Apart from pest problems, there’s a lot to love about azaleas and rhododendrons, says gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON.

Some of the showiest spring-flowering shrubs are azaleas and rhododendrons. 

They are shade-tolerant and prefer to live in the understory of trees, where there is morning sun and protection from the afternoon sun. 

They bloom from early spring through to summer and are available in many colours. 

My favourite to grow is the evergreen Keirin. It has small, pink blooms and, when in flower, the bush is totally covered with spectacular blooms. 

Another favourite is the generally larger, deciduous Mollis azalea with a more upright growth than its counterpart, with much larger flowers.

They are deciduous and their flower colour ranges from purple, pink, red, orange and yellow. But they’re not only in plain colours: there are multi-coloured ones with stripes or flecks in the petals and pretty in the garden.

They’re popular for pots and small gardens and need clipping after flowering to promote new flowering buds the following year. 

The main pest problems for azaleas and rhododendrons are azalea lace bugs and thrips. 

Lace bugs can spread from shrub to shrub and will be there, unnoticed, until the damage is done to the leaves. These insects are very small and usually on the undersides of the leaves. They spend winter as eggs and spraying before the flowers emerge is the best time to attack and break its breeding cycle. 

Thrips are different insects, but cause similar damage. They’re easier to see on the top of the silvery leaf. Thrips are better treated in summer when they are most active.

OPEN Gardens Canberra has a large number of spring gardens that are open in and around Canberra. Membership costs $30 a year or $10 for each garden visit.

Visiting other gardens can give you plants and flowers ideas and design inspiration, plus the chance to meet other gardeners. The funds go towards horticultural scholarships and community grants. 

At some open gardens there are small plant sales that have been propagated from the garden and rare finds are always found. 

More at opengardenscanberra.org.au

THE native hibiscus (Alyogyne huegelii) is a low-maintenance, fast-growing shrub with a long flowering period from late winter through to spring.

Its striking blue/mauve flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. 

Alyogyne have an open-growth habit, but can be pruned if needed for hedging.

Growing to two metres, it may need a little protection from frost while young and, like all natives, good drainage is needed because they don’t like wet feet. 

Pink is a new hybrid variety that also has a prolific display of perfumed flowers. Although the flowers only last a day, the shrub produces more and more flowers through the warmer months. Regular tip pruning will keep flowers coming right through the season. 

The native hibiscus is from the Malvaceae family and many other plants from this family grow well in our environment, although many are not native.

Jottings

• Increase irrigation on lawns to keep them from drying out over summer.
• If needed, prune citrus to keep them in shape and to keep them producing flowers and fruit. 
• Prune hedges before the hot weather sets in. 
• Prune flowering ornamental trees, such as crab-apples and cherries after flowering.
• Canberra Bonsai Society’s annual show will be at Canberra High School, Macquarie, October 12-13.

jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au