Description & Growing Deciduous Azalea

• All Azalea are Rhododendron but not all Rhododendron are Azaleas. Now we have that as clear as a muddy pond what is an Azalea?
• An Azalea can be an evergreen or deciduous flowering shrub with pale or startling coloured blooms.
• Some Azaleas are scented whilst others are without scent. Whatever you think about deciduous Azaleas, ‘muddy and boring’ they are not.
• Azalea are some of the most gay and brilliant flowering shrubs yet grown.
• For the technically minded Azaleas are in the genus Rhododendron, with evergreen azaleas in the subgenus Tsutsusi and deciduous azaleas in the subgenus Pentanthera.

Varieties & Hybrids of Deciduous Azalea for Growing

• The species have been much crossed and bred but the scented Rhododendron luteum and Rhododendron japonica are available as species.
• Knapp Hill hybrids are amongst the most colourful deciduous Azaleas.
• The Ghent hybrids have sweetly scented, honeysuckle-shaped flowers with long stamen emarging from the tube.
• The Rhododendron Mollis Azaleas are crossed between Rhododendron mollis and Rhododendron japonicum
• Rustica hybrids have fragrant double flowers and Occidentale hybrids flower in late May
• The Exbury range were bred by Lionel de Rothschild who loved deciduous azaleas and carried out much breeding work to enhance colours and scent. The Solent Range was started by George Hyde a private grower in Dorset but bought for Exbury (Images).
• For specimen plants Azalea Coccinea Speciosa or R obtusum are recommended

Cultivation and Soil for Deciduous Azalea

• Azaleas need an acid soil, pH 4.5-6.0 is best. Prepare the soil well and over a good area as the plants will be in-situ for many years.
• Roots are fibrous and tend to be near the surface so don’t hoe too closely
• Azaleas are relatively pest-free, forgiving and easy to grow plants. They like to be mutually supporting so closer planting (say 3 feet for stronger growers) is better for general health.
• Mulch with at least an inch of peat, pine bark or wood chips to keep moisture in the ground, allow air into the soil, even out changes in the soil temperature and keep weeds down.

Cultivation and Watering for Deciduous Azalea

• Azaleas like moist soil at their roots. This may require supplemental watering at least until plants are established in the ground for a few years.
• Adequate water after flowering helps to produce more flower buds for next year.
• An infrequent deep soaking is more effective than superficial sprinkling. If the Autumn has been dry water well before winter.
• Azaleas do not like “wet feet”. Good drainage can be provided by planting azaleas with the tops of their root balls a few inches above ground level and mounding the soil up to the plants particularly on heavy clay soil. Moss growing on the soil is an indication of chronic bad drainage.

Unusual Facts about Deciduous Azales

• As a woodland tree Azaleas except Mollis hybrids like shade and the flowers last longer.
• Flowers start before the leaves are fully open

Old & Odd Tips From Gardeners Tips

• More sun typically produces a more compact plant. You may get more blooms but they will not last as long.
• Established azaleas do not need fertilizer but a little sulphate of ammonia in spring gives a nitrogen boost and water in potash if flowering is poor. Undertake any fertilising in late winter or early spring so you do not encourage sappy growth that may be killed in a cold winter.

‘Azaleas are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Pentanthera (deciduous) and Tsutsuji (evergreen). Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks. Shade tolerant, they prefer living near or under trees.’

Horticultural Sources and Links about Deciduous Azaleas

• Glendoick in Scotland is a great nursery specialising in Rhododendrons and they have some grand Deciduous Azaleas
• Burncoose Gardens Burncoose Gardens
• Cally Gardens Cally Gardens in South West Scotland)
• Glenwhan Gardens Glenwhan Gardens

Photo Credits
Deciduous azalea by Eric Hunt CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Rhododendron occidentale #4 by J.G. in S.F. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Orange deciduous Azalea by wallygrom CC BY-SA 2.0
Azalea by dmott9 CC BY-ND 2.0
Azalea Berry Rose flower by Herms56 CC BY-NC 2.0

Sorry if you feel badly done too by the head line. The shrubs in question major on one colour but as there are three shrubs I called them three coloured shrubs. It seemed logical at the time but I recognise you could have been expecting tri-coloured shrubs.

The red leaves of the Photinia fraseri is often called Robinia which is really best reserved for the False Acacia or Robinia psuedoacacia ‘Frisia. In the spring the new waxy leaves are a vibrant and shiny red only slowly aging to light green. This plant copes well in the shade in a clay soil. I give it no special treatment and it forms a key part of my low maintenance area.

Behind the Photinia fraseri is another garden stalwart the Lilac. This small tree is just coming into flower and with a bit of sun each blossom will open a lighter colour and almost match the sky behind. As with the other shrubs here the Lilac likes the clay soil.

The Berberis Julianae has been very good this year which I put down to the sunny dry March and the cooler climate since then.

