At the moment, the fiery leaves of my Japanese maples are taking center stage in a garden that is otherwise withered and brown.

Beni Kawa

Red Dragon

But there are two other superstars in my autumn garden right now:

Oh, to be more like these Camellias!

• unexpected, but always welcome – for most of the year, these are unassuming, well-behaved, handsome shrubs. In late fall, winter and early spring when nothing else is blooming – they suddenly explode with glorious blooms.
• intrepid – although the flowers look like they should be grown in a perfectly climate-controlled greenhouse, they’ll bloom under mantles of snow
• luminous – the glossy leaves and blooms light up shady spots in the garden