Azalea (Encore variety) - some questions

I'd like to buy a few Encore Azalea plants for a particular spot in my garden, however I'm having difficult in finding any that will grow to a good size and are reasonably priced.

I understand that some varieties should eventually grow to about 4 or even 5 feet tall (and a similar spread) but many of those I find online only state a max height of around 60 to 90cm.

Autumn Monarch should grow to 5 feet yet I can't find any UK suppliers.

Is my google searching failing me or can anyone offer any suggestions please?

I'm only after four or five plants but would also like some of a reasonable size to start with, maybe a couple of feet tall, but all that I can find only are about a foot in height.

 

If you want large plants they will be more expensive.
Try J parkers, they only have a few of every variety, there's also 2 different Azaleas, one that grows 5 ft or more that's deciduous or the evergreen ones that are shorter.

 

@TheMadHedger As they were originally bred for the USA possibly not all are available or suitable for the UK
Unlikely to be available from Parkers due to PBR.
Just found this RHS article that explains history of cross, selection for UK and where to buy, the available varieties all seem to be < 1 m
Graham Rice's new plants blog: Azaleas aren't just for spring! / RHS Gardening
Have a feeling Azalea is no longer a valid name and they've been subsumed into Rhododendron.

 

Thank you. I was looking for a large variety that holds onto its leaves all year but seemingly there isn't one.

I also wanted a variety that flowered more than once a year but apparently Encore is the only one that flowers two, maybe three times, is that correct?

 

Thanks for the link.

My two main criteria are for an azalea / Rhododendron that is large (4 feet or more) and that flowers at least twice a year, but it looks like I have to go for large and a single flowering or small and multiple flowerings, is that correct?

 

That's how it appears, some of the spring ones do flower for a long period and are scented.

 

Interesting, when you say a long period are we talking of over a month? And which varieties does that apply to?

 

Probably not much over a month, but will depend on your microclimate and the weather at the time and the preceding year.
For varieties Search For: rhododendron | Farmyard Nurseries for ideas.
See here How to choose rhododendrons
My garden is not good for rhododendrons, not humid enough for some and the recent dry summers finished off a couple of dwarf ones, so only one left at the moment; which until recently was being shaded out.
Have you considered Camellias. I have a couple of Camellia sasanqua, Narumigata has been flowering since October and will probably go on until about Christmas. Individual flowers can get frosted, but buds seldom do in my garden. Also nicely evergreen, need acid/neutral soil and water in summer dry periods

 

Thanks. I'd not thought of Camelias, that's a good idea.

My main requirements are:

Large and bushy - will grow to at least 4 feet tall, 6 feet max (but can be trimmed of course)
Plenty of flowers, the longer and more often they flower the better
Would be nice for evergreen plants but not essential

The place I plan to put them is mostly sunny in Summer (when the sun comes out ........ ). Pretty wet though, often windy. I'm a couple of miles inland of the coast so the air is a bit salty. Soil is average. Can get hot at times and also very frosty at times so needs to be frost tolerant, varies of course from year to year, often not much lower than -5C. Have though known the temp go down to -10C (but very rarely), and even more rarely -15C

Also don't want a deep rooted system due to a septic tank drainage pipe that goes to the soakaway somewhere underneath the area that I plan to plant (but not sure exactly where, other than it should be at least two feet under the surface).