Decembkk 21, 1912. 



THE 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



985 



RHODODENDRONS FOR 

 PRESENT PLANTING* 



The popularity of the A^arioiis kinds of 

 rhododendrons for gaiden and woodland 

 planting has resulted in the family being 

 one of the most valuable assets of the nur- 

 seryman, and several firms not only make 

 a speciality of rhododendrons, but look on 

 them as the mainstay of their businesses. 

 In different parts of the country^ however, 

 the sorts cultivated vary to some consider- 

 able extent, and, although the kinds grown 

 in the northern counties are quite -suitable 

 for culture in the mildest parts of the coun- 

 try, those which are most frequently 

 seen in Cornish gardens would be of little 

 lis© if planted out of doors in Derbyshire 

 or Yorkshire. Therefore, when selecting 

 plants, care must be taken to choose species 

 and varieties that are suitable to the 

 locality for which they are required. 



omo 



Providing lime is not present in the soil '^^^^ -j^^^^'s "the petioles of the leaves, 

 in any appreciable quantity rhododendrons % /i'o^si"g ^vith II. Thompsoni, a hybrid 

 will thrive almost anywhere, for although 

 they are popularly styled peat-loving plants^ 

 peat is not essential to their existence, for 

 they thrive in both light and heavy loam 

 to which no addition of peat has been made, ^^^bular, and 2 and 3in. long. They appear 

 The best position for rhododendrons is in a ^^^'^^^1 together in loose trusses. Although 

 moist valley, where a little shade is pro- 



h^'brids has been obtained, but the majority whites and pinks, while R. ponticum caji 

 are no more hardy than the parents. 



R. Griffithianum, sometimes called 11, 

 Aucklandi, is another decorative kind suit- 

 able for the south. Forming a spre^iding 

 biLsh^ 12ft, or so high, it bears loose trusses 

 of white flowers, which measure indivi- 

 dually from 4 to oin. across. Crossed with 

 the blood-red R. Thomson!, a number of 

 very pretty hybrids have apjx^ared, of 

 which Giirs Triumph and Glory of Pen- 

 jerrick, with red flowers, and Beauty of 

 Tremough^ with pink iblooms, are worthy 

 examples. There are also other hybrids, 

 some of which claim a compact trussed 

 kind for one parent. These bear enormous 

 heads of flowers, as has been represented 

 on several occasions by Dawn, a variety 

 raised by the late iMr. Mangles. 



E. barbatum is another species with 

 bright red flowers. It may be easily de- 

 tected amongst other kinds by reason of 



ivitli a compact truss of large, blood-re<l 



flowers was obtained. That is known as K. 

 iShilsoni. 



The blood-red flowers of 11. Thomisnm' 



vided from the midday sun, and where the 

 ground is naturally well-drained but moist. 

 I'hey are also of use for planting as an 

 undergrowth in a thin wood, whilst many 

 are well suited for growing as specimens. 

 The advantage of planting on undulat- 

 ing ground is very noticeable at flowering 

 time, for then each plant can be seen sepa- 

 rately, whereas when a large number of 

 specimens occupy a wide tract of level 



inter 



otten seen from 4 to .6ft. high^ it some- 

 times attains a height of loft. R. campylo- 

 oarpum is a choice species, growing trom 

 5 to 8ft. high. Its principal characteristic 

 is its canary-yellow flowers. 



R. grande is a distinct large-growing 

 Himalayan species with leaves from 9 to 

 12iu. long and 3 to 4in. wide, silveiy be- 

 neath, and green or greyish-green above. 

 The cream-coloured flowers appear in large, 

 shapely trusses, which are sometimes nearlv 



Grey 







n. in height, and the same in width. In 

 other, and the individual beauty of each f gardens plants may be observed 15ft. 



one is not apparent. It is in such in- ^i^gh, and as far through, which some years 

 stances as this that standards are to 



be encouraged, for their tall stems allow Falconeri is quite as imposing, the leaves 

 the heads to stand clear of surrounding 

 bushes; but too many standards are not 

 desirable, for their appearance is less gener- 

 ally liked than naturally-grown bushes. 



