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My love affair with Rhododendron is such a tepid thing that it would be better to describe it as
guarded indifference. However things are changing. I had already realised that there was space in my shaded
garden for a few more good ones to add a splash of easy colour to spring. I am trying to avoid lilac and rose and accidentally fell into 'Scarlet Wonder' when I was offered one 'on the cheap' (sorry to have traded passion for economy, but isn't that life). Raised by Dietrich Hobbie in Germany in 1960 when he was working with the creeping R. forrestii Repens Group to produce hybrids. This one is R.forrestii Repens Group x 'Essex Scarlet'. It makes a taller plant than the species though it is still considerably wider than high. Flowers profusely during April. Introduced in 1960. It came into flower in the greenhouse and I planted it out immediately before I lose my nerve. The International Rhododendron Register says: "Fls 5-7/fairly compact, flattened globe truss, broadly funnel-shaped, 45 x 55mm, near strong red (53B), with some very faint, brown spotting in the throat. Lvs c50 x 25mm, dull green above. Shrub 0.6 x c1.3m. May. HC 1970, AM 1989." |
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