Have you been to Westonbirt? Fabulous Rhodos . Rhododendrons are a lot less particular than their reputation suggests - given the right dappled shade conditions and plenty of leaf mould, they'll tolerate some lime.
Azaleas are fussier but they even have some of those. I assume they grow in almost pure leaf mould, built up in a deep layer over the couple of centuries that the arboretum has been there.
Yes I have been as lately as last autumn, dragged there by my wife, if you have seen one tree you have seen them all!
Westernburt is high up on the escarpment and a forest environment, here we are in a valley where we have thick grey Severn clay which was used to line the Sharpness canal!
Even the water from the taps are alkaline, when tested!
I tried growing Yuk Rhodos, The Doc in tubs with the appropriate compost, they died after a couple of years!
And there are none of the above mentioned shrubs in gardens around here!
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Yes I have been as lately as last autumn, dragged there by my wife, if you have seen one tree you have seen them all!
Westernburt is high up on the escarpment and a forest environment, here we are in a valley where we have thick grey Severn clay which was used to line the Sharpness canal!
Even the water from the taps are alkaline, when tested!
I tried growing Yuk Rhodos, The Doc in tubs with the appropriate compost, they died after a couple of years!
And there are none of the above mentioned shrubs in gardens around here!