Rhododendrons may be planted any time 



between September and April, but it is ad- ^^"^^^y shapely heads. R. Hodgsoni also has 

 visable to obtain them before the latter l^andsome foliage, but its pui-plish flowers 



are less showy than those of other kinds. 



^ ' O", ^v^xXiV^ J *r«ii 



carry several hundred heads of bloom. R. 

 ralconeri is quite as imposing, the leaves 

 being even larger, for they are sometimes 

 loin, long, and more than 6in. wide. They 

 are dark green above, and thickly covered 

 on the under-surface with a dense reddish- 

 brown felt. The white flowers are borne in 



roots 



m the new soil before growth commences. Quite differeiit from any which have been 



therefore people who contemplate planting ' * 



should put the work in hand at the earliest 

 possible date. 



Rhododendrons for Kind 



Climates. 



The more tender kinds of rhododendrons 

 ^;hich are suitable foi' the south-west coun- 

 ties of England and Wales, and for many 

 parts of Ireland, and certain places about 

 the West Coast of Scotland, are chieflv 

 natives of the Himalayas, and hybrids froni 

 tlimalayan species. Some are i-emarkahle 

 |oi* their tall stature, as they grow into 

 tiees between 30 and 40ft. high, with 

 goodly trunks. Others are conspicuous bv 

 Jneir immense leaves, while the majority 

 o^ar beautiful flowers. It is not so much 

 ^ niter c-old from which they suffer as late 

 spring frosts, for they start into growth 

 ^^I'^y, and the young shoots fall a prey to 

 ^i-osty nights, 



arboreum is the tallest-growing 



IZT'l' ^"^^ "'''^y examples have been re- 

 ^<>Kled between 20 and 35ft, in height. 



ne trusses are shapely and compact, an<l 

 Xll.^"*^ "^^^^ ""P good-size^l flowers, 

 coin ^^^^x. *° *^™^ considerable extent in 

 otli ^^^^^ a ^'ich crimson ; 



J^ners are a paler shade of red, whilst there 



varieties with pink and white flowers, 

 '-tossed with n+hov o,.^^;^.. „ i 



mentioned is R. ciliatum. This grows into 

 a compact bush, 4 to 6ft. high^ and as far 

 through. The leaves are verj^ hairy, and 

 the flowers white. When gro\vn as a mass 

 it is a most effective kind. Then there is 

 R. glaucum, a bushy species, with small 

 deep pink flowers, R. calophyllum, a tall- 

 growing s{)ecies, with white' flowers, aiul 

 several other kinds. 



Rhododendrons for General 



Cultivation. 



Most of the iiardier 



hod 



be traced in purple-flowered kinds. 



of the earlier flowering hybrids ha^e not 

 descended from catawbiense, and are less 

 generally useful than those which bloom 

 from the middle of May onwards, for the 

 flowers open at a time when frost is likely 

 to ocvur ; therefore, they may be crippled or 

 destroyed before they have had a chan<e 

 to show their best side. A case in point 

 is li. Xobleana. This, although a beauti- 

 ful and jich i-txl, is rare!}' seen at its best, 

 for the normal flowering time in the London 

 district is late February and early March, 

 and probably not more than one year in 

 five do we see it in anything like go<Ml 

 <:K)ndition. Any variety, liowever, which ex- 

 hibits the true catawbiense qualities, of 

 late flowering, mtnlium-sized, oval leaves, 

 and conital trusses of flowers, may be de- 

 pended on to give a good account of itself 

 and to escape injury to flowers or shoots. 



