Rhododendron lust

I happened by Cornell Farms last week, you know…one has to keep up on the latest at all the local nurseries. It was a terribly windy day, a bit rainy and quite cold, this never stops me from visiting the outdoor tables but I do prefer the covered spaces under those circumstances. Once inside I came upon this table of Rhododendron goodness...

I can’t guess how large this Rhododendron sinogrande looks to you, I wonder does it look as big as it really was (huge)?

Here’s my thumb for scale…

If I didn’t already own a struggling little plant I might have been tempted to scoop this one up, “only” $49.99! (okay I kid, I wouldn't be spending fifty bucks on this, but a girl can dream)

Oh the indumentum! Rhododendron pachysanthum…

I would have made the purchase ( $26.99) but for this...mention of pink flowers.

Pink flowers with that coppery indumentum? No.

So that was all on Tuesday, then I visited the Yard Garden & Patio Show on Friday. At the show I came face to face with this beauty (Rhododendron 'Ebony Pearl') at the Gossler Farms booth in the "Remarkable Green Market" ...

Back in March 2013 I took the photo below of a Rhododendron 'Ebony Pearl' in a friend's garden, and posted it along with several others. At the time I wrote "If I were to buy another Rhododendron (and I'm not) this might be the one..."

Well I bought it, of course I did, pink/purple flowers be damned! Just look at those luscious (dark) leaves...I can pick off the flowers right?

Tomorrow I'll share what else I bought at the show...

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