By Barrie Agar
While April may be the cruelest month, May is the fulfillment of the promises broken or otherwise of spring. Plants are growing so fast you can almost see them increase as you stand there, and some of the most beautiful flowers make their appearance now. The rhododendron truly comes into its own during May, and while some may give you bloom from January to August, May is truly the most prolific month of all.
Some of the loveliest, to my mind, are the Loderi hybrids (fortunei x griffithianaum). Good healthy foliage, robust of stature, and beautifully scented, these rhodos are a must in any but the smallest garden. The flowers are white, or pale pink, and they are among the later May flowering group, with a fragrance that will carry throughout your garden. A popular Loderi hybrid is Rh. King George, readily found in local nurseries.
Rhododendron flowers come in reds, yellows, oranges, pinks, white, mauves, purples, and everything in between. The hybridizing over the decades has given us some lovely bicolor rhodos, especially in the warmer pink and yellow range. Naselle is outstanding, as is Nancy Evans, a yellow-orange combination. Vancouver Island has a long history of fine rhodo gardens and growers. A lovely compact red with a Vancouver Island connection is the Royston Red. And reputedly the largest specimen in the world is Cynthia, a rich pink, found in Ladysmith.
While in May the flowers take centre stage, the foliage will be with you for the entire year. There is a wide variety of foliage, from minute leaves of a quarter inch, to giant paddle like leaves three feet long.
While rhodos are generally sold as shade lovers, many of the modern hybrid and dwarf varieties are quite sun tolerant, as long as they have sufficient moisture in hot dry periods. There are many public gardens that have extensive rhodo representation where you can see a wide variety of plants in the ground. Take note of their location, growth habits, flower display and leaf variations. Local nurseries carry an ample selection for every garden, large or small, and now is a good time to visit.
The Cowichan Valley Rhododendron Society is holding its annual Garden Fair on Saturday, April 28 at the Cowichan Exhibition Grounds, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. There will be a large selection of rhodos, as well as many other plants, from local nurseries and growers. You’ll have access to rhododendron specialists who will be available to answer your questions from purchasing, choosing the right location, planting and maintaining your new purchases. Come early for the best selection!
Barrie Agar is the president of the Cowichan Valley Rhododendron Society.
For mor information about the Garden Fair go to http://cowichanvalleygardenfair.com/