The following selection of varieties may 

 bo expected to grow and flower well: Album 

 grandiflorum, white; Beauty of Bagshot, 

 wliite with coloured eye ; Broughtoni, red ; 

 Charlie Watcrer, scarlet, light ^centre ; 

 Charles S. Sargent, scarlet: C'ouncess of 

 Clancarty, rosy-crimson : Cynrliia, rosy- 

 crimson ; Everestianum, rosy-lilac ; Doncas- 

 ter, dwarf, scarlet ; Frederick Waterer, 

 b r i gh t <■ r i ni so n : Go we r W a t e re r . wh ite , 

 flushed r<)s(^ ; tJoliii Waterer, crimson : Kate 



Waterer, rosy-crimson, yellow eye; Lady 

 Clementina Mitford, peach ; Lady 



Fgerton, pale lilac ; Madame Carvalho, 

 white, tinged blush : Michael Waterer, 

 bright scarlet ; iMrs. Anthony Waterer, 

 white: Mrs. E. C. Stirling, white, tinged 

 rose; ;Mrs. Holford, salmon-pink; Pink 

 Pearl, pink; Prometheus, crimson; Purity, 

 white, with yellow s}x>ts ; Sappho, white, 

 with dark spots; The Queen, white, tinged 

 hlush : The Warrior, rosy-crimson. 



Ill addition to the groups already men- 

 tioned, there is a distinct set composed of 

 hybrids with fragrant flowers. These are 

 hybrids from the Chinese R. Fortunei. All 

 are very floriferous, and the flowers are 

 various shades of pink. A few good ones 

 are Edith A. Boulton, Duke of York, Mrs. 



Thiselton-Dyer, and George Thiselton- 

 Dver. 



The various hardy species which liave not 

 been generally used by the hybridist are 

 also well worth consideration. R. race- 

 niosum is one of the most charming plants 

 imaginable when covered with its small 

 pinkish flowers. Unfortunately, it is sel- 

 dom seen plante<l in large masses, which is 

 the most effective arrangement. Then 

 there are such showy and interesting sorts 

 as R. cinnabariiuim. Yunnaiiense, rubigino- 

 sum, punctatum, U^]>idotum, ferrugineum, 

 and Smirnowi, all well-tried and hardy 

 kinds, while among fifty or more new 

 species, whi(^h have 'been introduce<] 

 from <1i!na during the present cen- 

 tury, we are bound to find many charming 

 plants, although it is doubtful whether all 



drons are of garden origin, for, with the 

 exception of the common R. ponticum an<l - . 



a number of dwarf-growing species, the ma- prove generally hardy, 



jority haveheen raised by the intercrossing 

 of two or three very hardy species. The 

 one which has exerted the most beneficial 

 influence on these hybrids and varieties is 

 the N. American R, catawbiense. This 



— -m^ H « V — w - m ^ M a I 



con^bines the qualities of a rigorous consti- 

 tution, with good habit, handsome foliage, 

 sha-pely heads of flowers, a late-flowering 

 period, ami extreme hardiness. Its flowers'^ 

 however, offer no great range of colour! 



for they are generally a shade of lilac^ 



The group representetl hy Smithi aureum 

 and Broughtoni aureum is also worth cou- 

 sideration. This group is composed of 

 hybrids raised between evergreen and deci- 

 duous species, and is sometimes oalle<l 

 azaleo<lendron. The two kinds named have 

 large heads of showy vellow flowers 



W. DAT.LniOKE 



ecessa 



y to introduce 

 oth<M- spiH H s tor this puipose. One of the 

 species used was R. arboreum, from which 

 red was introduced. R. caucasiium has 

 exerted its influence in the production of 



einwardtia trigyna.— The rich 



yellow floAvers of this member of the flax 

 family (in fact, it is often known as Linum 

 tngynum), are very bright and attractive 

 in winter. It is a native of India, and is 

 seen at its best in an intermediate tcirrera- 

 ture. The allied R. tetragyne ha^ 

 yellow blossoms— W. 



pale 



