, first come, first served.



If you need some garden advice, the Camellia Walk & Talk with horticulturist Wayne Walker will send you well on your way. Walker will lead you through the collection identifying the variety of camellias we have at Descanso and share with you vital care and advice to get those buds a bloomin’. There are three chances to get in on this key stroll at 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, and 1:30 p.m. Meet at the Center Circle.



If you haven’t figured it out by now, Descanso Gardens is known for its Camellia Collection. Join us for the Curator Camellia Lecture with Curator Wen Wang to discuss this grand history and learn how the camellia found its way to Descanso. The lecture begins at 11:30 a.m. and will take place in Van de Kamp Hall.



Interested in learning about tea? Check out Tea Time with Chado Tea. Learn all about tea (Camellia sinensis) from the experts at Chado Tea of Pasadena. There will be tea tasting, tea information sharing, and a variety of tea for sale on site throughout the Gardens. At 1:30 Jordan Essey from Chado will discuss the origin of tea, and how it is processed and categorized in Van de Kamp Hall. Tea Time with Chado Tea runs from 11 a.m. to 3p.m.



All activities are free with admission: $8 adults, $6 senior/students and $3 children 5-12. Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge 91011. Find details on Descanso Gardens programming at www.descansogardens.org.