Camellias are out but rhodies are in...

by aleks

SJG • 4/25/13 - Rhododendron Yakushimanum, Area ZZE

In February and March our exquisite camellias lend their color and beauty to the SJG. In April  rhododendrons start to compete, especially the showy ones, of the European breeding.

SJG • 4/26/13 - Rhododendron 'Unique' in area G

By May I usually feel like apologizing to the visitors for all those gaudy colors everywhere: not very Japanese...  But in creation of the Garden in 1960 Mr. Juki Iida remembered that rhododendron is a bellowed plant of PNW, so he included many of them for the local people to relate...

SJG • 4/ 26/13 - Rh. Kaempferi, i think, not sure...

Only when I joined the Plant Committee (responsible for making yearly updates to Kathleen Smith' booklet on the SJG plants) I found out how many of our rhodies are actually of Japanese origin - kurume hybrids or transplanted straight from Japan; they were chosen with great care and are displayed in choice spots to show their beauty.

SJG • 4/26/13 - Rhododendron 'pulchrum'in area I

If you are into garish, blatant color NOW is the time to visit SJG: the rhodies will be on fire for another 4 weeks or so...  More like an impressionist painting, and not subdued Japanese Garden. But what can i tell you? Deal with it.

SJG • 4/26/13 - Rhododendron Japonica is coming to to the neighborhood near you...