Thursday, June 12, 2014

GBBD in June: Rhododendrons in bloom


Here is my small collection of rhododendrons. Actually I grow very hardy varieties of rhododendrons and they are mostly hybrids bred in Finland. From late May to mid-June my rhododendrons are blooming.
"Pohjolan Daughter" variety blooms now. It has many flower buds that open at once within 2 days. Firstly buds are pink or fuchsia color, then they are light purple and finally flowers get white-mauve.


Then "Helsinki University" variety blooms. This shrub has been growing for several years in my garden. Buds open one be one, they are dark red, then flowers are light red or pink with brown spots.

 
New variety in my garden is "Nova Zembla", it blooms first spring in my garden. It is still very low, but has many flower buds. Flowers are dark red or ruby, with red stamens and spots in the center. I think that this new rhododendron will grow well and will be hardy in winter frost, because it is a hybrid rhododendron from 'New Land' island.


Flowers of pure white with yellow spots; this is another new variety in my garden called "Cunningham White". It is also not high, it finishes flowering and is already beginning to grow. 

 
I have two azalea bushes, they are very hardy American hybrids. Now "Mandarin light" variety begins blooming. Its buds are large and open every day. I like the color of these flowers, they are bright orange as Chinese lanterns. 
Other azalea "Northern Lights" variety is not in a hurry, its buds only just getting light and big. Now it has some nice flowers, they are light-lemon color, beautiful and have fragrance.


Rhododendron blooming makes me happy and I always come to them closely and praise them for their beautiful flowers. 


Do grow rhododendrons in your garden? What varieties are? Are they enough hardy for your winter?
Thank you! 

37 comments:

  1. Nadezda, you have a wonderful collection of flowers in the garden. All your flowers are wonderful. I am particularly charmed azaleas !
    Greetings

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  2. Your rhododendrons are beautiful!! Mine suffered a lot of winter damage but are recovering very nicely! Larry

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    1. Yes, they are very survivable, Larry. Hope your rhododendrons will nicely bloom. Thank you!

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  3. So many beautiful bloomers! I love that orange azalea! I have a pink one I bought this spring. Happy Thursday, Nadezda!

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    1. Sure your pink rhododendron blooms and grows well.

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  4. Dear Nadezda,your rhododendrons are gorgeous as well as the azalea!!Such beautiful colours!!Your garden is a big joy !!Its full of beauty!!
    Have a lovely day!
    Dimi...

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  5. Nadezda, as always, what a beautiful collection of flowers. I love the rhododendrons and the azaleas :)

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  6. It's really nice to see your rhododendron's collections. All look so beautiful, fantastic! I planted three varieties of rhododendron, but only one variety that stand on till now. And the flowers bear so rare. It's not easy to grow this plant on my hot and wet climate. Thanks for sharing the beauty.

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    1. Of course, Endah rhododendrons need cool climate, but here in very cold winters it's hard to grow them too. Hope your only rhododendron will grow well and healthy. Thank you!

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  7. No rhododendrons here, the soil is too alkaline. I do love your white varieties, plus that orange one!

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  8. Your collection of rhododendrons is really lovely. I do wish I can plant them in hot, humid Malaysia, but then I know that it is just wishful thinking.

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    1. You're right Elsie, your climate does not suite for rhododendrons, it's so pity.
      Thank you!

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  9. QUE MARAVILLAAAA!!!!
    Gracias Nadezda por compartirlos. Me gustan todos, pero ese Nova Zembla, es toda una belleza tiene un color precioso. Que disfrutes mucho estre tus guapas flores.
    Me alegra que la fuente te trajera buenos recuerdos:)))
    Buen fin de semana.
    Un beso.

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    1. Sé que rhododendron crece en lugares montañosos de España, puede ser no tan lejos de Bejar.
      Gracias Laura!

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  10. cant grow them in Fl but these are show stoppers

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  11. So beautiful, Nadezda! I've tried to grow them but I think my site is too windy and cold for them. It's a pleasure to see yours - thx!

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  12. A stunning collection of flowers Nadezda.....your garden always looks so gorgeous. I love Rhododendrons and have a few in my garden, although the flowers have now finished. x

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    1. I think your rhododendrons have finished blooming because of warm weather, here we have cold temps about +12-15C so my rhodos are still in bloom. Thank you Patricia!

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  13. For a northern gardener, you have a lot of nice rhododendrons. I also have a few but this year they do not look all that great after the winter we had (when temperatures dipped below -35C). One of them looked quite dead but I am pleased to see that it is finally making new buds. I have an azalea that does better than the rhodo but it spends the winters under snow and is protected.

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    1. It's pity, Alain! Last winter was not cold here but some months were without snow. And I was worrying that rhododendron buds would be frozen.Your azalea wintered well under the snow! Hope the rhododendron is better and growing now.

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  14. What amazing variety you have there, Nadezda. I grew up in a small town called Inglewood where there was a huge rhododendron with pink flowers in the middle of the town. It was said to be the largest in the southern hemisphere.

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    1. The largest rhododendron! Wow!
      Thank you Juliet!

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  15. Welcome Nadezda!
    Your azaleas and rhododendrons are very beautiful.
    Their colors are adorable.
    I regret because my plants have long overblown.
    I send greetings.
    Lucia

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    1. I think your rhododendrons were blooming nicely. Thank you Lucja!

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  16. They are all lovely Nadezda!
    I love rhododendrons and wish I could have many more but most of them get so big eventually. I have one dwarf rhododendron called ‘Dopey’, and one normal size called ‘Christmas Cheer’ and an evergreen Azalea called ‘Geisha Purple’. They are perfect for my climate and the soil and light I have in my garden, I should really grow just rhododendrons!
    Thanks for showing us yours, they are so pretty when in flower and when you have many, the flowering period goes on for a while. My ‘Dopey’ flowered when we had nice sunny weather with around 25-30 degrees C every day, the flowers didn’t last very long - whilst ‘Christmas Cheer’ flowered in the winter and flowered for more than 2 months.
    Hope you have a great Sunday!

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    1. Helene, I remember your 'Dopey' in bloom, it was very pretty! Mine are not tall because winter under the snow level and are very hardy.
      Thank you!

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  17. Your rhododendrons are beautiful, Nadezda! I don't grow any here, although I love seeing them in bloom, because I don't have enough shade in my garden. I did plant two 'Encore' Azaleas last year because they're supposed to like the sun. They didn't like our winter last year, although I think they are slowly recovering. The 'Northern Lights' collection does well here, too.

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    1. 'Northern Lights' and 'Mandarin lights' are very hardy varieties, up to -30 C and I grow them successfully.
      Thank you Rose!

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  18. Nadezda, your rhododendrons are gorgeous ! My favourite is the pure white 'Cunningham White'.

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  19. We once lived in a house with 2 wonderful rhododendrons in the garden but they had grown really huge. I could never bring myself to cut them back because I always thought that they would not flower the following year. That was a little stupid of me because by the time we left that house they took up half the garden!

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    1. I'd like to have rhododendron as you had, Jenny!
      That's a problem: I never know to cut them or not to cut? That is a question. I'm afraid to cut the future bud and won't see the next year blooming. Thank you!

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