Gardening A to Z: R is for Rhododendron

I mentioned azaleas in the first post during the challenge, so I thought it necessary to bring up their cousins, the rhododendrons. I am not sure how I feel about these bushes. The flowers are beautiful and I love the leaves.

Photo by Cynthia Berridge on SXC

What I do not like is that these bushes get so darned big. The azaleas I have in my yard are easy to maintain and to keep small. I have never seen an obnoxiously large azalea bush. One yard in which I do some basic weeding and mulching every year, though, has these ginormous rhododendrons that are as big as the garage. Yes, they provide some great shade and can block the windows. Yes, they are spectacular when they are in bloom. But the rest of the time, they just seem like big blobs of green leaves. I prefer a bit more color and in smaller sizes, I guess.