As the flowering cherry trees fade, the azaleas get their turn. Like the flowering cherry trees, the azaleas are not as spectacular as they were last year. I know it is relevant to the weather, although I do not know what the weather did to inhibit so much bloom with so many of the early spring bloomers. I know there was a lot of rain, but that should not have been a major problem. There was not much chill, but there should have been enough.
I do not know if this will be the most subdued bloom ever witnessed here, but the limited color might be more apparent because the azaleas and rhododendrons were more spectacular last year than they had ever been. According to their bud set, the rhododendrons will be even less impressive than the azaleas. The dogwoods might have had the potential to be as spectacular as last year, but some were disadvantaged by structural pruning.
These six azaleas were the best of what was blooming here this year. The pictures were taken about a week ago. I should know the names of all the cultivars, but I don’t. They do not look the same in landscape as they do on the farm where they grow. I could guess on a few. The only one that there is no mistake about is #4, which is ‘Coral Bells’. Color is a bit off in this picture. #5 looks like ‘Hino Crimson’, but without bronzed new foliage.
Rhododendrons are coming along slowly but surely. They will not be ready for next week. Fortunately, as wimpy as our bloom is this spring, there is plenty to get more pictures of for next week.
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This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate:
https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/
Tony Tomeo 
Azalea is not really a plant that grows outside in Switzerland, but we have a sort known as Alpine roses. They grow wild in the alps in Switzerland. They must be a hardy sort to withstand the height and lower temperatures. Although in summer it can get quite hot in the higher places.
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Lots of lovely varieties. My rhododendron is looking set to flower. My last year with it as promised it to my mum as it doesn’t really suit my conditions. But got a smaller azalea to replace.
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Great close-up shots and wonderful colours! I wonder if the Azaleas and rhodos were so happy last year (with all the rain) they didn’t feel the need to flower and set seed?
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Whatever inhibited bloom happened last season, before winter rain. Winter can damage bud and bloom, but the weather during the previous growing season is what stimulates floral bud development. I happened to prune many of them, but not in a manner that should have compromised bloom.
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I have not had luck growing azaleas here on the place. I tried for many years, offering various locations, but never had one survive more than three years. We have family in Louisiana and they seem to thrive there, so I guess I’ll just have to enjoy trips there in the spring and early summer to enjoy their beauty!
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That is how gardenias are for us. Those who grow them can not understand why they would be so difficult here. I can not determine what the difficulty is. There are a few about that do very well in situations where they shouldn’t, and I seriously can not identify anything about the situations that should make them so happy.
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We see the same cycles with the azaleas here, and the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ years can be somewhat mysterious. It’s the same with the oleanders. Galveston has an oleander festival each year, and the timing and density of the plants’ bloom can be unpredictable. Still, as you say, even a few are enjoyable.
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OLEANDER FESTIVAL?!?! Oh my! I have never heard of that. Oleanders have such a bad reputation here. I still like them. However, they are getting rare because of disease.
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If I had to pick a favourite, which I know you aren’t asking me to do but I shall do anyway, it would be #4. They are all lovely though!
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I know better than to argue if you would like to select a favorite. However, you are mistaken. Your favorite is #6.
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Ha ha ha ha, you do make me laugh Tony! Sorry, of course you are quite right, #6 it is. 😀
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A great selection, Tony. White azaleas are fresh and inviting to me, of course. A happy Easter to you!
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White is almost always my favorite color, and I really do like these white azaleas. However, it would be nice if there were a few pink azaleas below them. They got crowded out years ago, so the white azaleas are rather lonely. Of course, you can not see that in the picture, and they really are rad, even on their own. They are taller than I am.
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Beautiful colors! I’m still waiting for mine but for now there are only buds .. patience!
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It is nice that they bloom before the rhododendrons to drag the color out for a longer season. Yet, I sometimes think it would be nice if the whole process started a bit later, so that the azaleas would be starting to bloom now, and that the rhododendrons would bloom closer to the end of spring. There are a few things that bloom in early summer, but the rest of summer is the longest time without color before autumn flowers bloom.
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Well the azaleas look pretty spectacular to me but then I have no point of comparison. It is interesting what is and isn’t doing well this year – last year we had a very cold snap in early spring, this year it was mild and we have lots more apple blossom.
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Someone else just wrote about how the blossoms of several fruit trees were ruined by frost, even though they were the sorts that should have bloomed at different times. Frosted apple or pear blossoms are unheard of for us, just because they bloom so late. Anyway, I think that these azaleas look pretty good close up in these pictures. In the landscape, they are not as profuse as they should be, but you can not see that in the pictures.
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