Is anyone growing this or do they know its preferences as to climate? We
walked through Knightshayes garden this afternoon and there was quite an old
one of these in the final stages of flowering. The scent was delicious! We
have got two small R. Lady Alice Fitzwilliam through last winter and I
really would love to get R. arboreum if it will survive with us. Any
information will be most gratefully received.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

On 11/8/06 19:55, in article , "Janet
Baraclough" wrote:

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

Is anyone growing this or do they know its preferences as to climate? We
walked through Knightshayes garden this afternoon and there was quite an old
one of these in the final stages of flowering. The scent was delicious! We
have got two small R. Lady Alice Fitzwilliam through last winter and I
really would love to get R. arboreum if it will survive with us. Any
information will be most gratefully received.

I'm pretty sure it's in one of the Brodick Castle rhodo collections;
in the section called the "Lower rhododendron walk". They also have a
lot of other scented rhododendrons btw.

Conditions in the lower rhoddendron walk are; sea level, (almost but
not quite frost free) ,wind sheltered, mostly shady, acid damp peaty
soil over sandstone, humid atmosphere (water and springs dripping down
rockfaces). Rainfall 70 " pa.

They also have r arboreum at Arduaine ( not much further north on the
west coast of mainland Scotland).


I remember that you wrote about that when I first managed to find R. Lady
Alice Fitzwilliam. Do you think they do mail order and could or would send
me some? I particularly like the fact that this R. arboreum is so scented
and that it's in flower so late.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

On 11/8/06 20:17, in article lid, "Stewart Robert
Hinsley" wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes

Sorry if this is duplicated; the mail program decided to play up.

Is anyone growing this or do they know its preferences as to climate? We

It grows from Ceylon to the Himalayas and at a wide range of altitudes.
Climate preference might well depend on provenance.

I've seen it at Logan Botanic Garden (Wigtownshire), Muncaster Castle
(south west Cumbria) and Biddulph Grange (north Staffordshire). The last
is a little harsher than the coastal locations.

walked through Knightshayes garden this afternoon and there was quite an old
one of these in the final stages of flowering. The scent was delicious! We
have got two small R. Lady Alice Fitzwilliam through last winter and I
really would love to get R. arboreum if it will survive with us. Any
information will be most gratefully received.

The Rhododendron woods at Muncaster Castle have a lot of Rh. arboreum (I
think - they're not all labelled, so I'm dependent on recognising them
correctly.)

Many thanks, Stewart. All this gives me hope we can grow it here.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 11/8/06 19:55, in article ,
"Janet
Baraclough" wrote:

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

Is anyone growing this or do they know its preferences as to climate?
We
walked through Knightshayes garden this afternoon and there was quite an
old
one of these in the final stages of flowering. The scent was delicious!
We
have got two small R. Lady Alice Fitzwilliam through last winter and I
really would love to get R. arboreum if it will survive with us. Any
information will be most gratefully received.

I'm pretty sure it's in one of the Brodick Castle rhodo collections;
in the section called the "Lower rhododendron walk". They also have a
lot of other scented rhododendrons btw.

Conditions in the lower rhoddendron walk are; sea level, (almost but
not quite frost free) ,wind sheltered, mostly shady, acid damp peaty
soil over sandstone, humid atmosphere (water and springs dripping down
rockfaces). Rainfall 70 " pa.

They also have r arboreum at Arduaine ( not much further north on the
west coast of mainland Scotland).


I remember that you wrote about that when I first managed to find R. Lady
Alice Fitzwilliam. Do you think they do mail order and could or would
send
me some? I particularly like the fact that this R. arboreum is so scented
and that it's in flower so late.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

If you have difficulty finding R. arboreum then you could try the Glendoick
People. Years since I had contact with them but I remember them as being
very knowledgeable and helpful folk
http://www.glendoick.com/index.shtml

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Is anyone growing this or do they know its preferences as to climate? We
walked through Knightshayes garden this afternoon and there was quite an
old
one of these in the final stages of flowering. The scent was delicious!
We
have got two small R. Lady Alice Fitzwilliam through last winter and I
really would love to get R. arboreum if it will survive with us. Any
information will be most gratefully received.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

Well I can not grow them so know very little about them! but down here R.
arboreum (aka Cornish Red) is in flower during the normal spring period, so
am I getting my names muddled again or is the plant you have seen a hybrid?
anyway there is an effort ongoing to replant younger R. arboreum because so
many Cornish plants were so large and aged, as a consequence most nurseries
are selling them at present.
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

On 12/8/06 00:05, in article , "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)"
wrote:

snip

If you have difficulty finding R. arboreum then you could try the Glendoick
People. Years since I had contact with them but I remember them as being
very knowledgeable and helpful folk
http://www.glendoick.com/index.shtml


