Marianne's Response
Rhododendren alternative
Two huge rhododendren tree-shrubs (dark fuschia blooms/6+ inch long leaves) were planted in front of the living room window about 50 years ago. I try to keep them at 6 feet tall max but would like to replace them with a shrub or two instead of fighting them. It’s a shaded area (the city’s mature oak trees) on west side of house. Any suggestions?
Posted by PJ PETERSON on September 13, 2020
Marianne's Response
What a lovely opportunity to introduce some new shrubs. Shade loving leucothe or rainbow bush would love the location and there also many types of Pieris japonica or lily of the valley bush that would thrive in a shaded location. Just be aware that you want the dwarf version of any shrub so that you do not have to prune your shrubs to keep them below the window. There are also dwarf rhododendrons such as my favorite Ginny Gee or the impeditum rhodies. The Pieris and the leucothe will grow to about 6 feet after a decade but the rhodies will stay under 4 feet. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti
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