Rhododendron 2015

[Thorkild Godsk]

Rhododendron.
Does anyone know the name of this Rhododendron, it is 3 meters high, blooms in May, it might be Rhododendron concinnum?
Thorkild.

[Maggi Young]

Does not have the look of R. concinnum  to me - more like a Rhododendron catawbiense with those full trusses and domed leaves.

[johnw]

Maggi's quite right. Concinnum is a lepidote and your pic shows an elepidote. Likely catawbiense or even one of the pink Ironclads from Waterers.  Johnw - +7c and drizzle

[Hoy]

Rh. sutchuenense soon in full bloom!

[Maggi Young]

Glendoick Gardens  open soon -     

Our gardens are beginning to burst into flower.
Here are some photos taken today.
Open to everyone as of 1st April, 10am-4pm.
£5 for adults; school children free; no dogs.
Tickets available at the garden centre.
Gardens 1/2 a mile behind the garden centre; parking up by the house.
Gardens are open every day in April and May.
Peak time mid April to mid May.

http://www.glendoick.com/


Also a FREE DAY : "We are joining with the Royal Horticultural Society to celebrate National Open Gardens Day on Friday 17th April with free entrance to our gardens (usually £5).

Open 10-4pm, Glendoick boasts a unique collection of plants including rhododendrons, azaleas, Primula, Meconopsis, Kalmia and Sorbus, collected by three generations of Coxes from their plant-hunting expeditions in China, Tasmania, Tibet and the Himalaya.

Included in the Independent on Sunday’s exclusive survey of Europe’s Top 50 Gardens, you will be able to see many of the Rhododendron and Azalea species and hybrids that have been introduced from the wild or bred by the Cox family.

Tickets to be collected at the garden centre before going up the drive. Parking by the house."




Another  "Glendoick " related event - news of a photography event with Ray Cox :

"We thought you might be interested to know that Ray Cox is running a 2 day workshop this spring on Garden & Outdoor Photography at a lovely garden in central Scotland which open under Scotland's Gardens:
Weds 20th - Thurs 21st May

Rowberrow, 18 Castle Road, Dollar FK14 7BE

For Details & Bookings please visit the News page on our website: www.rcoxgardenphotos.co.uk

OR contact us:

Email: ray@rcoxgardenphotos.co.uk
Mobile: 07762 067 255
 Please note that places are limited and on a first-come-first-served basis.

 Regards
Penny Cox "

 pp Ray Cox Photography

Ray Cox Photography
07762 067 255
www.rcoxgardenphotos.co.uk

[ian mcdonald]

This Rhodo. is sick. It appears to be suffering from drought but is not. Could it be fungus attack, such as honey fungus?

[johnw]

Ian  - Sorry to say not sick but dead.  I can't say which diseases are common where you are but here I'd diagnose that as Phytophthora cinnamoni off the top.  Whatever don't use that spot for replanting.

[Maggi Young]

And while I'm not a fan of garden bonfires I would be inclined to light one for this dead body.

[ian mcdonald]

The Rhodo. is sicker now. It,s in the bin. Bonfires are frowned upon in this area and I have no room to light one.

[ian mcdonald]

During removal of the Rhodo. I noticed what looks like Mycelium under the bark. See attached. I have dosed the area with Jeyes fluid and will leave it for a year before re-planting. I hope that removal of the host plant will make the area safe.

[Steve Garvie]

Rhododendron leucaspis
This plant is doing quite well on a south-facing raised bed protected from the north by a high wooden fence.
It is very popular with the early season Honey Bees!

[johnw]

Steve - Wonderful to see a leucaspis in flower and not one frosted flower!

johnw

[ian mcdonald]

Can anyone recommend a Rhodo. suitable for a cold garden to replace the one I lost? I will not re-plant for a year. I,m looking for a plant which will not exceed about 4 feet in height and will provide interest to invertebrates (as a nectar source) such as the one shown by Steve.

[Garden Prince]

I would not plant a Rhododendron (or any other member of the Ericaceae family) on the spot where that sick Rhododendron was. Phytophtora stays in the ground for several years and can infect the new rhododendron.

Rhododendrons that do well in cold gardens and stay reasonably low are the majority of the yakushimanum cultivars.

[johnw]

Rather than yak or its hybrids which will eventually get too wide even though some stay low I'd recommend a lepidote species or hybrid.  However the caveat is this: if your dead rhodo had phythophthora the likely cause is heavy soil and subsoil, over-watering and/or the drainage is bad in that general area.  If such is the case you will have to amend the soil heavily, raise the level and as GP says certainly not plant in the same spot.

Most if not all lepidotes one can prune at will to suit the spot and given enough sun will reward with multiple new shoots. Steve's leucaspis or one of the leucaspis hybrids might be a thought if you want early.....

johnw