Azaleas and Rhododendrons are the jewels of the late spring garden. Rhododendrons and evergreen azaleas provide interest all year round, while deciduous azaleas produce excellent autumn leaf colours. There are literally thousands of species and varieties and a huge range of flower colours. Their exquisite blooms bring notes of exotic colour to pots and containers, beds and borders and lightly shaded areas under trees. Some are compact enough for the smallest gardens, others require the space of a woodland where they can reach massive proportions.
What’s the difference between Azaleas and Rhododendrons?
Our Top Picks
Azalea Homebush
• RHS Garden Merit Award winner
• Huge pompom-like trusses of double pink star-shaped flowers
• Easy to grow, highly fragrant and pollinator friendly
• Yellow-green deciduous foliage
• Perfect for borders, flowering hedges and containers
Rhododendron Sappho
• Purple buds open to wavy-edged white flowers with deep purple markings
• 9 flower trusses
• Easy to grow and evergreen
• Dark green, glossy ovate leaves
• Perfect for borders, hedging, screening and containers
Azalea Anneke
• Highly fragrant, large, lemon yellow flowers with gold spotting and yellow stamens
• 9 flower trusses with each flower spanning 8-10 in diameter
• Easy to grow
• Perfect for pots, containers and the border
Rhododendron Norfolk Candy
• Large, apricot-orange flushed maroon flowers
• Broad glossy forest green foliage
• Low maintenance and pollinator-friendly
• Perfect for borders or containers
Azalea japonica Pink Spider
• Large pink flowers with a white edge
Dark, narrow foliage
• Compact, bushy shrub
• Hardy and evergreen
• Perfect for growing in the border, pots on the patio or balcony
Rhododendron Collection
• Includes one each of Sappho, Nova Zembla, Norfolk Candy and Marcel Menard
• Perfect for spring borders, pots or containers
Azalea Dwarf diamond japanese collection
• Includes one each of Lilac, Red, Pink, White and Orange.
• Compact, small leaf Japanese Azaleas
• Masses of brightly coloured blooms
• Small, dark green foliage
• Perfect for patio pots or borders.
Planting
Planting time: October – March/April 📆
Location: Full sun/Partial shade 🏡
Flowering Time: April – July 🌸
Rhododendrons and Azaleas prefer well drained and light/acidic soil. Before planting, dig-in plenty of neutral or acidic organic matter (composted tree bark, leafmould, decomposing pine or spruce needles), and mix in well with the soil. Do not plant too deeply; all rhododendrons are surface-rooting and the roots should be just covered. Apply at least an 8cm (3 inch) mulch of chipped conifer bark or another acidic material. The mulch should be well-aerated, not firmed down.
Video Tutorial
Aftercare
Here are some handy aftercare tips to get the best performance out of your Rhododendron and Azaleas.
I have always receive your valued wholesale catalogue but now I have moved to Walnut Cottage Ch3 6LU I don’t have a copy
Lots of half acre site to fill………
Thank you Patsy Bunn
Hi Patsy, if you would like to request a new catalogue please send your address details by email to sales@jparkers.co.uk and we can have that sorted for you. Thanks! Shannen
My mother has 2 rock gardens but it was very hard for her to maintain them. Now they are a bit scruffy so I decided to do something with it so she can enjoy it again. Saxifraga looks amazing so for sure I have to buy it. Its pink flowers for sure will appeal my mother! What I can also recommend you is catmint (https://gardenseedsmarket.com/catmint-seeds-nepeta-mussinii.html). It grows up to 50 cm but its flowers are amazing. I love its colour and for sure it will perfectly compose with saxifraga! Let me know what do you think!