FFF725 - RHODODENDRON 'MRS C.B. VAN NESS'

This is a Rhododendron hybrid derived from crossing two other hybrids: 'Princess Juliana' (s) x 'Florence Sarah Smith'. It is a medium-sized evergreen shrub with compact habit and pointy, mid-green foliage. It is perfect for garden beds that receive dappled shade. In October-November, glowing crimson buds open to reveal compact trusses of trumpet-shaped, satiny dark-pink blooms. It requires well-drained, humus-rich, acidic soil.

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FFF724 - RHODODENDRON 'MEDUSA'

The hybrid Rhododendron 'Medusa' is a strange and beautiful evergreen rhododendron. The flowers come in different shades of orange are held on long pedicles that result in them hanging more or less face down. The leaves are long and narrow with a shiny dark green surface and fawn indumentum below.

These plants have a tropic look to them but are just as winter hardy as most other rhododendrons. These hybrids resulted from a cross of R. dichroanthum ssp. scyphocalyx and R. griersonianum. They gro to about one metre tall and wide. They should be planted in full to part sun. Best with afternoon shade, with even moisture, and well-drained acidic soil.

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FFF585 - VIREYA RHODODENDRON

Rhododendron section Vireya (vireyas) is a tropical group of Rhododendron species, numbering about 300 in all. Vireyas are native to southeastern Asia and range from Thailand to Australia. Vireya are morphologically diverse, and characterised by seeds with tailed appendages, the presence of leaf idioblasts and capsule valves which twist upon opening.

The cultivar illustrated here is "Dixie". It is a tall shrubbing plant that produces large round bursts of gold trumpet shaped flowers. These shrubs do well in large tubs, or pots as well as planted directly into the garden. They like a brightly lit position, but do need some shelter from harsh afternoon sun during the warmer months and strong winds.  Some of the larger varieties do require more shade, so always check the Plant Label that comes with yours to be sure you've found the perfect spot.

They grow fantastically well in the warmer regions of Australia and will tolerate not just cold Winters, but also warm Summers, making them a versatile and hardy plant.

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FFF302 - AZALEA

Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the genus Rhododendron, particularly the former sections Tsutsuji (evergreen) and Pentanthera (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks. Shade tolerant, they prefer living near or under trees. They are part of the family Ericaceae.

Plant enthusiasts have selectively bred azaleas for hundreds of years. This human selection has produced over 10,000 different cultivars which are propagated by cuttings. Azalea seeds can also be collected and germinated. Azaleas are generally slow-growing and do best in well-drained acidic soil (4.5–6.0 pH). Fertiliser needs are low; some species need regular pruning.

Azaleas are native to several continents including Asia, Europe and North America. They are planted abundantly as ornamentals in the southeastern USA, southern Asia, and parts of southwest Europe.

While azaleas are nowhere near as popular as they were some years ago, they’re still hard to beat when it comes to producing a mass of garden colour in winter and spring. Azaleas vary in size from small, rather delicate shrubs that are happiest in pots, to the large, hardy indica varieties that seem able to survive all the climatic challenges that are thrown at them. The latter group includes salmon-pink ‘Splendens’, purple ‘Magnifica’ and white or bicoloured bloomers that can reach up to more than two metres tall.

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FFF204 - ANDROMEDA

Andromeda polifolia, common name bog-rosemary, is a species of flowering plant native to Northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere. It is the only member of the genus Andromeda, and is only found in bogs in cold peat-accumulating areas.

It is a small shrub growing to 10–20 centimetres (rarely to 40 cm) tall with slender stems. The leaves are evergreen, alternately arranged, lanceolate, 1–5 centimetres long and 2–8 millimetres broad, dark green above (purplish in winter) and white beneath with the leaf margins curled under. The flowers are bell-shaped, white to pink, 5–8 mm long; flowering is in late spring to early summer. The fruit is a small capsule containing numerous seeds.

'Compacta' shown here is a small evergreen shrub to 20cm in height, with oval leaves and terminal clusters of clear pink, globose flowers.

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FFF152 - BLUEBERRY FLOWERS

Blueberries are perennial flowering plants with indigo-colored berries from the section Cyanococcus within the genus Vaccinium (a genus that also includes cranberries and bilberries). Species in the section Cyanococcus are the most common fruits sold as "blueberries" and are native to North America (commercially cultivated highbush blueberries were not introduced into Europe until the 1930s).

Blueberries are usually erect. Prostrate shrubs can vary in size from 10 centimeters to 4 meters in height. In the commercial production of blueberries, the smaller species are known as "low-bush blueberries" (synonymous with "wild"), while the larger species are known as "high-bush blueberries". The leaves can be either deciduous or evergreen, ovate to lanceolate, and 1–8 cm long and 0.5–3.5 cm broad.

The flowers are bell-shaped, white, pale pink or red, sometimes tinged greenish. The fruit is a berry 5–16 millimeters in diameter with a flared crown at the end; they are pale greenish at first, then reddish-purple, and finally dark purple when ripe. They are covered in a protective coating of powdery epicuticular wax, colloquially known as the "bloom". They have a sweet taste when mature, with variable acidity. Blueberry bushes typically bear fruit in the middle of the growing season: Fruiting times are affected by local conditions such as altitude and latitude, so the peak of the crop can vary from May to August depending upon these conditions.

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FFF151 - SIERRA SUNSET

Rhododendron (from Ancient Greek ῥόδον rhódon "rose" and δένδρον déndron "tree") is a genus of 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae), either evergreen or deciduous, and found mainly in Asia. It is the national flower of Nepal. Most species have showy flowers. Azaleas make up two subgenera of Rhododendron. They are distinguished from "true" rhododendrons by having only five anthers per flower.

This variety is "sierra Sunset" and the flowers combine red, yellow, orange and cream colours in a spectacular blend. This hybrid was cultivated by the late Jack Lofthouse. The foliage is dark-green and lustrous on a dense full shrub. Height 1.3m, and flowers October (Southern Hemisphere).

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