Are We Walking to Alaska

Are We Walking to Alaska
Are We Walking to Alaska - A True Story

Monday, May 25, 2015

Just Rhododendrons

Rhododendrons grow like weeds in NW Washington State - yards are filled with them - there are hedges of them - and gigantic old bushes.   Plus they grow wild in the woods too. I've seen some Rhododendrons that are at least 20 feet tall and just as wide - you could make a good hide-away inside. 


 Magnificent hedges

 A hedge of Rhododendrons at Lake Paden City Park
 A front yard with Rhododendrons and Azaleas
          

At the entrance to Broadway City Park
The variety of colors is absolutely amazing!!!
This is the most common color - I imagine that this was what was mainly available before they started producing Rhododendrons in the many colors.  I like how this one has been trained up into a tree shape. 
I'd never seen a yellow Rhododendron before - but this one obviously has been here a while, since it is so big.


 I love all the pinks!

 And the lavenders 

We discovered this unusual one in the The Big Rock Garden City Park - since then I've seen several others like it - but this was the first time I'd seen it. 
 Pale, pale pinks

 So many pinks!
I love the freckles on this one.  



This one is about 15 feet tall and is in my neighbor's yard - right next to where we park our car - so we get to see it all the time.
I hope you enjoyed the Rhododendron tour.


Mosaics were made with ipiccy.com and picmonkey.com

22 comments:

Sara - Villa Emilia said...

Now I know where Paradise is situated, it's in NW Washington State.
I'm in a hurry now, but I will come back to admire these incredible beauties.
Thank you so much for sharing!

Amy at love made my home said...

They are beautiful aren't they. I can see our bright pink one from where I am sitting right now, it is stunning. Lovely to see all the different coloured ones that you have found! xx

Lorrie said...

Rhodos are magnificent just now. The yellow is unique and very pretty.

Tom said...

Just Rhododendrons, just beautiful. Tom The Backroads Traveller

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

Count yourself lucky JoAnn to have rhodos that grow that big and in so many colours. If they overwinter here they're always a small shrub so not many people grow them, or azaleas.
Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday.

ann said...

What a profusion of color. I do think rhododendrons grow here in Colorado, but we do not have th variety. They really are beautiful. Thanks for stopping by the Garden Spot. Little Lily is a joy. I shot the photos of her with the iPad. I was videoing her sister riding and then saw her in the middle of the dandilions. At least the nasty littly weeds served some purpose. Enjoy your week.

Ingmarie We said...

So many lovely rhododendrons! Fantastic. I love them too. The yakushimanum and the wild arts are my favourites.

The Tea Lady's Journal said...

Oh my, such beautiful, beautiful flowers and blooms.

eileeninmd said...

Wow, the Rhododendrons are all gorgeous. So many pretty colors! The yellow color is new to me. It is great to see them growing so big.. Lovely images, have a happy week!

J said...

My rhododendrons have just burst open! Such a lovely burst of pink at the front door! The yellow one you found is amazing! I've never seen one in that color either!

Nora @ Teacup Tales said...

Stunning rhododendrons in such amazing colors! I can't get over the size and number of blossoms. I've never seen any that spectacular here. Have a nice rest of the week and thanks for visiting! ~Nora

Donna said...

These are amazingly stunning...nothing like that grows here because of our clay soil.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I've never seen so many colors and never seen the yellow ones either. We have lots of them in NC but they are shades of pink and purple. How amazing to see so many different varieties! I hope you've had a good holiday weekend my friend. Sweet hugs, Diane

The Furry Gnome said...

Amazing, just amazing!

Lynda (Granny K) said...

They are beautiful indeed and the yellow one 'luteum' has a beautiful scent, like honeysuckle. I've tried to grow it but it does not like sea air i'm afraid, the buds burn off. They thrive in woodland and on acid soil. When I was little a neighbour had a huge rhododendron bush in their back garden and we children made a wonderful den inside. It was perfectly dry. We could sit on the branches and ride them like rocking horses!

Maggie said...

What a lovely set of pictures. How lucky you are to have such flowers growing so liberally. We cannot grow them here because they are not lime tolerant. The yellow one is lovely. I have seen the occasional yellow azalea in public gardens. I am not sure on the difference between the two.

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Ok, so I think I'm going to give up on my poor hydrangea which bloomed beautifully each year until the deer discovered it, and just get a rhododendron. Sigh.
:) m & jb

Debra She Who Seeks said...

OMG you live in Floral Heaven!

Kay said...

Some of the most vivid ones around here are early red ones. After a dull winter the red is eye-popping. These are gorgeous! And I don't think I've seen many yellow ones, either.
(I'm going to be traveling 'til mid June. I'll have some posts in my absence but won't be visiting other blogs. I'll see you when I get back!)

Montanagirl said...

Gorgeous flowers, blooms, and photos!

Julie Fukuda said...

It is amazing how something that is just a bush in Ohio can become a tree somewhere else. The variety is simply amazing.

Pamela Gordon said...

Wow these are gorgeous! I guess they are a popular shrub in your area but the looks of things. Beautiful photos!