HTA Plant of the month – Rhododendron

Spring has well and truly arrived and gardens all around the country are shaking off the last bits of winter and coming to life. Vibrant flowering shrubs and plants are beginning to bloom including the mighty Rhododendron.

Our friends at the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) have chosen the Rhododendron as their plant of the month for April.

Its name derives from the ancient Greek meaning ‘rose tree’. It prefers acidic soil and sheltered conditions and grows best in areas with high rainfall, which is handy, ironically.


Frances Tophill, presenter of ITV’s ‘Love Your Garden’ and the HTA’s celebrity of the month has been championing the plant.

She said: “These stunning and perpetually cheerful shrubs flower in all sorts of vibrant colours during spring when we tend to think of most of the colour coming from bulbs. So why not extend the flower power of your garden from ground level to head height and beyond.

“Rhododendrons will survive in most acidic soils and need hardly any pruning. Don’t be fooled into thinking that they provide spring flower and nothing more - most species we buy for the garden are evergreen so even in the depths of winter their deep, glossy leaves will provide colour.”

Popular varieties recommended by the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit include:

Rhododendron Bashful

Rhododendron Dreamland

Rhododendron Lavender Girl

Rhododendron Pink Pebble

Rhododendron Scintillation

Rhododendron Tortoiseshell Orange.

So if you’re planning any plantaria displays this month then the rhododendron might be something to consider especially with the HTA promoting it in the national press.

*Images courtesy of the HTA.