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My favorite azaleas, George L. Taber, are now blooming - and I have several.
Most have been in the garden many years and are huge. I prune lightly as
soon as the blooms die back as this plant sets new buds for the following
year around August. This beautiful shrub grows to a height and width
of 8 feet, so gets quite large!
The George Taber Azalea has a rounded, upright shrubby growth habit.
Grow this azalea in USDA plant hardiness zones 7-10. Has slight cold
hardiness but grows best in the southern United States. It is sun and
heat tolerant.
Did you know that azaleas can live a long life if planted in the right place
and given some easy TLC? Azaleas are not high-maintenance plants.
Attention to pruning, watering and a winter blanket of mulch are all that's
required. Follow these easy maintenance tips to keep your azaleas healthy,
and find a location with the right amount of sunlight. I add some fertilizer in
early spring and the plants stay green year round which is a huge plus in
the garden. I have other azaleas, different colors, all beautiful, but this is
definitely my favorite.
Azaleas are not the best indoor flowers as they drop their blooms
quickly, however I cut a couple of stems to add to these LIDL tulips
and mini carnations purchased on Friday for the weekend.
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After a long overnight drink - the flowers, not me - I arranged them
adding some greenery from the garden. A couple more days and the
tulips will grow and flop a bit. I love when they do that!
Yesterday we experienced ongoing high wind gusts which were somewhat
nerve wracking. . . . . . . .especially after seeing the awful damage caused
by the tornadoes across the US south and Midwest.
Our prayers go out to all the people who have lost dear ones and/or
their homes and businesses.
I did a little garden work Saturday morning but was not happy beneath large
twigs falling from the surrounding oaks, and clouds of pollen. We had a little
rain which helped settle the pollen somewhat, but the gusts continued for
hours. Then the glorious sun came out late afternoon and things felt better.
This Sunday morning is cool, breezy but brilliant sunshine lights the garden
and I need to venture forth once it warms up. So much requires attention
and one can only stare out the window at waiting bags of mulch for so long!
Are you a gardener? If so, what are your least enjoyed garden chores?
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The azaleas look fabulous! They make a great addition to your spring bouquet.
ReplyDeleteGusts of high winds can make me nervous, too, and I am glad your house and garden did not suffer any more damage than a few twigs falling down.
Nature certainly is fickle at this time of year - we pray for those who are impacted by the tornadoes. Unlike hurricanes which give one time to 'batten down the hatches' as we say, tornadoes appear so quickly with so little time to prepare other than get into an interior room without windows - often a bathroom!
DeleteBob and I have spent many gardening hours this week, our backs can vouch for that!
Meike, enjoy your spring weather and the holidays this weekend.
Dearest Mary,
ReplyDeleteThat sure is a beautiful Azalea species.
Pieter did snip off several blooms for bringing them inside while I was not mobile and could not see them in person.
They wilt rather quickly but being on a stem is of course prolonging that.
Lovely Lidl bouquets you got!
It seems to be another gorgeous sunny day and rather calm.
Hugs,
Mariette
Hope this holiday weekend will be pretty outside and you can enjoy your gardens and flowers dear Mariette. We should have sunshine on Easter Sunday but rain later today and tomorrow . . . . . . .good in a way as Bob has been spreading grass seed again on the bare spots and it require watering - it's never-ending!
DeleteDoing better hopefully dear - you are such a trooper and I know will be OK soon. Just be careful driving!!!
Hugs - Mary
💕
DeleteNot much of a gardener. That wild wind has been fierce. My gate blew open and banged all night long, it's banging yet, but none of us wants to climb the snowbanks to fasten it.
ReplyDeleteThat azalea has the most beautiful, large blossom. It really is a stunner...too bad the blossoms don't last longer.
"Climbing snowbanks" - oh no, not still seeing the white stuff! Azaleas are beautiful outside but definitely don't like being brought into the house!
DeleteWishes coming your way for warmer weather, sunshine and a lovely Easter dear Vee.
A lovely jug of mixed blooms. The worst job is collecting fallen leaves that can't be mown up. We and neighbours have lots of trees.
ReplyDeleteHi Ali, hope all good your way down under in beautiful NZ as Autumn arrives!!!!
DeleteHappy Easter.
My least favorite thing in the garden is getting down on my knees to pull weeds.
ReplyDeleteYour azalea is stunning. I noticed it right away. We have some small azaleas, but nothing large and beautiful like the one in your garden. I noticed one little one is beginning to bloom this week.
Many of my azaleas are now gigantic, about 8 ft. tall - serious pruning perhaps a job this year after the blooms are over!
DeleteI enjoy gardening, and the worst job for me is cleaning up the prunings. I love to clip away, but the piles grow quickly and must be hauled to the bin.
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous flowers the George Taber azalea has. I love that shade of pink.
The azaleas have just about peaked now Lorrie - hoping the blooms last over Easter but we do have rain and wind forecast for a couple of days so..........fingers are crossed.
DeleteEaster greetings to you and your family.
I was going to say my least favorite gardening task is getting up from the ground after weeding or planting. Seems more challenging every year. However, after my first encounter with a looooong black snake this morning, I'd have to say keeping a watchful eye for them while going about my gardening is the biggest challenge of all. Perhaps my least favorite thing about living in this southern climate. Ha!
ReplyDeleteYour azaleas are gorgeous!!
Kim, I'm terrified of snakes and we have had very large/long black snakes several times! They say to feel happy having them are they non-venomous and help keep the garden free of rodents, BUT when you see a 5 foot one slithering across the front porch where you were sitting a few minute earlier, then up the dining room window and looking in at you . . . . . . . . well, you can imagine creaming and cursing big time!!!!!!
DeleteEnjoy Easter - but watch out for baby copperheads, now they are dangerous!!!!
That bush sure does put on a beautiful show. I remember the pretty azaleas we had in our backyard in Louisiana when I was a tween. I have two balconies with plants but this year let more wildflowers and weeds grow than anything else. If it's green and free,it stays in my book. I bought lots of seed packets in the States last summer but didn't plant a single one. Now wll have to wait until about September before I can plant anything. We had a crazy wind storm Friday night but since then it's been cooler with gorgeous blue skies -- definitely weather that makes me happy. The devastationn from all the tornadoes lately is unimaginable. So much lost, so much rebuilding to do. Take care over there.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Tammy, recent tornadoes have left such heartbreaking trails of devastation, more are forecast in these coming unpredictable springtime days. I'm always nervous despite not being in 'tornado alley' - we were actually hit by a couple over the past years!
DeleteI try to love my weeds but have to get rid of the really bad invasive ones which often try to take over the garden! I have seed packs to spread soon - mostly herbs, gotta have basil - but also will be trying again to grow hollyhocks and sunflowers, need some height with color for the summertime. . . . . . biggest problems I face are hungry deer and squirrels!!!!