Choosing a plant
Rhododendrons and Azaleas are a wonderful and diverse family of plants that can be grown and enjoyed in any garden. There is a full choice of flower colours from whites, yellows, pinks, reds, lilacs to purples and some varieties with two toned flowers. They are all evergreen plants too, providing form and structure to your garden except for the deciduous azaleas which produce the beautiful autumn colours before dropping their leaves in winter.
Most importantly there is a range of ultimate sizes they grow to, some of the dwarf rhododendrons grow no larger than 60cm (2ft) whilst some larger hybrids can grow up to 2m (6-7ft).
We have simplified the types of rhododendron into 5 categories from smallest to largest and offered suggestions for some of the best varieties available.
Dwarf Rhododendrons
- most only grow to 60cm (2ft) high and wide
- flower during April and early May
- best placed in small borders, rockeries and patio pots
- dwarf rhododendrons flower before most other shrubs bringing a lovely spring feel into your garden
white: Dora Amateis; cream: Cream Crest; yellow: Patty Bee, Princess Anne, Shamrock; pink: Snipe, Wee Bee, Winsome; red: Bengal, Elizabeth Hobbie, Gertrude Schale; blue: Blue Tit, Gristede; purple: Purple Gem, Ramapo, Sacko
Evergreen Azaleas
- only grow to 60–100cm (2–3ft) high and wide
- lovely clear and bright flowers from mid April and through May
- best in small garden borders, at the front of larger garden borders, near water features, rockeries and in patio pots
- the leaves on some red varieties turn a nice bronze colour in autumn adding winter interest.
white: Mary Helen, Rose Greeley; pink/white: Kermesina Rose; pink: Corany, Kermesina, Maria Elena; orange: Geisha Orange, Santa Maria; red: Arabesk, George Arends, Johanna, Mother's Day; purple: Blue Danube, Geisha Purple
Smaller Rhododendrons (or Yakushimanum hybrids)
- only grow to around 1m (3ft) high and wide
- May is the main flowering period
- look good in small garden borders, at the front of larger garden borders and also in tubs and half wooden barrels
- these are the smallest growing rhododendrons that have the typical rhododendron leaf shape and the large traditional flower truss
cream: Dreamland; peach: Percy Wiseman; yellow: Golden Torch, Lemon Dream, Nancy Evans; pink: Morning Cloud, Queen Alice, Surrey Heath; red: Dopey, Fred Peste, Titian Beauty; lilac: Hoppy
Medium sized Rhododendrons
- grow to 1.2-1.5m (4-5ft) high and wide
- flower during May
- perfect in garden borders and half wooden barrels
- there are some exciting and unusual flower colours in this range, worth exploring!
white: Cunningham's White, Gomer Waterer; cream/speckled: Dr Reiger, Firelight; pink: Cosmopolitan, Germania; orange: Golden Gate; red: Jean Marie de Montague, Wilgens Ruby; purple: Marcel Menard; variegated leaf: Silver Edge
Deciduous Azaleas
- grow to 1.5m (5ft) high and wide
- lovely flower colours and many of them fragrant in May
- best in garden borders and half barrels. Very good for brightening shady corners, areas densely planted with evergreen shrubs and in front of hedges
- a deciduous plant with fantastic autumn colours
white/pink: Irene Koster; pink/cream: Cannon's Double; cream/yellow: Northern Hi Lights; yellow: Arneson Gem, Luteum; pink: Jolie Madame, Mount St Helens; gold: Klondyke; orange: Gibralter, Glowing Embers; red: Fireball; lilac: Azaleodendron
Larger Rhododendrons
- grow to 1.5-2m (5-7ft) high and wide
- flower from late April and during May
- eye-catching in garden borders, woody glades, along driveways and in informal planting areas of a garden
- truly impressive plants
white: Madame Masson; yellow: Horizon Monarch; pink: Albert Schweitzer, Van; red: Half Dan Lem, Nova Zembla; purple: Delta, Purple Passion; lilac: Roseum Elegans
