I wanted to find a plant that was, in my opinion, a real treat for you to discover this week.  I researched for a little bit and came across the rarest flower in the world, with only two known plants left in the world.   Let’s introduce the Middlemist red and enjoy the splendidly beautiful plant that it is!

The Middlemist Red originates from China and was brought to its new home in the UK by John Middlemist in 1804.  Little did Mr. Middlemist know that soon after his botanical delivery, the Middlemist would be eradicated from its homeland.  Today the Camellia is only found in the Chiswick House in West London and in Waitangi, New Zealand, but others could very well exist unknown to their gardeners knowledge.  The Middlemist Red in Chiswick has survived a long hard road, including the bombing of London during WWII.  Thanks to the efforts of Chiswick House and Gardens Trust and English Heritage a huge restoration has taken place to ensure the best chance of survival for this beautiful rare flower.

I will let the pictures show you its beauty and I encourage you as always to read more about this plant!  Understandably there is not much information about its growth habits and best growing conditions.  Here and here are a few websites that provide a deeper insight into its journey!