Rhododendrons Grouped For Effect Of Color

Rhododendrons Grouped For Effect Of Color - Reds, rose-colors, and pinks, with a few whites, viz., Reds—James Marshall Brooks, John Waterer, Atro-sanguineum, Alexander Adie, Baron Schroeder. Rose and rosy-pinks-Mrs Penn, Ingrami, Lady Armstrong, Mrs Charles Sargent, and Mrs W. Agnew. Whites—Mrs John Clutton, Minnie, Madame Carvalho, Duchess of Connaught, and Sappho. Rhododendrons of salmonred color are best kept separate from others; of these, good colorings are Lady Eleanor Cathcart and Mrs R. S. Holford. Purples must be kept away from reds, but group well with any whites; some of the best for color are Everestianum, Album elegans, Fastuosum, Cyaneum, Countess of Normanton, Caractacus, and Sigismund Rucker. Pretty shades of pale blush are found in Lady Grey Egerton and Marie Stuart, while for bold groups of one color Chas. S. Sargent, Edward S. Rand, and James Mason are clear shades approaching scarlet, and James Macintosh, Maxwell T. Masters, and Warrior, rich crimsons.

There are some dwarf kinds which may be associated with alpine plants in the rock garden; indeed, some are but a span high. One of the prettiest of these is R. Chamacistus, which has tiny leaves, and in early summer exquisite purple flowers, of the same size as those of Kalmia latifolia. It is rarely seen in good health in gardens, and is best in limestone fissures, filled with peat, loam, and sand, mixed in about equal proportions. A native of calcareous rocks in the Tyrol, and one of the most precious of dwarf rock shrubs. The well-known R. ferrugineum and R. hirsutum both bear the name of Alpine Rose, and often terminate the woody vegetation on the great mountain chains of Europe. They are easily obtained from nurseries, and are well suited for the large rock garden, where they attain, in deep peat soil, a height of about 18 inches, with red flowers from June to August, hirsutum having hairy leaves and stems. But the best of all the dwarf Rhododendrons is R. arbutifolium (Wilsons Rhododendron), a hybrid between R. ferrugineum and R. punctatum, forming a dense bushy plant with small, oval, pointed, dark glossy green leaves assuming bronzy winter shades, and bearing many clusters of fragrant porcelain-pink flowers in July. For hardiness, freedom, and fine habit, it is a choice little plant when isolated, or as an edging to plantations. R. myrtifolium is a cross between punctatum and hirsutum and intermediate in form and habit, bearing clusters of deep rosy-red. Besides these there are R. caucasicum from the Caucasus Mountains, forming a dense low shrub 2 feet high, with clusters of pink to yellowish-white flowers spotted with green within; the leaves oval, dark green above, and velvety-brown beneath. R. Metternichii, from Japan, 4 feet high, with narrow leaves and rosy flowers spotted with purple. Also R. brachycarpum, another larger Japanese species, with lighter green and more rounded foliage, and creamy-white flowers spotted with green. These are known to be exceedingly hardy, but are as yet only to be had with difficulty. R. amoenum, R. hybridum, R. dauricum-atrovirens, R. Govenianum, R. odoratum, and R. Torlonianum are other dwarf kinds, which may be used in the rock garden, the last two being sweet-scented. They should not be planted near minute alpine plants.

As providing a more searching test than our own climate affords, we give here a list of kinds proved hardy in the New England winters under very varied trial, over a large range, and for a good many years past: Album elegans, light blush marked with straw color, fading to white, free, with an upright habit well suited to the centre of groups; Album grandiflora, light blush fading to white, strong growing, and very free; Alexander Dancer, light rose with paler centre, open and irregular habit, with a larger truss than any other hardy kind; Atrosanguineum, blood-red and early; Caractacus, rich purplish-crimson, one of the best for size and color of its flowers, gathered into large compact trusses, with fine habit and foliage; Charles Bagley, cherry-red, a late variety of fine color, with good habit and foliage; Charles Dickens, bright scarlet flowers, coming early as compact trusses; C. S. Sargent, rich crimson flowers, fine habit; Coerulescens, pale lilac-blue or blush, strong growth, and loose habit; Coriaceum, a late kind, of dwarf habit and creamy-white flowers; Delicatissimum, also late, with white flowers suffused pink, fine habit, and large glossy leaves; Everestianum, one of the best in its freedom of flower and dense habit, flowers rosy-lilac spotted with yellow, and crinkled on the margins; F. L. Ames, pale pink flowers with a band of deeper rose-color, good foliage, but ungainly habit; Guido, good habit, fine trusses of rich crimson; W. H. Sargent, large crimson trusses and the darkest late kind, but of poor habit; James Bateman, fine habit and rich scarlet flowers; Kettledrum, a deep red, late kind; King of Purples, dark purple, free, and of fine habit; Lady Armstrong, pale rose, beautifully spotted, perhaps the best pink; Lady Grey Egerton, good in foliage, habit, and its immense light mauve or silvery blush trusses; Mrs C. S. Sargent, like Everestianum, but with bright pink flowers with a yellow blotch; Mrs Harry Ingersoll, flowers of deep rosylilac blotched green or yellow on the upper lobe; Mrs Milner, rich crimson flowers, and excellent in other ways; Old Port, distinct in its rich plum color; Purpureum elegans, purple; Purpureum crispum, clear purple with crimped petals; Purpureum grandiflorum, the best of the purples in color, habit, and freedom, flowering late; Roseum elegans, flowers deep rosy-purple, with rich, glossy foliage; Roseum grandiflorum, near the last. These kinds may be planted with every confidence, even where the winters are long and rigorous.

