Ask RiotACT: Best camellias to grow in Canberra?

I planted three Marie Young sasanqua camellias 18 months ago. They are blooming prolifically now – clear mid-pink blooms. They also bloomed in spring. I put them in a row of large pots to create a hedge between two parts of my courtyard. They were under a metre when I purchased and although they can grow to 3 metres, they will be pruned regularly to keep them branching out. They are currently nearly 1.5 metres. Apparently, they also espalier quite well. They are suitable for hedging, they love the morning sun and are tolerating some afternoon summer sun, have lovely glossy dark green leaves, and I have put in a drip watering system. Willow Park in Pialligo have a really good selection of camellias most of the year.

After struggling with camellias for many years, both in pots and in garden beds, my advice is to plant pittosporums! 🙂 Yes, pittosporums don’t flower, aren’t as nice to look at etc – but they’re unbeatable as a fast-growing and hardy hedging/screening plant!

Assuming the hedge location is in at least some sun, you’ll need one of the sasanqua camellias (not japonicas) as the sasanquas can tolerate more sun.
I have sasanqua camellias (Beatrice Emily) surrounding my paved area and tbh they are most annoyingly high maintenance plant in my garden, especially during the hot summer – and that is just to keep them from carking it due to heat. They have been in for about 10 years and are still not properly joined up like I wanted. Whereas I have a viburnum (tinus laurestinus) hedge elsewhere that needs no attention whatsoever and is looking like a proper hedge already.
I personally would not plant camellias as a hedge again because if you lose one it spoils the whole hedge, and because of the work involved when it’s boiling hot!
But perhaps others have had different experiences.