I purchased and planted some Rhododendron 'Aglo' because I was told it would bloom from spring to summer. After reading the message boards I'm not so sure. I planted them in locations that I wanted summer color and am concerned I will end up with green on top of green. Is there anything I can do to assist or increase the blooms?
Most kinds in peak bloom for only a short time, say a week or two. Early blooming kinds last longer, because it is cooler--as long as the flowers are not frosted. Greer's Guidebook to Available Rhododendrons says 'Aglo' blooms 'Early Midseason' (April 15-May 1) and is hardy to -25F. To get a long season with rhododendrons you need to plant multiple kinds in a planned sequence of bloom. To avoid monotony in a planting, get a nice textural balance you need to have a few largeleaf rhododendrons only with other kinds of shrubs making up the rest of it.
Thanks Ron. I guess I should have done my own research before purchasing them. Figured I could have trusted what I was told, but my bad. You've been a great help.
...hmm... ever considered planting some clematis X hybr. amongst your rhododendrons...'HpyTwoBMe'.... then you have flowers for the summer
Lilies can work well, popping up between the rhododendrons. Clematis would grow onto them, twining vines could be quite a bother to pull off without tearing soft leaves of rhododendrons. Whether cutting back to tidy up in spring those clematis that flower on new shoots or to thin out those that flower off of old stems, to prevent them from smothering rhododendrons pulling sections of them off of the shrubs is highly likely to occur.
I grow lilies under most of my rhododendrons and I have been very happy with the effect. I find the asiatics work best and are reliable - the orientals are just too big for some of the smaller or denser rhodo's. The trumpet varieties don't survive more than a year or two in my garden. The rhododendrons provide good support for the stems of the lilies. WCG