AN AZALEA GARDEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVII, Issue 11226, 25 March 1897, Page 6

AN AZALEA GARDEN.

(This Field.) One of the simplest and .’best ways of modifying the mixed and bad effect of shrubberies is to take up one varied family and give it a certain place all to itself., Vvo doubt if, in the whole range of hardy! shrubs, evergreen or other, anything is worthier of our choice than the azalea in its various forms. Perhaps handsomer and more brilliant than any other shrubs, they are lovely in flower in early summer, in some cases continuing into midsummer,, and hardy as the mountain rocks. They are much varied, coming from European,American, Chinese, and Japanese species, both in their wild forms and the. varieties raised from them, all go-' ing to form a garden of varied beauty. It is not only tho often brilliant flowers they give us we have to think of, but they afford the finest leaf hues in autumn, especially when massed in the sun. One may say then, that they adorn Die whole of the fine season. Tliey are not so difficult to grow as the rhododendron, owing, we think, to the rhododendron being grafted on one kind; they can be grown in a greater variety of soils, and do admirably without any grafting. From an artistic point of view, their colour in winter is better than that of rhododendrons, the change of foliage being' more complete, and they do not run into 1 heavy dark masses like the commoner rhododendrons, being more restrained in their growth. Another great advantage is that tliey are tender to life below them, and, instead of devouring all other plants like the rhododendrons, they are very kind to all sorts of beautiful things, such as blue anemones, trillium, double primroses, and a great variety of bulbs and choicer hardy flowers growing -..beneath them, the effect of which below the bushes is far better than when by themselves, the interrelations of colour being better. Where possible, azaleas should be grouped in colours and kinds, but where this cannot be done, they lend themselves to mixed planting better than any other shrubs we know. We are used to thinking of them, as belonging to what are called American' plants, and, as such very often grown inpeat soils; but this is by no means necessary for them, and they ought to be in bold simple beds where they can be grouped effectively. Azalea-growers are among the things that may bo done to last; some beds wo have have been a joy for years, and give little trouble, perhaps because they have a carpet of small plants on the surface, which tends to keep the ground clean.