Here are some sites I found helpful in my search for "cold-hardy" camellias for my southern Ohio garden.

This is a trusted mail-order source:
http://www.camforest.com/camellia.htm

These are some other helpful sites:
http://www.cspv.org/suggestd.htm
http://www.chesapeakehome.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=988&NewsID=623552&CategoryID=17983&show=localnews&om=3
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Newintro/camelli1.html
http://www.cspv.org/ackerman.htm
http://www.camellia.gulfcoast-gardening.com/selection/coldhardy.htm

The "bible" for raising cold hardy camellias comes from Dr. Ackerman. A new edition will be available in April.
http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Camellia-Belt-Propagating-Cold-Hardy/dp/1883052521/ref=sr_1_3/002-7252585-6966420?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175107727&sr=1-3

I hope this will be of some help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ackerman Cold Hardy Camellias

Thanks so much for the information. Sorry so late about posting my thanks.
Hettie

I'm still not ready to try those yet here, since my garden does fluctuate from a zone 6 some winters to a zone 5 on others, unfortunately. I'd love to have some in ground yearound ! I have the unfortunate feeling as welll, that on the most protected side of my house, should the do well, they'd be "wasted" , since that side of the house if totally unvisited. Oh well , that's how it goes sometimes!!

It is just an idea that there are a few likely cold hardy camellia species there.

C. chekiangoleosa: Bright orange red color, single. Medium size.
C. yuhsienensis. Lots of white flowers like butterflies. Nurseries carry a cultivar producing small flowers. I have a cultivar that produces medium size flower.

Be sure to check Camellia Forest Nursery on the web. They have most cold hardy camellia cultivars available in U S.

Thanks, for all the information. My youngest daughter and I want to start a tea garden, we are looking for good tea plants and I want some Camellias in it. Thanks again

Try Winter's Star, one of Ackerman's. Mom has one in Louisville, and we watched it last Thanksgiving full of blooms. I have one in Southern Indiana, and although it suffers some winter dieback, particularly this past winter/spring, it still has good growth and blooms for me when nothing else is blooming. When getting these cold hardy camellias, try to remember it's not just getting them cold hardy, it's getting the earlier blooming ones. Mom and I also have Winter's Waterlily, but it's a later blooming variety. Although the shrubs are growing well, they won't bloom until December, and most years we lose the blooms to the winter freeze. Best of luck.