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.

‘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.