Plants of the Month: March
Rhododendrons and azaleas
Our Plants of the Month at Garsons are the rhododendron and azalea. Plant them now and they’ll soon be bursting into springtime colour. Azaleas are at their best from April to June, while rhododendrons usually flower a little later. Both have masses of colourful blooms and lush foliage. There are shades to match all tastes and both look stunning in containers.
Most rhododendrons are evergreen with flower shades ranging from pale pink to dark red along with purple, yellow, cream and white. Originally from woodland, they prefer shady positions. They look good in front of larger shrubs, which will give them some much-needed shade. Ask for advice in the garden centre if you’re unsure of planting locations.
If you live in an area with acidic soil, you might notice ericaceous plants growing wild. This is a good sign that the soil is right for them. If you don’t have acid soil, plant them with generous amounts of ericaceous compost because they’re acid-loving plants.
In the right conditions, rhodos and azaleas will thrive. They’re low maintenance and usually hardy. Plant them deep in well-drained ericaceous soil and use chipped bark around the base, since the roots are quite close to the surface.
Once they’re established, treat them to a liquid ericaceous feed every couple of weeks right through the flowering season. Acid-loving plants prefer rainwater, although you can give them boiled and cooled water from the kettle.
It’s Mother’s Day on 15th March. If you would like to treat someone special to a flowering plant, Garsons card holders have 20% off the Plant of the Month range, which means 20% off azaleas and rhododendrons in March.