The following is an abstract from The Garden of a paper by Mr W. J. Bean, of the Royal Gardens at Kew, on the Indian Rhododendrons in the London district, and therefore of interest to growers in the home counties, less favoured than many districts for the growth of these fine shrubs:—

The altitudes at which these grow range between 4,000 feet and 14,000 feet, but it is at heights of 10,000 feet and upwards that the genus is most abundantly represented. Above 12,000 feet Sir J. Hooker says that three-fourths of the whole vegetation consists of Rhododendrons. The mean temperature at Darjeeling (in which neighborhood most of the species are found) does not widely differ from that of London, but the extremes of heat and cold are much greater here than there, and it is only a few that can be said to thrive out of doors really well and flower in the London district, although many can remain healthy in foliage when grown in well-sheltered spots. The greatest successes with Himalayan Rhododendrons in the British Isles have been obtained near the sea in the south and south-western counties, where the temperature is equable and moist. The districts in which they are grown to greatest perfection are near Swansea, in Wales, and about Falmouth, in Cornwall, and also in the south of England and Ireland generally, the coast line all round the islands, too, being favourable. A soil which is naturally peaty is no doubt the best, but not essential; they may be grown out of doors in loam either light or moderately stiff so long as lime is absent, and with plenty of leaf mould. They should always, if possible, be planted near trees—near enough to be screened from the sun for a few hours a day.

The following is a list of species of some proved hardy in Britain in the southern counties and in good suitable soils:—

Related Flowers

Rhododendron Arboreum

Rhododendron Arboreum - The best known of the Himalayan species, and one of the most variable. The various forms may roughly be divided into two groups, the one with foliage that is silvery beneath, the other having the under side of the leaf covered more or less with a reddish tomentum. The leaves of all are from 5 to 8 inches long, the trusses rounded or sometimes almost conical, with the flowers closely packed, the color of the bell-shaped corolla varying from rich crimson to almost white. The plant known under the following names belong to the arboreum group, some having been given specific rank: Campbelliae, flowers rosy purple, leaves rusty beneath; limbatum, flowers rosy purple, leaves silvery beneath; nilagiricum, flowers rosy, leaves reddish beneath; cinnamomeum, flowers almost white; Windsori, flowers and trusses smaller, rich crimson.

Rhododendron Aucklandi

Rhododendron Aucklandi - This tender species attains the dimensions of a small tree, its stems being of a grey color with the bark peeling off. A hybrid between it and Hookeri called Kewense (raised at Kew in 1874) has flowers of a pale flesh color, not so large as those of Aucklandi, but more numerous in the truss. There is also a very pretty hybrid known as Aucklandi hybridum, which is hardy in the London district; its flowers are pure white. Syn. R. Griffithianum.

Rhododendron Barbatum

Rhododendron Barbatum - described as being in a wild state 40 to 60 feet high; I have seen it about 12 feet high in Cornwall. The leaves are 5 to 7 inches long, with flowers of a rich blood-red color borne in a compact truss 4 inches or more in diameter. There are many seedling forms of R. barbatum, one with fleshy-pink flowers being especially good.

Rhododendron Campanulatum

Rhododendron Campanulatum - Among the hardiest of the Himalayan species, flowering in April and forming a widely spreading bush. The leaves are coated beneath with a brightly-colored reddish felt, and the flowers are pale purple, changing to nearly white.

Rhododendron Campylocarpum

Rhododendron Campylocarpum - closely allied to the preceding, and it is of similar habit, but the flowers are pale yellow, borne in a loose truss and scented like honey.

