Is there anyone that doesn't love azaleas and rhododendrons? And they even grow way up north here -- I have a couple of hardy rhodos ("PJM") that bloom beautifully as long as I protect them if we get a late freeze!



edited to add -- forgot to say that I call these my "thermometer shrubs" -- although the leaves stay on all winter, when the temp drops below freezing the leaves curl up tightly, and then flatten out again above 32F. Who needs the Weather Channel?

Lovely!

One for every climate! That's reason #6!!

Great article and beautiful blooms. I won't do it this year but maybe next? After spending times in the Carolinas and Georgia, t's just not the same. I'm close to breaking down on a Magnolia tree, even with the brief bloom they're just special. I have allergies, they make me sneeze, but I love them.

If the cute tattooed girl at the nursery will accompany me to dinner I might have to add a Rhododendron to the list. I've killed a few (with no ill intent, mind you). Willing to try to grow another... Or two.

Their color just makes me smile every spring and here they grow like weeds - everywhere. It's like seeing a kaleidoscope of color. Just as the azaleas are blooming, so are all the flowering trees. All the color just screams - It's spring time

The blooms are stunning in the Spring! I'm trying to grow Azalea from seed saved from a hot pink Azalea I own so far they just germinated time will tell how they do!

The coast rhododendron is the state flower of Washington, so how could I not like this plant? And azaleas as well - both lovely.

All I ask is for my yard to look like the golf course at Augusta, GA, where they play the Masters tournament... is that too much to ask?? (for anyone that for some reason doesn't tune in to the Masters, there are a LOT of azaleas growing on that golf course!)

Variegated blooms - yes!

This one has dark red buds that turn into red-pink-white blooms that then fade to pink and white.

Wish I knew it's name! It was huge when I moved in, and now I wonder about pruning it. I have another, huge, old, tree-like Rhodie that is an amazing pale purple (mauve??). That guy was planted under trees and is mostly long branches trying to reach the sun. He undoubtedly needs a very careful pruning over a few years, but mainly he needs that TREE removed! (I don;t have the heart to kill a helathy tree, but the park management might.)

I must have taken these photos before I got my camera. Kind of blurry!






Here's a different Rhodie, dark red, next to a white Azalea. I have a few Azaleas that just started blooming, but my Rhodies' buds haven't opened yet.

All beautiful, but I LOVE that last red one !! especially next to the white azalea...

Thanks!

I have several favorite Rhodies and Azeleas, and those two are among them. I love the deep, intense colors until I look at the variegated Rhodie, then I love changing mixtures of pastels.

I think it's "Love the one I'm with"!

I would love anything that was flowering right now...