Rhododendrons 2014

[johnw]

My that is one cracker of a pachysanthum at the Youngs as shown of the Bulb Log Wednesday past.

johnw

[johnw]

Hi John,
Many thanks for taking the time to get a confident ID for me. I'm really pleased especially as I think I asked for an ID in the past but got no response. This time not expecting an ID I got one.

My pleasure Graham.  Nothing like a correctly labelled rhododendron species, they're such a rare breed.

johnw

[Robert]

The first photo is a R. atlanticum hybrid - taller than what we want to deal with these days. It is a good bloomer and fragrant, so it is easy to keep around.

#2 is a flammeum - atlanticum hybrid. Very compact after 15 years, about 50-60cm. Also, blooms very well every season. It has turned out to be a good breeder, with many compact progeny. I will be posting photos of some of the progeny as the season progresses.

#3 A nice R. flammeum about 35-40 years old now.

#4 An "evergreen" azalea. It might be a species. As I remember the seed was from wild seed, Japan. The label is long gone now - it is about 20-25 years old.

[Robert]

A good white form of R. minus.

R. decorum - a little roughed up by the weather. We always enjoy its fragrance.

[Thorkild Godsk]

Hello Robert.
Thanks for the pictures, it is a pleasure to watch. Here in Denmark there are also flowers in Rhododendron now, here is a picture of 3 blooming now:
R. recurvoides
R. flinkii
R. campanulatum
Thorkild. DK

[Maggi Young]

A little video tour of Arduaine garden with Head Gardener Maurice Wilkins :
http://www.nts.org.uk/Multimedia/View/Arduaine-Garden-Tour/?utm_content=bufferbbd2f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[Robert]

Hello Robert.
Thanks for the pictures, it is a pleasure to watch. Here in Denmark there are also flowers in Rhododendron now, here is a picture of 3 blooming now:
R. recurvoides
R. flinkii
R. campanulatum
Thorkild. DK

Thorkild,

I thoroughly enjoy your rhododendron photographs - species and varieties that I can only read about but will not grow for us. They all look excellent!

I can not believe it but our lily blooming season will be starting soon. Very much earlier than average. L. pumilum and varieties such as 'Golden Gleam', L. dauricum are already budded. I will be posting them elsewhere when the time comes. Look forward to seeing your lilies too.

[johnralphcarpenter]

1. Rhododendron 'Snipe'; 2. Rhododendron 'Phalarope'; 3. Rhododendron rubiginosum; 4. Rhododendron 'Bluebird'; 5. Rhododendron impeditum.

[johnralphcarpenter]

1. Rhododendron 'St Merryn'; 2. Rhododendron macgregoriae Woods 2646.

[Graham Catlow]

What was the other plant you were trying to ID, Graham?

Hi Maggi,
It was the rhododendron just identified by Ian and John. I showed it a couple of years ago asking for an id and I suppose these two experts must have missed the request.
Graham

[Robert]

1. Rhododendron 'Snipe'; 2. Rhododendron 'Phalarope'; 3. Rhododendron rubiginosum; 4. Rhododendron 'Bluebird'; 5. Rhododendron impeditum.

1. Rhododendron 'St Merryn'; 2. Rhododendron macgregoriae Woods 2646.

Beautiful Rhodies!

[johnralphcarpenter]

Thanks! First time the little vireya has flowered for me.

[Robert]

Thanks! First time the little vireya has flowered for me.

The vireya: is it a clone or did you grow it from seed? Regardless, they are all beauties.

By the way, your collection of species tulips is very interesting. I enjoy seeing them.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Thanks Robert; I bought it from Glendoick, so presumably it's a clone. Thanks for your comment about the tulips - amazing how they vary year on year, depending on the kind of winter/spring we have.

[Robert]

All of the following photographs are from our Sacramento Valley garden, except R. periclymenoides.

The first photo is of a ruffled R. atlanticum hybrid. I enjoy ruffled, fragrant flowers so it is used as a parent in many of our hybrids.

#2 Az. 'Sandra Marie' an old hybrid by Bob Bovee.

#3 R. periclymenoides 'Flat Creek Fuchsia' - A form of periclymenoides that I certainly enjoy.

#4 A nice combination: Acer palmatum 'Kasagiyama' with azalea.

#5 I thought that the early December cold snap might have harmed the flower buds on our Maddenia rhododendrons. Sure enough, this is as good as it gets for the semi-tender types. This R. dalhousiae seem to be sticking its tongue out at us.  Generally we get a good bloom out of our semi-hardy Maddenias. Something for us to keep note of.