Community Service Projects

The Society's goal is to foster the appreciation of and culture of camellias. To this end members have given talks to garden clubs, participated in garden club shows, and in landscape design and plantings in public areas in several Bay Area communities. The Society and some individual members have contributed the camellia plants. In addition to the SFPCS's annual Flower Show in February, members have participated in the flower shows at Filoli (Woodside), the San Mateo Horticultural Society, the Gamble Gardens , and Lucy Stern Center (Palo Alto). The Society's public service projects during the last 15 years include:

Redwood City Library In collaboration with the Redwood City Parks and Recreation Department, the Society has contributed camellia, rhododendron, azalea, and deciduous magnolia plantings. Landscape design, taking into account the long blooming time, and special planting, soil, and fertilization requirements, was supervised by Howard Oliver and Cameron Ainsworth (former SFPCS presidents). This garden is dedicated to Harold Gray and includes 25 plants grafted and grown by him. The garden features the yellow blooming Camellia nitidissima (formerly C. chrysantha).

Community Activities Building
Redwood City The Society has contributed camellias, azaleas, rhododendrons, and magnolias, to gardens flanking these civic buildings. The west entrance to the Community Activities Building includes C. 'Redwood City', hybridized by Jack Mandarich (former American Camellia Society and PCS president), and the yellow camellia, C. nitidissima (formerly C. chrysantha). The area around the tennis courts, on the east side of the building, is planted with several newer varieties of deciduous magnolias donated by the Society.

Veterans Memorial Building
Redwood City Members have donated the camellias planted on the north and south sides of the Veterans Memorial Building.

Red Morton Athletic Center
Redwood City Howard Oliver designed and supervised the planting of a special garden on the north side of the Red Morton Athletic Building. It contains acid-loving camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, deciduous magnolias, and gardenias.

Athletic park adjacent to the Veterans Memorial Building
Redwood City In cooperation with the De Anza Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, SFPCS planted an experimental garden of western native R. occidentali along the western edge of the park. The plants were donated by Franklin Mossman, of Oregon, a leading authority on this variety.

U. S. Geological Survey Western Research Center Garden
Menlo Park Individual members of the Society have donated japonica and reticulata camellia plants to the gardens surrounding the U.S.G.S. Center. Under Howard Oliver's tutelage, the resident staff was taught how to plant, fertilize, and care for them, and they have since added to the plant collection.

Menlo Park Civic Center Large rhododendrons, camellias, and a deciduous rhododendron (Mrs. Betty Oliver) were donated by Society members to the garden area adjoining the Public Library.

Holbrook Palmer Park
Atherton In the early 1990s, camellias and large rhododendrons were planted around the main building in the park. In the spring of 2003, inspired by the SFPCS donation of seven interesting varieties of camellia plants, the Town of Atherton designed and planted a special camellia and dogwood garden at Holbrook Palmer Park.

Filoli Center
Woodside The original extensive gardens which Mrs. Roth bequeathed to the National Trust contained numerous but unnamed camellia plants. Jack Mandarich and Howard Oliver, members of SFPCS, were able to identify most of them. The Society has since added to the original Camellia reticulata collection planted in the garden in 1949. Two of the first rare yellow (nitidissima) camellias, originally discovered in China, were donated to this garden along with some of the more recent japonica camellia plants. Oliver has assisted in planning the mansion's front entrance courtyard garden.

Lucy Stern Community Center
Palo Alto Some of the newer camellias as well as complimentary azaleas and deciduous magnolias were donated to the garden for the front of the theater entrance area. Emphasis was placed on the selection of appropriate red and white camellia varieties.

Elizabeth Gamble Gardens
Palo Alto The Society donated twenty of the best newer varieties of Camellia japonica plants to complete the shaded area collections of older plants in the public garden. These were planted in a special soil mix composed mostly of fir bark, lava rock and the Oliver fertilizer.

Conner Park
Los Altos The Society and one of its members contributed plants and assisted in their installation in the shaded area of this downtown park. Howard Oliver designed the planting of some newer varieties of japonica and reticulata camellias, azaleas, and rhododendrons that have a long blooming season in the spring. The garden is dedicated to former member John C. Nichols. The Society collaborated with the Los Altos Parks and Recreation Department in planning the garden, and with the Department of Public Works in planting the garden; Lyngso Garden Materials, Redwood City, CA, contributed the special soil used in the construction of the garden.

