June 22, 2006

Rhododendron Blogging

Well, I'm headed out tonight for a new climate and strange, new plants. So I figured that before I left, I'd share one of the more celebrated visual delights of my adopted home state in spring: rhododendrons in May. If you have ornamental azaleas in your garden, these flowers will look very similar and in fact the two plants are in the same family and enjoy the same acidic soil conditions. The main difference to the observer is one of scale, with rhododendrons being somewhat like azaleas on steroids, the hedges easily growing over 6' in good conditions and with flowers at least 2-3 times as large as an azalea flower.

I didn't make it up to the Seattle area botanical gardens that have astonishing rhododendron hedges representing nearly every color any flower has ever come in. Still, there were some lovely ones right near my house. So enjoy, because no rhododendrons were harmed in the making of this post ...

Pink rhododendrons, Olympia, WA. - natasha

Head below the fold for more.

Red rhododendrons, Olympia, WA. - natasha

Salmon rhododendrons, Olympia, WA. - natasha

Peach rhododendrons, Olympia, WA. - natasha

Posted by natasha at June 22, 2006 09:50 AM | Shiny Things | Technorati links |
Comments

Nice. Flowers are neat. Something I'm learning to appreciate in my old age.

The Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden is pretty good. Very ambitious. Lots of specimens to see. Though I have trouble relaxing sandwiched between the two freeways.

If you get a chance, the Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens up on Whidbey Island is worthwhile. Especially if you tie in some other site seeing, like stomping around Fort Ebey. Meerkerk has one of everything. And they sell stuff. Someone thoughtfully posted a bunch of photos on Flickr.

Of course, the Washington Park Arboretum is good too.

Posted by: zappini at June 28, 2006 08:16 AM