Winter Blooms Along the South River: The Legacy of Dr. Ackerman’s Camellias

The breeze off the South River turns sharper this time of year. Though the weather still shifts between warm and cool, the wind signals that winter is on its way. As the trees release their leaves and the hillside opens to the full force of the season, this landscape becomes the perfect backdrop for one of London Town’s most remarkable stories. 

In the early 1980s, Dr. William Ackerman selected the cold northwest hillside at Historic London Town and Gardens as one of his test beds for Camellia hybridization. As the lead research horticulturist for the National Arboretum’s Woody and Herbaceous Plant Breeding and Cytogenics Program, he brought decades of expertise to the project.

Working alongside London Town’s first Director of Horticulture, Tony Dove, Dr. Ackerman developed 46 new Camellia cultivars. Many were created both at his Glenn Dale home and here along the banks of the South River. His groundbreaking work helped bring hardy, ornamental Camellias to gardens throughout the DMV region. 

Today, the Ackerman cultivars, such as ‘Winter’s Hope,’ ‘Londontowne Blush,’ and ‘Pink Icicle’, continue to thrive along London Town’s Winter Walk and Camellia Trail. These plants offer a reliable evergreen structure and bursts of color even in the coldest of winter. 

Visit us this season to experience the beauty of our autumn and winter-blooming Camellias, on display now through late April. For visitor hours and planning details, please visit www.historiclondontown.org/visit.

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