RHODODENDRON. Worldwide except for Africa and South America. An immense genus of shrubs and trees, many of which are prized garden plants wherever soils and climate permit. They present a huge range of sizes and shapes. Leaves may be tiny or truly gigantic, round or narrow, scattered along the stems or forming a whorl at each shoot-tip. The beautiful flowers are usually bell to trumpet shaped and displayed in wheel shaped clusters capping each wave of growth. Most require some shade in northern California, except near the coast. Give them loose, well drained, acid soil and (in most cases) regular watering. Hardiness varies.

Azaleadendron ‘Ria Hardijzer’ is a stunning intersectional cross (R. racemosum x R. (Azalea) ‘Hinodegiri’). It is upright but extremely compact—I would guess its ultimate height to be 4-5’. The small, tightly clustered leaves are dark green in the warmer months, heavily tinged with purple in winter. The plant is completely covered in spring by clusters of small, deep pink blossoms. A similar selection, ‘Hardijzer Beauty’, is slightly more open in growth, with larger, bright green leaves, purple tinged in winter, and masses of slightly larger, bright pink blossoms. Both are quite sun-tolerant. Probably hardy to 0^oF.

occidentale. Western azalea. A deciduous native, highly ornamental in itself and extensively used as a hybrid parent in the Exbury and Knaphill series. It is a twiggy shrub of 6’ or more, with greater spread, often making thickets. The 3-4" leaves are rather narrow, deeply veined and dark green in color. They may take on brilliant yellow to maroon shades in the fall. Round clusters of flaring white to pink blossoms, usually with an orange blotch on one petal, open in late spring and early summer. They have a sweet, heavy fragrance which fills the air around them.

We continue to offer seedlings of superior parent stock, now from populations in Lake County which show unusual purple tones in new growth and blazing fall color; the flowers are mostly white with plain yellow markings. One clonal selection remains: ‘SM189’ is one of the Stagecoach Hill selections by Professor Mossman. It has large, ruffled blossoms, white overall but generously shaded with pink and orange. All forms are decidedly less fussy about soil than many rhododendrons, though they need plenty of moisture. All should be hardy nearly to 0^oF.

‘Snow Lady’. A bushy dwarf selection, growing around 3' tall. It has soft, densely hairy 2-3" leaves and tightly clustered, broad-petalled, pure white blossoms with a delightful fragrance. Very easy to grow, and hardy to 10^oF or less.