Thanks, Rupert. I'd really like to find that one. We have a 'Rhododendron
Walk' here which Edward Hyams planted originally and we've kept going. I
think it would be particularly nice to have Rhodos like this one which
flower late and smell so gorgeous.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

On 12/8/06 08:06, in article ,
"Charlie Pridham" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Is anyone growing this or do they know its preferences as to climate? We
walked through Knightshayes garden this afternoon and there was quite an
old
one of these in the final stages of flowering. The scent was delicious!
We
have got two small R. Lady Alice Fitzwilliam through last winter and I
really would love to get R. arboreum if it will survive with us. Any
information will be most gratefully received.
--


Well I can not grow them so know very little about them! but down here R.
arboreum (aka Cornish Red) is in flower during the normal spring period, so
am I getting my names muddled again or is the plant you have seen a hybrid?
anyway there is an effort ongoing to replant younger R. arboreum because so
many Cornish plants were so large and aged, as a consequence most nurseries
are selling them at present.

I've emailed Knightshayes to see if anyone can give me info on this one.
I'm puzzled because the one we saw was white and in flower now and the ones
I find on a Google search are red or pinkish and seem to flower earlier.
AFAIR, it merely said R. arboretum and nothing more. Admittedly it was a
very old label and I had to peer at it from the path but I don't think I
missed a word! But when - if - I heard back from them, I'll let you know
what they say. The walled veg. garden there is open to the public now and
is a feast for the eyes. A lot of the stuff served in the café comes from
there.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 12/8/06 08:06, in article ,
"Charlie Pridham" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Is anyone growing this or do they know its preferences as to climate?
We
walked through Knightshayes garden this afternoon and there was quite
an
old
one of these in the final stages of flowering. The scent was
delicious!
We
have got two small R. Lady Alice Fitzwilliam through last winter and I
really would love to get R. arboreum if it will survive with us. Any
information will be most gratefully received.
--


Well I can not grow them so know very little about them! but down here
R.
arboreum (aka Cornish Red) is in flower during the normal spring period,
so
am I getting my names muddled again or is the plant you have seen a
hybrid?
anyway there is an effort ongoing to replant younger R. arboreum because
so
many Cornish plants were so large and aged, as a consequence most
nurseries
are selling them at present.

I've emailed Knightshayes to see if anyone can give me info on this one.
I'm puzzled because the one we saw was white and in flower now and the
ones
I find on a Google search are red or pinkish and seem to flower earlier.
AFAIR, it merely said R. arboretum and nothing more. Admittedly it was a
very old label and I had to peer at it from the path but I don't think I
missed a word! But when - if - I heard back from them, I'll let you know
what they say. The walled veg. garden there is open to the public now and
is a feast for the eyes. A lot of the stuff served in the café comes from
there.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

Sounds more like a variety called 'Polar Bear' Have to shout at john Lanyon
next time I see him about his labelling!

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

The message
from Sacha contains these words:
On 12/8/06 00:05, "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote:
snip

If you have difficulty finding R. arboreum then you could try the
Glendoick People. Years since I had contact with them but I remember
them as being very knowledgeable and helpful folk
http://www.glendoick.com/index.shtml

Thanks, Rupert. I'd really like to find that one. We have a 'Rhododendron
Walk' here which Edward Hyams planted originally and we've kept going. I
think it would be particularly nice to have Rhodos like this one which
flower late and smell so gorgeous.

Rumour has it that, since the 'younger generation' took over the
running of the Glendoick set-up, they're not nearly so helpful...

Friends of mine certainly had a bit of hassle to get a 'sick' Rhoddy
(one of several, all bought at the same time, and planted in the same
bed) replaced. All the others were perfectly healthy. The 'garden centre
person' tried to persuade them that it was their own fault, and they'd
done something wrong, i.e. planted it somewhere with 'less than ideal'
conditions. It took a great deal of persistence before they got a
replacement.

Thus are reputations, built up over many years, lost...

--
AnneJ

On Sat, 12 Aug 2006 14:29:10 +0100, Stewart Robert Hinsley
wrote:



White's not necessarily a problem - Rhododendron arboreum comes in
assorted colours from white to intense red - but I was about to query
the identification based on the flowering season, as the ones I've seen
flower in April or May.

Rhododendron 'Polar Bear', as mentioned downthread by Charlie, is a
large-flowered, white, hybrid, which I've seen flowering in July.

Looking at the Loder Plants (www.rhododendrons.com) website I see that
there's a Rh. arboreum Kuma 639 which is white-flowered, and flowers
from June to August, and also Rh. arboreum var cinnamoneum album ditto.
It looks as if flowering time, like hardiness, depends on provenance.

The white subspecies, Rh. arboreum var cinnamoneum, is apparently a
lot hardier than Rh. arboreum itself. But is it scented?

According to the Burncoose catalogue, Polar Bear is very late
flowering (Jun-Aug) with large trusses of white flowers and
'enormously scented'!


