Elegant azaleas can add a stunning impact in your garden.
Spring is the time for azaleas and they come in many colors, such as a faint pink azalea with darker markings on the petal edges that is gorgeous with prolific blooms from the bottom of the plant to the end of every branch.
Azaleas can be grown in containers or in the ground. After winter they burst out in a plethora of new growth filled with blossoms for the spring fashion show, the only thing missing is fragrance. The good news is that azaleas can bloom for several weeks.
One stunning type is a Red Bird Azalea, which is perfect for small urban spaces and containers. It was bred primarily for reduced size and its hardiness to cold. Some varieties of azaleas are smaller and more compact so it is good to choose the correct size for your garden area.
Azaleas like the Red Bird Azalea in the front yard look grand with their cranberry blossoms each spring. The azaleas grew well under the pine and dogwood trees in the right environment, in the shade with acidic soil.
Azaleas prefer shade or tree cover with acidic soil either in the ground or containers. You can put them in containers on the side of the house, on the front porch, on the deck and on the patio. As long as they have some shade, they develop profusely.
Azaleas are either evergreen or deciduous plants; evergreens provide green serenity after blooming in between numerous flowering plants.
Planting Tips
During planting add soil amendments prepared specifically for azaleas. This includes organic acidic azalea food, seaweed organic fertilizer and rainwater if possible.
Mulch your plants two to three inches deep with pine straw, leaves or bark. These organic planting methods ensure healthy soil, healthy leaves and roots, prolific blooms, and sturdy growth.
Prune the plants soon after they bloom to avoid reducing next year’s buds. You can prune some of the branches every other year to ensure buds for the next spring. As a shrub, azaleas provide formal foliage throughout the year or you can prune them in a more casual, branching style.
By providing azaleas with their favorite environment, your plants can produce abundant blossoms and healthy foliage for you to enjoy in your garden setting throughout the year.
Azaleas interspersed with herbs can provide an interesting and enjoyable garden for years to come. If you’re growing azleas and herbs in the same area, ensure the herbs like the same environment as the azaleas.
