Adding Azaleas to the Garden
Developing any garden takes time, planning, and lots of patience.
A couple of years ago, I decided to create an azalea border along one side of the carriage road between my Summer House and my stable. I wanted to plant lots of colorful azaleas - a variety of unique specimens in shades of pink, orange, crimson, and white. I already have many azaleas growing and flourishing in this area, but I wanted to expand the collection. First, we planted about 170 azaleas on one side of the carriage road, and then another 200 on the other side. Every year since, my gardeners and I watch how the plants grow and add more where needed. Of all the shrubs that flower in spring, azaleas provide some of the most brilliant displays - I am looking forward to seeing this garden bloom later this season.
Enjoy these photos.
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- If you follow my blog regularly, you may recall I designed this expanded azalea garden in 2021. For this garden, I purchased hundreds of gorgeous azaleas in a variety of bright, cheerful colors. The best time to shop for azaleas is when they are in bloom so you can see their flower colors and forms.
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- I decided how they would be placed on both sides of the carriage road – planted by color from white to pink to red and then orange and yellow. When selecting a location for planting, be sure you know the mature size of the plants so they can be grouped accordingly in the landscape – tall plants in the background and short plants in the foreground. Plant height ranges from about three to six feet for most varieties, but rare plants can range from under one foot to well over 15-feet tall. It’s also important to keep azaleas where they can be protected from midday and winter sun to prevent leaves from drying out and burning.
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- I also decided to mulch most of the garden, so there would be less grass to mow and maintain. Fortunately, we are able to make lots of mulch, and compost, right here at my farm. Last year, the azaleas bloomed so beautifully.
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- Many of the plants were filled with healthy, gorgeous flowers.
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- Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the Ericaceae family, which includes blueberries and mountain laurel. They are also all rhododendrons and members of the genus Rhododendron.
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- Azaleas are generally healthy, easy to grow plants. Some azaleas bloom as early as March, but most bloom in late April and May with blossoms lasting several weeks.
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- Leaves of most azaleas are solid green, with a roughly long football-shape. The length of azalea leaves ranges from as little as a quarter-inch to more than six inches. Here, one can also see the bud in the center.
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- Azaleas are native to several continents including Asia, Europe and North America. These plants can live for many years, and they continue to grow their entire lives.
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- The tube-shaped base of the flower contains a stamen that protrudes from the center.
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- Azalea flowers can be single, hose-in-hose, double or double hose-in-hose, depending on the number of petals.
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- Azalea petal shapes vary greatly. They range from narrow to triangular to overlapping rounded petals. They can also be flat, wavy or ruffled. Many azaleas have two to three inch flowers.
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- Right now, most of the azaleas are still bare of any flowers, but here is one of the first true azalea blooms of this season – such a lovely shade of pink.
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- Yesterday, my gardeners planted a collection of azaleas that we have been nurturing in pots. Here, they are positioned thoughtfully where there are empty spaces.
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- When planting, dig the hole at least twice the size of the plant. Azaleas thrive in moist, well-drained soils high in organic matter. The hole sides should be slanted and the hole should be no deeper than the root ball is tall, so it can be placed directly on undisturbed soil. Digging a wide planting hole helps to provide the best opportunity for roots to expand into its new growing environment.
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- Next, a generous handful of good fertilizer is sprinkled in the hole and in the surrounding soil. We used Holly-tone.
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- This fertilizer is great for for feeding hollies, azaleas, camellias, evergreens, dogwoods, rhododendrons and others. It is a slow-release fertilizer that is easy to sprinkle into the freshly dug holes. Remember, if you eat, so should your plants.
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- The potted plant is placed into the hole to ensure it is the right depth. Planting too deep could eventually cause bark deterioration at the soil line and kill the plant.
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- Once a proper hole is established, the plant is removed from its pot, and small portions of the root ball are loosened to create some beneficial injuries. This helps the plant become established more quickly in its new spot.
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- And always save the pots. We save all our plastic pots to use again for younger plants and trees.
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- The azalea is positioned so its best side faces out. Always buy plants that are sturdy, well-branched, and free of insect damage or diseases. And, avoid plants with weak, spindling growth and poor root systems. The azalea is backfilled and the soil is lightly tamped for good contact with the root ball.
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- This plant has a lot of room to grow and spread. Some azaleas, including native types, can reach towering heights of 20 feet or more. Dwarf azaleas grow two to three feet tall, and many garden azaleas stay four to six feet in height with as wide a spread. I am excited to see both sides of this carriage road burst with colorful azaleas in another four or five weeks. I’ll be sure to share photos.
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