Plants of the Month: March

Rhododendron and azalea

Our Plants of the Month are the rhododendron and azalea with their showy spring flowers. Most azaleas have the wow factor from April to June, with the rhododendron bursting into bloom later in the spring. Plant them now so they can come into their own over the growing season.

Both the azalea and rhododendron are hardy and mostly evergreen with lush leaves and an abundance of gorgeous flowers. Pick your favourite shades from white, cream, light pink and yellow through to dark red and purple.

They are originally from woodland so prefer shady locations, although some can tolerate sunshine. In a sheltered spot, they don’t take much care. They prefer acidic soil so if you’re unsure of your soil type, do a soil test. If you don’t have acid soil, plant them with generous amounts of ericaceous compost. They thrive in moist, well drained ericaceous soil, and don’t like tap water unless it has been boiled and cooled. Rainwater is ideal.

They look good in containers, which is a wise option if you don’t have naturally ericaceous soil. Wherever you plant them, add chipped bark around the base, since the roots are quite close to the surface. Stock up on liquid ericaceous fetiliser to use every couple of weeks through the flowering season.

Planting companions include the acer, flowering cherry, hydrangea and magnolia. They like space to grow, so don’t crowd them with other plants. The rhododendron and azalea make beautiful houseplants too.

Garsons card holders have 20% off the Plant of the Month range, which means 20% off azaleas and rhododendrons in March.