Here at the farm, camellias – those magnificent queens of the southern garden – have been a part of the landscape for a very long time. While none of the shrubs/trees date all the way back to the 1840-ish origin of the farmhouse, these big old plants are very prominent under the oaks and hickories, blooming faithfully year after year from late September until March or April.

White flag. I surrender. I have expended my last vestige of energy on those cruel invaders. How disheartening it is to finish weeding a bed, only to find that where I started is already under siege. I’m not alone. All of my gardening friends are similarly afflicted.