I've never like azaleas very much, mainly because the ones I usually see are spindly and sparse, kind of like this slightly pitiful one.
Many of them have clearly been pruned, but some are growing and blooming profusely all on their own. I don't know if people in Elkton have discovered the secrets of growing azaleas, but once I started paying attention, I gained a new appreciation for the humble azalea. I hope you've got beautiful blooms (azaleas or otherwise) in your neighborhood!
Wow, that last one is a monster! I don't know much about azaleas, but I'm guessing it takes good soil and a bit of patience while they grow (not unlike my beloved hydrangeas).
ReplyDeleteWow! I've tried to grow azaleas but... spindly, sparse, pitiful!! ;)
ReplyDeleteI have an azalea in my garden. When it blooms (and not yet. . . ), it looks rather like the first photograph in your blog -- spindly and sparse! (At first, I thought that WAS my azalea. . . ) They're quite gorgeous when they go to town, though, aren't they? (Although I'm not sure about the ones that are pruned into mounds????)
ReplyDeleteThose are beautiful and the variety of colors is great!
ReplyDeleteI live in the South, so I have many azaleas. Most of mine are beautiful, but I do have some of the spindly variety when the bugs get after them. They are everywhere down here, and they are of every variety. I'm glad you got a chance to get out and walk and appreciate the day, Bonny.
ReplyDeleteAzaleas like rhododendrons require the right amount of acid in the soil. They grow beautifully in western Pa. Not so much in Mi.
ReplyDeleteNot so much in central NJ either, so these beautiful azaleas were a new sight for me!
Deleteoh honey, let me tell you - azaleas are the queen of Spring where I live. personally, I think they should never be pruned into that rounded shape and thankfully, most of my neighbors agree. I wasn't thinking Elkton was that much south of Flemington ... but I guess it is ... and I'm glad for that!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! We had a couple of stunning pink azaleas in our yard but they didn't make the deck extension project and are long gone. (Big root pulling adventure too!) Maybe it's time to put a couple back in!
ReplyDeleteA benefit of living in the south is the gorgeous azaleas. The don't grow well in Utah, either. Right now we have the most amazing Kwanzan cherry trees blossoming all around our condo grounds. It's my favorite time of year!
ReplyDeleteThe older I get the more I like those bushes! How wonderful to be able to walk to the doctors - that would be awesome!
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