Peter Dowdall: Stars of November shine brightly in our gardens

All the fluff and fuss of summer has gone now, and what’s left is structure, scent, and some real top performers

Not every camellia that flowers now is confused; some are meant to, writes Peter Dowdall. File picture

Every so often, during autumn and winter, we may come across an errant bloom, such as a rhododendron or camellia, throwing out a flower or two when it really shouldn’t. A rogue bloom opening its petals in November, as if it had misread the calendar.

It’s a lovely surprise in one sense, a splash of colour when most other things are shutting down, but it’s also a bit of a sign that the weather’s been confusing.