the camellia journal

Edna called to Edgar, “Get ready dear. You know we have a long ride ahead of us this morning.” Edgar groaned a little but pulled on his sweater in order to face the brisk January air. The refurbished 1942 Ford was ready for their trip to Perch Creek, south of the city in an area compared to the Amazon River Delta because of the multitude of habitats, flora and fauna. “You will have fun Edgar. We’re having tea with Fred and Beulah Clarke. You’ll enjoy talking with Fred; he’s an architect who includes artistic landscaping in his projects,” said Edna. The ride was pleasant though bumpy on the gravel road. At the gate of the Clarke Gardens was the ticket house with a sign which stated “$1.00 for admission.” Beulah’s father waved them in. The Clarke’s met them, and after appropriate pleasantries, led them along the two miles of trails through the beautifully blooming camellias. Oh what a view out over the creek with water birds coasting through the now sunny skies. Floriferous tree-sized plants with blooms so full and heavy the branches bent nearly to the ground greeted them. They arrived at a special space with an ornate cast iron table and chairs. “This is our ‘tea room’,” Beulah Clarke said. The Clarkes loved entertaining as well as having thousands of visitors come to the artistic landscape Fred had carved out of this idyllic setting. Thousands of camellias, 30,000 azaleas, witch hazel, swamp chestnut oaks, cypress and a host of other rare trees graced the paths. It’s privacy and beauty in one place. As they drove back out of the gate, Edgar turned to Edna and said, “I can’t find the words to describe it. I wish it were ours.” Edna and Edgar couldn’t make it theirs, but you, the reader, actually can. 

Stephanie and I learned of this amazing place on a trip to the Mobile Camellia Show. After placing our meager few blooms (that won nothing), we discovered a man who was grafting plants. His name was Blanding Drinkard, and I engaged him in a rather short conversation. It kind of went like, “Oh, you are the creator of Erle Stanley Gardner. Is there any way I could obtain a graft of that?” My answer was quickly spat out in a rather gruff voice, “No.” At that moment in his life, Blanding was very protective of his creations. Later that day, we were reintroduced to Blanding. This later contact went much better. Blanding took the time to hear that I was an avid Perry Mason fan and had read all of the Erle Stanley Gardner mysteries. He told me of his personal encounter with Erle Stanley Gardner, and that was the reason for his naming of the variety. As Blanding learned more over the years about the Grimm’s plans and efforts to preserve camellia varieties, he became a very special friend. We created a place just for his creations at Camellia Heaven, and many of his unregistered varieties are growing there. He and his family and a few Mobile camellians came over and visited. We also had the privilege of being invited to his landmark birthday parties. When Stephanie passed, he said he had a sport he wanted to name for her; unfortunately, the sport did not hold its uniqueness. 

But I am distracted. We moved on to meet a delightful, engaging and knowledgeable lady with a full presentation about families of camellias. We listened and learned. It was she who later took us back to see Blanding and opened the door to that friendship. It turns out her father-in-law and Blanding were great friends from the military base where Blanding was the head groundskeeper. 

In short order we were hearing the whole history of the gardens now named the Clarke-Root Garden. The garden included 550 varieties of camellias (now nearly 2,000 including 12 species) on over 30 acres first planted in the 1940s. Our first visit awed us as we strolled along the paths. After the passing of the Clarkes and the property had gone into disrepair (and the cast iron benches and tea set were all stolen), it came into the “fortunate” possession of General Bert Root, and he placed his son in charge of it. Tom, Becky’s husband, acted as caretaker until he and Becky married in 1970 when they took up residence there. Tom was from a farming background; Becky had not tested out her green thumb. She had an incredible metamorphosis into a camellia authority. Tom and Becky embarked on resurrecting, revitalizing and caring for the dream Fred and Beulah Clarke had finally realized—a place that showed off the camellia to the public. Becky was a great tour guide, moving from plant to plant with story after story about it and its uniqueness. 

The sheer number of varieties inspired us and our thoughts about preserving camellias; here was exactly what we envisioned at Camellia Heaven—a place rich in varieties that have not been preserved elsewhere; a place that secures the camellia heritage. Becky hosts garden clubs, camellians and their organizations and even the botanical society wishing to be awed by the variety and scope of the plantings. Not only does Becky spread her knowledge, but she shares her plants and invited us and others to air layer any plants large enough. We returned on an April day and air layered over 60 plants. Of course we returned in November to harvest the successfully rooted plants (some 3 or 4 feet in size. 

So what makes the Clarke-Root collection and property so unique? Becky says, “Every day I get to look out my kitchen window and see White Egrets on the banks. Behind them is a landscape of water, river cane and trees. It is so very private and peaceful; I love living here.” She didn’t even mention the camellias as

if the general landscape, ambience, wildlife and other aspects of their paradise were more important than the special collection of old varieties the Clarkes and the Roots gathered from across the country. Becky gets to live there and enjoy it ALL. We were amazed by the number and size of the camellias. From a John Illges that I climbed like a child on an oak tree to the myriad of pre-1950 varieties, we turned from one fabulous bloom to another.  

The 80-year-old C. fraterna Fred Clarke obtained from K. Sawada, along with many of the Sawada creations, dominates its area with its open, spreading habit. 

The sheer volume of plants and blooms outpaces nearly all private collections I have seen and compares with many of the major public collections. 

As with so many of us, the Roots are older, and while no less in love with camellias and this wonderful site, they are also in love with their grandchildren. The Clarke-Root Gardens are now for sale. May God bring them a person who can love the camellias as much as the Clarkes and the Roots. Like Edgar, I wish it were mine; I hope it becomes yours.