John Newsome and I were talking the other day about the fact that, until recently, neither of us had ever heard camellias referred to as the "winter rose."

John, who has been growing and exhibiting camellias for over three decades, says it's a fitting name, given the beauty and form of the flowers.

Martha Tate / Special (ENLARGE)

Helleborus 'Ivory Prince'

Martha Tate / Special (ENLARGE)

'Crimson Candles'

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"I grew up with all the old varieties in my great-grandmother's garden," says the native of Warrenton in east Georgia. "I love camellias because they bloom when it's cold and bleak outside. It's wonderful to have something to give you color in winter. Also, they're a tremendous evergreen for the garden. The flowers are just a dividend."

Nursery owner Carole Simpson is a camellia enthusiast who agrees that the shrubs deserve a place in every Atlanta landscape.

"They make great companions for other shade-loving plants," says Simpson. "You've got this wonderful glossy foliage and then the flowers in fall and winter. If you plant different types, you can have color over a long period of time."

You can see all the gorgeous winter roses at their best at the Atlanta Camellia Show and Sale this weekend at the Atlanta Botanical Garden (Day Hall). Members of the North Georgia Camellia Society will be on hand to answer any questions. "If people want to bring in a flower to be identified, we'll do our best to figure out what you have," says John. Camellias will be available for purchase as well.

Hours:

Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free with admission to the garden.

MARTHA'S PICK

Lenten rose (Helleborus 'Ivory Prince')

About the plant: Outward-facing, ivory flowers are infused with green. A perennial with evergreen foliage. Grows 12 to 18 inches tall and blooms January through March.

Use in the garden: Another rose of winter. Beautiful in combination with camellias and evergreen ferns. Deer-resistant.

Planting and care: Plant in well-drained, humus-rich soil in part shade.

Source: Ashe-Simpson Garden Center, 4961 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30341; 770-458-3224.

FAVORITES

Here are a few "must-haves" for Atlanta gardens:

'Nuccio's Gem'

An exquisite white flower (above) that does well in Atlanta. Introduced in 1970. A formal double bloom.

'Berenice Boddy'

Some say this semi-double, light pink flower is one of the longest blooming for the Atlanta area. Yellow stamens add beauty. 1946.

'Betty Sheffield Blush'

Semi-double to peony form. Medium to large flowers have dark pink marks. 1958. The original 'Betty Sheffield' (white striped, blotched red and pink, 1949; Quitman) is known as the "sportin' fool" and has spawned many named varieties.

'Freedom Bell'

A bright red, bell-shaped semi-double hybrid. Charming. 1965.

'Professor Charles S. Sargent'

Red flower with a full peony form. 1925. Beautiful in a silver bowl at Christmastime.

'Pink Perfection'

This much-beloved flower provided John Newsome with his first blue ribbon in 1973. Formal double blooms appear in profusion on a vigorous, upright plant. Shell pink flowers are about 3 inches across. 1875.

'Crimson Candles'

Another hybrid that could be made into an espalier or trained onto an arbor to mimic a rose. Dark pink, single flowers appear en masse. Vigorous, upright growth and cold hardy. 1995.

Martha Tate is a writer who lives in Atlanta.