In article ,
Bob Hobden wrote:

Rhododendrums and Roses are as tough as old boots in the UK if planted in
the ground so just prune the roses now to stop wind rock over winter and
leave the Rhody alone.

Er, not really. SOME roses are, but not even R. ponticum can handle
the coldest parts of the UK. I don't know what its exact limits are,
but I know that cold is one of the reasons that it has not spread
further than it has.

However, it won't have been affected by any of the light frosts that
are the worst that even the Scottish mountains have seen so far.
My guess is that it can take sustained -10 Celsius, which implies
the soil is frozen to a few inches.

And, of course, outside the colder areas, you are correct, and most
rhododendrons are happy (temperature-wise) in even the colder areas.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.