The shrub of choice for clouds, hedges and massifs

Rhododendrons as a structural element in the garden

If rhododendrons are planted correctly, the shrubs will grow together nicely and in a short time take on a certain shape as a whole. That characteristic, combined with the evergreen nature of the shrub, makes the rhododendron the plant of choice for the construction and creation of clouds and massifs, among other things. A trump card that garden contractor Luc Van Gael recently managed to play in large format.

Text Elise Noyez    |    Image Rhodes Nursery

In Brasschaat, a municipality known far beyond Antwerp's provincial borders for its large villas and ditto gardens, Van Gael and his team have been working since the beginning of this year on a private garden project roughly a hectare in size. One of the cornerstones of the American-style garden is an Indian Summer forest zone: a row of different tree species that takes on countless shades of yellow, red and orange in autumn. As a foundation planting for that forest and also a border for the adjoining grass zone, Van Gael realized a rhododendron massif no less than 130 meters long and 5 meters wide this spring.

Choose one specific type, or combine different colors for a unique result.

Playful effect

For the massif, Van Gael selected plants van the improved species Roseum Elegans in forest quality, with heights up to a maximum of 2 to 2.5 meters. "However, not all plants are the same height," the garden contractor clarifies. "To avoid the huge massif feeling like one heavy stiff beam, we combined plants of different heights here. That way we create undulations in different directions, which gives the whole thing the necessary dynamism."

Elsewhere in the garden, incidentally, smaller clouds and massifs will also be planted this fall. "There, a playful effect will be achieved mainly by combining the pink Roseum Elegans with the Cunningham's White, this time in AA and AB quality."

The evergreen rhododendron lends itself perfectly to hedges and massifs, and as a foundation planting for forests.

For a beautiful mature result

Although only planted for a few months, the evergreen rhododendrons in the Brasschaat garden will soon form a beautiful and densely mature massif. "However, you don't lay the foundation for a full massif so much with the quantity of plants," Van Gael emphasizes, "rather with the right aftercare. After all, if you place the rhododendrons too close together, they will be more susceptible to diseases, which is disastrous for the result on
long term."

"Much better to give the plants the space they need. They will then not immediately form a fully closed hedge, but the roots will have a chance to strengthen. Moreover, by removing the buds immediately after planting, the plant can put all its energy into creating a beautiful mature foliage. The next season you will already have a beautiful and perfectly filled massif. That maintenance, in turn, is done by regularly removing spent flowers and possibly pruning occasionally."

Working with different heights creates dynamics in the massif.

Local plants, local partner

Still, when completed, Van Gael's project will have some 740 rhododendron plants. All come from the nearby Rhodes nursery. "The choice of this local partner was not accidental," says the garden contractor. "Unlike many other rhododendrons, which are raised in acidic peaty soil, the plants from Rhodes Nursery grow up in neutral or even rather poor sandy soil. So they were already relatively well adapted to the soil conditions of the garden, which in this case was exceptionally poor."

In any case, a thick layer of peat to improve the soil is an absolute must for planting rhododendrons, and as a light fertilizer, Van Gael added another layer of leaves afterwards. Finally, foliar nutrition also supports the beautiful growth of the rhododendron massif in Brasschaat.