The angle of this photograph has changed and emphasis is placed on a white Hebe still to flower and the conical evergreen Picea.
The shrubs at the front cover the trunk of the Lilac that can be a bit uninteresting other than when the Lilac is in blossom.

I was lucky to get some old cast iron wheels for the garden and I planted a Spirea ‘Goldflame’ close by to get my ‘Wheels on Fire’. In Spring the foliage is the main attraction but when the shrub blossoms the bees will be an added attraction.
This plant grows to 3 foot but I then prune it down hard so it can’t get any larger.

Tips for Growing Spirea

• Beginners tips on Spirea
• Buy dormant plants in containers for planting between autumn and spring.
• Avoid buying plants that are too large or pot bound.
• Plant in full sun and water during dry periods for the best results.
• Plant roots can be divided in late winter to increase your stock of plants.
• Prune to 1″ for more flowers or halve the length of stems for a more dense bush.
• Spirea as a genus of flowering shrubs has around 100 species and hybrids cultivated by gardeners.
• Spirea is a hardy genus that will grow almost anywhere.
• Plants will tolerate part sun or shade and even poor soil.
• Pot bound plants do not transplant very well so buy them when dormant and check the container by tapping the plant out.
• Spirea japonica are easy to care for, fast growing shrubs with a floral interest to add to the strong leaf colour in Spring and Autumn.

Spirea Varieties and Colours

• Spirea japonica flower for 2-3 months in pink and white clusters of very small florets.
• ‘Anthoiny Waterer has young cream and pink leaves and red flowers.
• Golden flame is the variety shown above.
• Nana and little Princess are smaller varieies 1-2′ tall.
• Bridal wreath Spirea Vanhouttei has masses of white blooms upto 6 feet high.

Images from Google

You may also hear plants in the spirea genus referred to as meadowsweet. These plants have small oval leaves which may be toothed to lobed, and they produce profusions of white or pink flowers in the spring and summer. A healthy spirea will bloom so profusely that it looks like an explosion of flowers in the garden, producing delicate clusters of small flowers. In the fall, spirea shrubs drop their leaves, returning with fresh green foliage in the spring. Read complete article on the Wise Greek

Credit
Spirea by edgeplot CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Spirea prunifolia, Bridal Wreath Spirea by KingsbraeGarden CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Lilacs (Syringa vulgaris ) are one of the most rewarding spring or early summer flowering shrubs. It rewards us with the most delicate fragrance and beautiful flowers. Even when not in flower, the lilac makes a nice attractive deciduous, green leaved shrub, that can form part of a hedge or shelter the garden.

Tips for Growing Lilacs

• Lilacs do not like waterlogged soil. It is important to plant in a relatively free draining soil.
• They can tolerate hot sun and heat (and can provide a nice dappled shade for the rest of the garden.
• In long periods of drought, it may be necessary to water. Make sure the water gets deep down.
• Lilacs are not heavy feeders. In good soil, a general purpose fertilizer once a year, will be adequate. Be wary of too much nitrogen as this can lead to green growth at the expense of blooms.
• Lilacs send suckers from the base. These are vigorous growers and can be separated from the main bush to create new plants. A cheap and easy way to propagate.

Lilacs Pests Problems and Diseases

• Lilacs remain relative pest free. I have never had any aphids with my lilacs.
• Lilacs can be subject to powdery mildew, especially when hot and humid. The best treatment for powdery mildew is removing affected leaves and burning, and treating with suitable fungicide.
• Do not prune at the wrong time or you will stop the flowering. Lilacs should be cut after blooming.

What Lilacs to Grow

• Common Lilac or French lilac grow about fifteen feet tall with a spread of 8-10 feet.
• Lilacs have large clusters of flowers in a pointed cone shape. They are available in varieties with pink, white, blue, purple, flowers.
• Korean lilacs are shorter more rounded with small leaves and extremely fragrant flowers.
• Japanese Lilacs called Syringia reticulata generally have cream coloured flowers and grow into small treesRelated
  • Top 10 Spring Flowering Shrubs
  • Attract butterflies into your garden

  
  Lilacs: A Gardener’s Encyclopedia by John L. Fiala and Freek Vrugtman
  ‘The new book provides up-to-date information on the 21 known lilac species and 10 natural hybrids, as well as hundreds of the 2000 named cultivars.’

