Spring Leaps

Mid-May seems to find the garden growing in leaps and bounds. The early rhododendrons are making their temporary splash.

Several species rhododendrons are the first to bloom.

R. mucronulatum blooms in pink and white shades. This is a seedling from 'Cornell Pink', more of a candy pink than the usual mucronulatum types.

'April Rose' is perhaps the most vivid of the early bloomers. It is very difficult to photograph!This year it actually had the entire bloom period "without" a frost sending the blossoms to mush.

It is one of a series of "April" rhodies.....two others being 'April Snow', a white double; and 'April Mist', quite a delicate lavender.

There are, of course, followed closely by the 'PJM' rhodies, of which we

have a large number. This is a small one in our 'Holland' bed....just coming into bloom.

The group at the front of the house make quite a nice splash.

Among the early lepidotes is quite a new one called 'Anneke Placek', she is a very delicate pink which turns to amost white very quickly.The pace at which new plants are coming into bloom is great, It is almost a full time job to keep track of who is doing what. The named ones are easy, keeping track of the seedlings that bloom seems a bit harder. This plant is in the '98 bed, and the cross information seems at odds with the plants appearance.

These big buds are on a seedling from 'Janet Blair ' x pachysanthum.

The "budding" goes on!