It’s Rhododendron time once more, mine are a bit late this year, due no doubt to our very cold spell in April and continuing this month. Last year at this time all the rhododendrons were flowering and all the roses were out too, the roses are still in tight bud, very sensible! Last weekend we had such torrential rain, parts of the garden were flooded that had never flooded before in the 30 yrs we have been here. In the past the patio has only flooded to half way towards the house, but last Sunday the water was lapping at the step to the back door, thank goodness it stopped in time and has all drained away now!
Here are my 6 for this week.
Azalea Persil is now in full flower in the bed round the dead oak, perfuming the air around her.
Azalea Persil has a very pretty flower to match her beautiful perfume, not that I’ve been tempted to have my morning coffee on the swinging seat next to her, it is far too cold!!
Over on the other side of the circular lawn is a rhododendron planted by the previous people, very large blowsy flowers, can’t be missed from the other side of the garden.
Another rhodo, again planted by the previous people.
This one starts out quite pink but then changes to cream.
One of my new small Japanese Azaleas on the rockery, this one should end up 3ft tall and wide, at the moment it is very small.
Rhododendron Fantastica is the last rhodo in the woodland, last year it was fantastica, but unfortunately not so this year. It didn’t help when a large branch fell from one of my ash trees and snapped a branch off, covered in flower buds, before landing on my Erythroniums!
The flowers of Fantastica start out pale pink but fade to completely white in a few weeks.
Back the other side of the dead oak is Rhododendron luteum, another with a gorgeous perfume.
The yellow flowers make a nice change from all the pinks frothing away in the rest of the garden.
This is my offering for this weeks Six on Saturday hosted by Jon The Propagator. Please pay him a visit to see what is going on in the gardening world.
At long last I have my son and dil visiting for the weekend, haven’t seen them for such a long time and I actually got a much longed for HUG, I got another one at breakfast this morning, making up for lost time, I’ve missed that!
Oh I am so pleased to hear that you’ve had a long waited for and much longed for hug or two this weekend Pauline. I’m sure that you will squeeze some more in before your visitors leave. I don’t have any rhododendrons but do like to see them and in the case of luteum to smell at close quarters 😂 It has a breathtaking scent. You must be relieved that the waters have receded. Fingers crossed for better weather soon.
They were lovely Anna, it has been such a long time and I’m sure there will be a couple more before they have to go back home once more! I do like the perfume from the azaleas and just wish that the rhodos had it too. Flood water is receding and hopefully by next week will have disappeared alltogether.
Pauline so lovely to hear you can now have a visit from your family and those much awaited hugs! You have a lovely display from your rhododendrons, let’s just hope the weather warms up so you can sit out and enjoy your coffee and that wonderful perfume. We have also had a cold and wet April and May.
I am having a lovely weekend Denise, it is so lovely to see family once more! Better weather is on the way, I have a feeling we keep sending all our bad weather over to you – sorry!
Oh what a delightful weekend this has been for you, with your long-awaited visitors as well as seeing the back of the rain (or at least the worst of it). Thank you for sharing your rhodendrons and azaleas – I don’t know why I didn’t know the latter had a fragrance, but now I do I need to rectify their absence here!
When I went for my early morning wander, (while my visitors were still in bed!) as soon as I got near the dead oak, I was surrounded with the most gorgeous perfume, I was just like a Bisto kid! It really is delightful and I thoroughly recommend the azaleas, plus they also get beautiful autumn tints too!
Oh, that flood water sounds scary, it’s the same here, getting far too close to the house all of a sudden. It has to be climate change. Just love all your azaleas and rhodos, gorgeous. Delighted to hear you have family over and got all those HUGS!!!Just wonderful. xxx
It was scary while it lasted Dina, thank goodness he stopped in time! The rhodos and azalwas are about a month behind, lots more still in bud. It was lovely seeing the family again after all this time and so wonderful to be able to hug! x