My Rhododendrons In Bloom

     The rhododendrons grow in the shady and secluded corner of my garden. These last spring days they started to bloom!

      Here not many gardeners dare on rhododendron cultivating. Because these plants require acidic soil, peat, and do not always tolerate extreme cold.

Previously, I purchased rhododendrons bred in different nurseries. They were strong and beautiful plants, but unfortunately were not suitable to our zone 5a and died in the winter.

A few years ago, here in St. Petersburg the garden center began selling rhododendrons from the Finnish nursery 'Mustila'. Scientists from this nursery bred many hybrids of these bushes. The majority of the 'Mustila' nursery hybrid rhododendrons are hardy, up to -35C, low, so are completely covered with snow in the winter. It's good for their flower buds, plants keep their buds and flower well in the spring.

So I bought a few bushes from 'Mustila' nursery 5-6 years ago. These were varieties "Pohjala's Daughter", "Helsinki Univesity", "Tigerstedt" and others. All my rhododendrons were wintering well, I did not cover them for the winter. In spring, once the snow melts, they straightened their evergreen leaves and prepared to bloom.

I love my rhododendron variety "Pohjola's Daughter" or "Pohjolan Tytar" (in Finnish).  Interestingly, its buds are of cyclamen-red color and flowers are pale purple!

Another variety is my new rhododendron "Peter Tigerstedt." Its buds are like candles, white with black stripes. Flowers open one by one and they are also white with brown speckles.
 

The third blooming rhododendron is "Helsinki University". It's short and round bush with high winter hardiness, its cowberry colored buds open into bright pink flowers.

My other leaved deciduous rhododendrons will bloom a little later, they have large buds and new leaves. So I will continue to talk you about my rhododendrons in bloom.

Read about my trip to the Arboretum Mustila here

Do you have the rhododendrons in your garden? Do they bloom every year or not always?