Maddenia at Glenarn

The past couple of weeks we are noticing more and more maddenii rhododendrons coming into flower- you sometimes are aware of the scent before you see them. They lighten up many green corners and add an element of surprise, especially when seen from a distance.

The first I noticed was a pretty pale pink, below the rock garden, a plant that rarely flowers but suddenly was covered in soft pink blooms. Then the huge flowers of R nuttalli started to open, initially a greenish yellow but now in their cream glory- they are huge and one bush is positively bent over by the weight!

Now it’s the turn of R brachysiphon, a neat truss of flowers, rather like an edgeworthii, with pink stripes on the petals and a dark red calyx. The huge white trumpets of what most people call R maddenii are just starting to appear and add their scent to those of summer.

It’s been pretty cool and wet, great weather for the rhododendrons, but not for vegetables! I’m finding germination poor this year and am still trying to get my courgettes to a size to plant out- hopeless!