  Lilacs from Thompson & Morgan

Flowering Currant ( Ribes Sanguineum)

The small currant leaves can’t hide the large amount of red or pink flowers hanging from all the leaf joints in tassel like profusion. On one tassel I have just picked there are 11 star like flowers open and at least as many buds to still open. A great show of pink and red at this early stage of the season when these colours are harder to find. They don’t last very long but are a worthwhile plant to grow. The leaves have a strong and pleasant currant smell

• Cuttings are easy to root and I just cut a 10″ length and push it into a patch of garden where I want a new plant.
• They often grow wild on patches of land or a friendly neighbour would give you several cuttings. Look for a colour that you like and ask after it has finished flowering or at the backend of the season.
• Plants can grow to 5 feet and more so keep pruning out some of the old wood and trim the plant to a manageable size.
• Pruning should be done shortly after flowering – cutting back to a new bud.
• I grow them in sun and shade at they both perform.
• You often see them at coastal areas so they do OK by the sea

Pieris Japonica

Pieris japoninca

These shrubs are usually grown for the new bright red leaves that start emerging during April. This does them a disservice as the mature bushes are now covered in clusters of white flowers shaped like lily of the valley. This shape of flower gives the plant a common nick name of ‘Lily of the Valley Bush’.

• Pieris Forest Flame has red leaves that eventually turn pink then green. They grow slowly but robustly.
• Pieris Mountain Fire is another variety whose name implies where it came from and what to expect. Whilst ‘Flaming Silver’s new leaves are pinkish and the remaining foliage is variegated with white edges
• The new Katsura range have darker leaves, red or pinkish flower tassels but I have found it less vigourous.
• Pieris like a moist acidic soil
• Cuttings can be taken in June or July when flowering has finished. They are more difficult to root than Ribes but the plants are worth the effort

Mid April and the Flowering currants are giving way to the Pieris japonica exchanging pink for red in floral terms and berries for small clusters of bell shaped flowers.

Spirea leaf just bursting

Berberis Julianea is a colourful low maintenance foliage plant with flowers, berries and prickles! Good Berberis are  prickly flowering shrubs often with fragrant flowers ranging in colours from pale primrose to pumpkin orange, light pink to darker red.

Choose your Berberis Variety

• One of the more attractive garden varieties shown above is the Berberis darwinii, with bright orange flowers in mid-spring.  An evergreen preferring full sun and a moist soil it grows slowly to around 8 feet. The flowers are followed by berries that feed birds and wild life through Autumn and Winter.
• There is also the pink-flowered Berberis x stenophylla ‘Pink Pearl’.
• The purple-leaved Berberis thunbergii loses its leaves in winter.
• Look for Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea ‘Nana’ if you want to grow an attractive prickly hedge.
• Berberis ‘Georgei’ AGM is a good specimen plant but it may be hard to find in nurseries because there are so many others on offer. In the wild there are 450 species and add to that the many hybrids and cultivars on offer.
• Red leaved and asiatic species are often deciduous with red berries and good leaf colour in Autumn. Evergreens tend to produce blue-black fruits and are more shade tolerant.
• Berberis thunbergii ‘Rose Glow’ is an eye-catching cultivar which has young leaves that are purple as they emerge and within a few weeks begin to show pleasing swirls of pink and cream variegation. Pale yellow flowers in spring are followed by small, shiny red fruit later in the year.

For Gardeners Tips on how to grow Berberis see link
There is a National Collections of Magnolias, Knaphill azaleas and Berberis at Sherwood, Newton St Cyres, Exeter Devon

Marks for the juicy red berries 65%, for the colourful leaves 25%, for the arching branches 25% and for arithmetic 12%.

Cotoneaster Information

• An important genus of hardy ornamental shrubs ranging from prostrate to 10 feet high varieties. They tolerate most soil and conditions some growing up north facing walls.
• As can be seen the leaves turn from green to strong autumn colours and most varieties bear fruit much loved by the birds in my garden.
• Small white flowers can smother the branches in June and they attract bees and hover flies but are not troubled by pest or disease.
• My Cotoneaster horizontalis has herring bone style branches covering a 2 foot wall and 6 square yards of an ugly, old patio. This variety of Contoneaster is drought tolerant.
• My ‘Hilliers Manual of Trees and Shrubs’ (a great Christmas present for the enthusiast) lists over 70 species with short write-ups on each and the RHS Plant Finder tells you where to source them.
• Originally from Japan

Growing Cotoneaster Horizontalis for Landscaping

• Cotoneaster Horizontalis is a good low growing shrub for use as groundcover or to grow on a bank. In this situation they need little or no maintenence or pruning.
• A group of Cotoneaster Horizontalis growing in harmony with a taller shrub can make a distinctive feature
• I have a self sown seedling in the top of a wall and the arching branches disguise the more formal wall shape.
• Cotoneaster Horizontalis can be trained as an espalier or against a wall.

Propogation of Cotoneaster Horizontalis

• Cotoneaster horizontalis will root where the spreading branches touch the ground and this helps its spread. You can take rooted cuttings in this manner.
• Plants produce prolific seed via the red berries. They are easy to grow from seed.
• Can be propagated from Semiripe-hardwood cuttings

Read more: http://www.themediterraneangardener.co.uk/shrubs/cotoneaster-horizontalis/#ixzz1s1CLHu00

Credits
bird on fence by *Psycho Delia* CC BY-NC 2.0
November 2011 – Cotoneaster horizontalis by muffinn CC BY 2.0