4 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 
There is a softness in the shade of purple, an elegance 
in the form and pose of its flower-heads, which are not 
easily equalled. Of course, the plant itself is always so 
and its habit and foliage are so perfect, that the 
flowers are bound to look well on it. If the breeder had 
never operated on R. ponticum, if it had been still the only 
evergreen Rhododendron in British gardens, it would still 
have to be given first place as an all-round useful shrub. 
I have never seen a big display of the other old species, 
R, caucasicum and R. catawbiensey and it is difficult to ac- 
count for the fact that they have never become common 
garden plants in this country. They are the reputed 
parents of many beautiful hybrids and crosses, but it is more 
than likely that the best of these with respect to habit and 
constitution have R. ponticum blood in them. Questions 
of breeding are, however, dealt with in another chapter. 
The Azalea section of hardy Rhododendrons has a 
garden history not unlike that of the evergreens. The 
species were in cultivation for many years — only, however, 
in the gardens of the curious '' — before they were turned 
to account and brought forward as ornamental shrubs for 
every garden. They haven’t got to that position even yet, 
although they have every right to it, always providing the 
soil is to their liking. If only the makers of gardens and 
parks and pleasure grounds — of any kind of place, in fact, 
where plants and flowers are to form permanent objects of 
interest — would make more use of these Azaleas than they 
do now, there would be less astonishment evinced by our 
people when they see them in flower in the few places 
where their merits have been recognised and their attrac- 
tions are displayed. 
Gardening is something like politics and religion. 
