In full bloom: rhododendrons Photo: Claudia von Dühren
By Claudia von Duehren
We planted our loveliest and largest rhododendron on a dreadful December day in 2000 when it was snowing. He didn’t blame us. The evergreen bush also forgives a courageous cut.
The bush, which was one meter high at the time, was previously in our rental apartment garden in Rudow and should definitely move to Lichterfelde. I remember how the husband moaned and cursed as he shoveled the planting hole with clammy hands. You could really feel sorry for him.
The poor plant didn’t get rhododendron soil back then, everything had to be done quickly, we had started to renovate the house from 1928 and didn’t have nerves for the garden.
Rhododendrons in spring Photo: Claudia von Dühren
He survived and is now three meters tall. Every spring it enchants us with its splendor of white flowers.
However, its stately size was slowly becoming a problem on the small plot of only 150 square meters, and so I cut it back vigorously last summer after flowering.
That actually works and small leaves are drifting everywhere on the bare branches inside the bush, because light is coming to these places again. And yes, it’s worth the effort to twist off the withered flowers – and it also looks prettier.
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