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

On 12/8/06 19:57, in article ,
"Chris Hogg" wrote:

On Sat, 12 Aug 2006 14:29:10 +0100, Stewart Robert Hinsley
wrote:



White's not necessarily a problem - Rhododendron arboreum comes in
assorted colours from white to intense red - but I was about to query
the identification based on the flowering season, as the ones I've seen
flower in April or May.

Rhododendron 'Polar Bear', as mentioned downthread by Charlie, is a
large-flowered, white, hybrid, which I've seen flowering in July.

Looking at the Loder Plants (www.rhododendrons.com) website I see that
there's a Rh. arboreum Kuma 639 which is white-flowered, and flowers
from June to August, and also Rh. arboreum var cinnamoneum album ditto.
It looks as if flowering time, like hardiness, depends on provenance.

The white subspecies, Rh. arboreum var cinnamoneum, is apparently a
lot hardier than Rh. arboreum itself. But is it scented?

According to the Burncoose catalogue, Polar Bear is very late
flowering (Jun-Aug) with large trusses of white flowers and
'enormously scented'!

I am not getting all posts, so I apologise if I appear to be ignoring people
who have been very helpful. It is not intentional. The Polar Bear ID
sounds a possible but a lot would depend on when it was introduced. The one
we saw was a very old, well established plant and Ray's guess is that it was
30 to 40 years old, maybe even more.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

On 12/8/06 23:01, in article , "Janet
Baraclough" wrote:

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

On 11/8/06 19:55, in article , "Janet
Baraclough" wrote:

I'm pretty sure it's in one of the Brodick Castle rhodo collections;

They also have r arboreum at Arduaine

Do you think they do mail order and could or would send
me some?

Both Brodick and Arduaine are old collections so the rhodos in their
woodlands are huge. Brodick does have a plant sales area but (since the
rhododendron expert left) they don't propagate rhodos any more afaik
(and they don't do mail order). AFAIK Arduaine doesn't do plant sales or
mail order.

OTOH you could contact the head gardeners at both, and ask. Since
it's for a nursery they might be happy to arrange a swap. Brodick's HG
is Colin Totti and I think but am not sure that Arduaine's is still
Maurice Wilks.

Many thanks. I'll concentrate on establishing the name of the plant we saw
and take it from there with the suggestions you give. What knocks me out
about these plants is the scent they can give. Bearing in mind that I grew
up in the CIs and started my gardening interest there, I have come late to
the joys of these Rhodos and just cannot imagine why they have never been a
Big Interest in e.g. Jersey, where Camellias are enormously popular. Rhodos
are there, of course but not in anything like the quantities they could be.
Perhaps Camellias were considered more 'exotic'? I know that two women from
Jersey have been particularly prominent in the Camellia Society but why the
comparative neglect of the Rhodo, I wonder?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

On 13/8/06 00:48, in article lid, "Stewart Robert
Hinsley" wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
snip

I am not getting all posts, so I apologise if I appear to be ignoring people
who have been very helpful. It is not intentional. The Polar Bear ID
sounds a possible but a lot would depend on when it was introduced. The one
we saw was a very old, well established plant and Ray's guess is that it was
30 to 40 years old, maybe even more.

The Hillier Manual says 1926.

Now why didn't I think of that........ ;-) Thank you. That makes it a
definite contender, then.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 12/8/06 23:01, in article ,
"Janet
Baraclough" wrote:

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

On 11/8/06 19:55, in article ,
"Janet
Baraclough" wrote:

I'm pretty sure it's in one of the Brodick Castle rhodo collections;

They also have r arboreum at Arduaine

Do you think they do mail order and could or would send
me some?

Both Brodick and Arduaine are old collections so the rhodos in their
woodlands are huge. Brodick does have a plant sales area but (since the
rhododendron expert left) they don't propagate rhodos any more afaik
(and they don't do mail order). AFAIK Arduaine doesn't do plant sales or
mail order.

OTOH you could contact the head gardeners at both, and ask. Since
it's for a nursery they might be happy to arrange a swap. Brodick's HG
is Colin Totti and I think but am not sure that Arduaine's is still
Maurice Wilks.

Many thanks. I'll concentrate on establishing the name of the plant we
saw
and take it from there with the suggestions you give. What knocks me out
about these plants is the scent they can give. Bearing in mind that I
grew
up in the CIs and started my gardening interest there, I have come late to
the joys of these Rhodos and just cannot imagine why they have never been
a
Big Interest in e.g. Jersey, where Camellias are enormously popular.
Rhodos
are there, of course but not in anything like the quantities they could
be.
Perhaps Camellias were considered more 'exotic'? I know that two women
from
Jersey have been particularly prominent in the Camellia Society but why
the
comparative neglect of the Rhodo, I wonder?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

Well they don't handle exposure as well, you can use camellia as maritime
hedging, but most Rhodos would rather some tree cover and a quieter life,
other than that I can not see why.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)