麻豆社

The yellow building across the street, now home to 麻豆社’s International Programs Office, was once Ms. Jewel’s residence, where she lived with her husband, Roy. Behind the house is Ms. Jewel’s personal camellia garden, planted between 1935 and 1956. We know this because she carefully recorded the date, location, and variety of each camellia she planted. Her backyard also served as the nursery for many camellias that would later be used to create the Camellia Trail. 

In fall and winter, there is almost always a camellia blooming along the trail—an effect Ms. Jewel planned by choosing varieties with staggered bloom times. She also created focal points by planting certain varieties in clusters, like the one surrounding us now. To your right and left are Camellia japonica plants of the Elegans variety. Elegans is one of the most widely planted Japonicas in the world, known for its long flowering period and rose-colored blooms with many petaloids. In the early 20th century, Elegans was popular in the commercial corsage industry due to its resilient blooms. However, by the mid-1900s, a fungal disease called petal blight became so widespread that camellias were no longer viable in the wholesale flower market.