2 
VAN VEEN NURSERY 
RHODODENDRONS - AZALEAS 
SOIL AND LOCATION 
The first question that anyone who wants 
to start the cultivation of Rhododondrons or 
Azaleas should ask himself, is whether the 
soil of his garden is suitable to those plants. 
There is only one substance whose pres¬ 
ence in any quantity in the soil can be said 
to render their cultivation impossible, and 
that is lime, which is alkaline. Practically 
every other soil, by means of labor and the 
addition of fertilizing material, can be made 
to suit them. In a state of nature these 
shrubs appear most frequently to inhabit re¬ 
gions possessing a peaty soil, but there is no 
doubt that a light, sandy, well-drained loam 
meets their needs as well, if not better. 
In trying to follow nature as a guide it is 
well to remember that plants cannot always 
secure the soil or situations best suited to 
them. In the struggle for existence they most 
often adapt themselves to what they get. We 
may see some very fine Rhododendrons 
growing in other than peaty soil. I only men¬ 
tion this to support my belief that it is not 
necessary to imitate nature too closely. 
The most difficult soil to adopt to growing 
Rhododendrous is one of a heavy clayey na¬ 
ture; one that gets cold and wet in winter 
and hard and subject to cracking in summer. 
Such a soil must be trenched to a depth of 
two feet and thoroughly broken up, adding 
well decayed leaves, peat, sandy soil or any 
other material available which may help to 
lighten it. 
Stagnant water is fatal to Rhododendrons 
and must be drained if the surplus water 
does not readily get away. 
A dry hot soil—one of a light sandy nature 
lying on a gravelly sub-soil—is also in need 
of improvement before it is fit for many of 
the better Rhododendrons. 
On such a spot the aim should be to pro¬ 
vide a soil, to a depth of about 2 feet, of a 
nature which will not lose its moisture too 
quickly, for there is nothing (with the excep¬ 
tion of a limey or alkaline soil) which Rho¬ 
dodendrons detest more than dryness at the 
roots. To improve such a soil will depend 
much on circumstances. It should be turned 
over to the required depth, and anything in 
the nature of a hard pan beneath thoroughly 
broken up. Even if nothing can be added to 
improve its quality, the mere stirring up of 
the soil will quickly increase its capacity to 
retain moisture. 
Soil of a sounder, somewhat heavier nature 
may be obtained and mixed with the lighter 
one. The addition of well-decayed leaves is 
always an advantage. There is nothing a 
Rhododendron likes better. 
It may here be mentioned that when plant¬ 
ing Rhododendrons a very important point is 
to make the soil absolutely firm about the 
roots. The lighter the soil, the firmer it 
should be made. 
As to soil conditions, I hope I have made 
it clear that—providing lime is absent—there 
are few soils that cannot be made to suit at 
least the more vigorous kinds of Rhododen¬ 
drons and Azaleas. A few species of Rhodo¬ 
dendrons will succeed on limey soil, but 
these are very rare. 
After the question of soil, the position in 
the garden best fitted for Rhododendrons is 
the matter to be considered. 
The Rhododendrons of the hybrid type are 
very hardy and accommodating, and one 
need not be very particular in finding a 
place for them. If no other spot can be found 
for them, they succeed well enough fully ex¬ 
posed to the sun, although if the weather 
should be bright and hot during the flower¬ 
ing season, there is no doubt that in such a 
place the blossoms do not last long, and 
neither will the growth be so vigorous. 
The ideal place for Rhododendrons of the 
evergreen type, especially the large-leaved 
species, is undoubtedly one where trees pro¬ 
vide a certain amount of shade, which is 
especially beneficial if it is cast over the 
plants in the hot middle hours of the day. 
For those that grow and flower early in the 
season, protection from the early morning 
sun is also desirable. Bright mornings fre¬ 
quently follow cold frosty nights in the 
spring, and a screen from the early rays of 
the sun will sometimes prevent the rapid 
thawing of flower-buds and young growths. 
Besides the protection which trees give to 
Rhododendrons, from a cultural point of 
view, they have the additional value of great¬ 
ly enhancing the beauty and scenic effects of 
the plants when in bloom. Fortunate is the 
gardener, therefore, who, in addition to the 
right kind of soil, has on his Rhododendron 
plot some suitable trees distributed to give 
shelter and shade. 
Small-leaved evergreen species bear sun¬ 
shine better than the large - leaved ones, 
which is to be expected; since they often 
occur in nature, covering stretches of tree¬ 
less mountain country where the only pro¬ 
tection they get from the sun is given by 
cloud and mist. 
Many species of Rhododendrons and 
Azaleas are well adopted for the rock garden. 
Positions may undoubtedly be found in the 
average rock garden where a certain limited 
selection of dwarf Rhododendrons and 
Azaleas can be suitably placed. 