Rhododendron Ciliatum

Rhododendron Ciliatum - A bushy plant which thrives well in sheltered positions near London. Its leaves are densely covered with hairs when young, less so as they get older; the flowers are borne loosely in small trusses, rosy white on opening, whiter with age. It has been used for hybridisation, and amongst others R. praecox and Rosy Bell have been raised from it.

Rhododendron Cinnabarinum

Rhododendron Cinnabarinum - In "The Flora of British India" this name is made to include what have previously been known as R. Roylei and R. blandfordiaeflorum. The species is, indeed, a most variable one, having flowers of a brick-red, rich crimson, or sometimes greenish color. They are all distinguished by the long narrow corolla, resembling a Lapageria.

Rhododendron Falconeri

Rhododendron Falconeri - A noble kind thriving in Cornish gardens, with oblong leaves about 10 inches long, coated beneath with reddish down, dark green, slightly downy and curiously wrinkled above. The flowers are of a curious shade of creamy white tinged with lilac towards the base. R. eximium is a fine variety of this, differing in its bright pink flowers and the thicker reddish brown fluff on the upper surface of the leaves.

Rhododendron Formosum

Rhododendron Formosum - There are two very distinct varieties of this in cultivation—the one has narrow leaves, in shape and size almost like those of an Indian Azalea; the other has them many times larger, obovate, and 5 inches long. Both have the margins ciliated. The flowers are in each variety white, although in the bud stage quite rosy pink. They are about 3 inches wide and as much in depth. R. Gibsoni and R. Johnstoni are forms of this species, differing chiefly in the larger leaves.

Rhododendron Fulgens

Rhododendron Fulgens - One of the hardiest and rarest of Himalayan Rhododendrons, blooming out of doors early in March, and not always escaping the damaging spring frosts, but if it does, it is the most brilliantly colored shrub flowering at that time. The flowers are in compact rounded trusses about 4 inches across, a bright blood-red, the leaves coated beneath with a rusty felt. The true plant has been grown outside for many years in the Rhododendron dell at Kew, and it has never been injured by frost, nor does it ever fail to set abundance of bloom. Himalayas, at elevations of 12,000 feet to 14,000 feet.

Rhododendron Hodgsoni

Rhododendron Hodgsoni - A spreading shrub or small tree, rarely more than 12 feet high, the stout leaves upwards of 1 foot long, covered beneath with a grey tomentum, the upper side a bright shade of green, and flowers are of a pale rose-purple. It is hardy in both the Welsh and Cornish gardens.

Rhododendron Hookeri

Rhododendron Hookeri - A native of Bhotan, and on the Oola Mountain this is said to form entire thickets accompanied by Pinus excelsa. The leaves are oblong or oval, 4 inches long and glaucous beneath, the flowers of a bright red.

Rhododendron Keysi

Rhododendron Keysi - A curious species, with flowers more like those of a Correa, brickred, about 1 inch long, the lobes of the tubular corolla being almost straight.

Rhododendron Lanatum

Rhododendron Lanatum - The young branches, both surfaces of the leaves, and the petioles are covered with a dull white or tawny tomentum; the sulphur-yellow flowers are 2 inches across.

Rhododendron Maddeni

Rhododendron Maddeni - A shrub 8 to 10 feet high, with bright green lanceolate leaves. The corolla is pure white, bell-shaped, and about 3 inches across the mouth. It is known also as R. Jenkinsi. R. calophyllum is practically the same thing, but a distinction is founded on the shorter calyx lobes and much smaller seed vessels.

Rhododendron Niveum

Rhododendron Niveum - One of the hardies species, but far from the most showy, the young leaves being covered with a white tomentum, the upper surface afterwards becoming deep green and glabrous, the purplish lilac flowers close in a small head.

Rhododendron Thomsoni

Rhododendron Thomsoni - The flowers of this species, of a fine red, are borne in loose trusses, hardy in the London district and flowering in the early part of April; the leaves 3 to 4 inches long, very dark green above. This is a plant of bushy habit; the largest I have seen is growing at Tremough, near Falmouth—a magnificent garden for these Rhododendrons. It was 12 feet high and 15 feet through.

Rhododendron Wighti

Rhododendron Wighti - A small tree, found at elevations of 11,000 to 14,000 feet, bearing yellow flowers 2 1/2 inches across in large rounded trusses. The leaves are firm and stout, 6 to 10 inches in length, and when young quite white underneath, becoming grey with age.

Other kinds

R. anthopogon, flowers sulphur-yellow; R. glaucum, flowers dull rose-purple; and R. pendulum, flowers white, are small-leaved dwarf shrubs, chiefly of botanical interest.

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