Azaleas And Rhododendrons For Small Gardens

Azaleas and Rhododendrons are highly popular ornamental shrubs that come in all shapes and sizes, from small, ground-hugging shrubs to large, tree-like specimens. Their flowers range from tiny and delicate blossoms to huge ‘trusses’, counting up to 25 flowers! Some feature wonderful foliage adding glorious fall color to the landscape; others are deliciously fragrant. All are fascinating.

If your garden is small, you must choose Azaleas and Rhododendrons that won’t overwhelm the space or create a maintenance chore, so try to select a smaller variety.

• Choose varieties that will grow on a scale appropriate to your landscape needs. Rhododendrons have no final size and can grow almost indefinitely. They range from dwarf, ground-hugging varieties, which may reach 16 in. in 10 years (40 cm) to giant tree-like specimens as tall as 20 ft. or more (6 m). Both moisture and the length of the growing season will have a serious impact on their growth rate. Some Rhododendrons will experience a fast growth rate (2 ft. per or 60 cm) while others will slowly grow less than 0.5 in. per year (1cm).
• If you choose plants that are the right size, to begin with, they are relatively maintenance-free. If not, Azaleas and Rhododendrons can be pruned to be kept small. Most varieties can be cut back if they get too large, except for some species with smooth bark, which will not regenerate. Small-leaved Rhododendrons (Lepidote Rhododendrons) and deciduous or evergreen Azaleas can be cut back or pruned.

The following is a list of compact, dwarf to medium-sized Azaleas and Rhododendrons famed for their flowers. Most of them have been recognized as proven performers and have received the Rhododendron of the Year Award of the American Rhododendron Society and/or the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.