San Mateo Arboretum The Society donated two large reticulata camellias to the Arboretum.

It is the hope of the San Francisco Peninsula Camellia Society that through these planting activities, the public will be encouraged to enjoy camellia blooms, further broaden their inclusion in local gardens, and understand the proper cultivation methods.

If you are interested with helping maintain these public Camellia Gardens, please contact us.

Redwood City Library	In collaboration with the Redwood City Parks and Recreation Department, the Society has contributed camellia, rhododendron, azalea, and deciduous magnolia plantings. Landscape design, taking into account the long blooming time, and special planting, soil, and fertilization requirements, was supervised by Howard Oliver and Cameron Ainsworth (former SFPCS presidents). This garden is dedicated to Harold Gray and includes 25 plants grafted and grown by him. The garden features the yellow blooming Camellia nitidissima (formerly C. chrysantha).
Community Activities Building Redwood City	The Society has contributed camellias, azaleas, rhododendrons, and magnolias, to gardens flanking these civic buildings. The west entrance to the Community Activities Building includes C. 'Redwood City', hybridized by Jack Mandarich (former American Camellia Society and PCS president), and the yellow camellia, C. nitidissima (formerly C. chrysantha). The area around the tennis courts, on the east side of the building, is planted with several newer varieties of deciduous magnolias donated by the Society.
Veterans Memorial Building Redwood City	Members have donated the camellias planted on the north and south sides of the Veterans Memorial Building.
Red Morton Athletic Center Redwood City	Howard Oliver designed and supervised the planting of a special garden on the north side of the Red Morton Athletic Building. It contains acid-loving camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, deciduous magnolias, and gardenias.
Athletic park adjacent to the Veterans Memorial Building Redwood City	In cooperation with the De Anza Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, SFPCS planted an experimental garden of western native R. occidentali along the western edge of the park. The plants were donated by Franklin Mossman, of Oregon, a leading authority on this variety.
U. S. Geological Survey Western Research Center Garden Menlo Park	Individual members of the Society have donated japonica and reticulata camellia plants to the gardens surrounding the U.S.G.S. Center. Under Howard Oliver's tutelage, the resident staff was taught how to plant, fertilize, and care for them, and they have since added to the plant collection.
Menlo Park Civic Center	Large rhododendrons, camellias, and a deciduous rhododendron (Mrs. Betty Oliver) were donated by Society members to the garden area adjoining the Public Library.
Holbrook Palmer Park Atherton	In the early 1990s, camellias and large rhododendrons were planted around the main building in the park. In the spring of 2003, inspired by the SFPCS donation of seven interesting varieties of camellia plants, the Town of Atherton designed and planted a special camellia and dogwood garden at Holbrook Palmer Park.
Filoli Center Woodside	The original extensive gardens which Mrs. Roth bequeathed to the National Trust contained numerous but unnamed camellia plants. Jack Mandarich and Howard Oliver, members of SFPCS, were able to identify most of them. The Society has since added to the original Camellia reticulata collection planted in the garden in 1949. Two of the first rare yellow (nitidissima) camellias, originally discovered in China, were donated to this garden along with some of the more recent japonica camellia plants. Oliver has assisted in planning the mansion's front entrance courtyard garden.
Lucy Stern Community Center Palo Alto	Some of the newer camellias as well as complimentary azaleas and deciduous magnolias were donated to the garden for the front of the theater entrance area. Emphasis was placed on the selection of appropriate red and white camellia varieties.
Elizabeth Gamble Gardens Palo Alto	The Society donated twenty of the best newer varieties of Camellia japonica plants to complete the shaded area collections of older plants in the public garden. These were planted in a special soil mix composed mostly of fir bark, lava rock and the Oliver fertilizer.
Conner Park Los Altos	The Society and one of its members contributed plants and assisted in their installation in the shaded area of this downtown park. Howard Oliver designed the planting of some newer varieties of japonica and reticulata camellias, azaleas, and rhododendrons that have a long blooming season in the spring. The garden is dedicated to former member John C. Nichols. The Society collaborated with the Los Altos Parks and Recreation Department in planning the garden, and with the Department of Public Works in planting the garden; Lyngso Garden Materials, Redwood City, CA, contributed the special soil used in the construction of the garden.
San Mateo Arboretum	The Society donated two large reticulata camellias to the Arboretum.