Yes, it is wrapping up. As if things were not rushing to the inevitable pushy behavior of Summer with more Sun and heat than we imagined possible in January, last night we got visited by near tornado conditions. Big huge winds, some hail, lots of pounding rain just beating the heck out of all those late-hanging blooms. Summer may be arriving with an exclamation point!

Nevertheless, I promised something – blooms of Spring, the “final days” – so, with that ominous designation, I will traipse forth with those remaining stragglers (don’t believe that for a second).  😉   They actually look pretty proud. I dare say, my ‘hood continues to kick bloom butt.

(click any image to enlarge)

The Exbury Hybrid Azalea above is one oversized sucker but whose random poke of itself over and above the mass below it, just begged for some photographic attention. So?  I gave it some.

This charming small rhododendron sits at the front door of a local condo and I have always been captivated by its two color bloom.

For 11 months of the year, the rhodies featured blow bedecking this small home in a truly splendorous show of bloomage, are an unremarkable, if generally comely bit of green. But when it comes bloom time, these guys are in a class by themselves. This picture really needs enlarging to fully appreciate just how spectacular they can be.

Other yards as well had their shady rhodies still showing off – and in some of the more exotic colors which tend to bloom late..

The lushness is almost ridiculous, occasionally, such as this place, below. So easy to grow here, they just get bigger and more reliable yearly.

I was caught by the color of this baby last year. It’s a very cool orange and pretty much at its peak right there.

Here’s a happy rhodie!

The deep shade canopy allowed these dogwood trees to bloom later than normal. The pink in the foreground and a gorgeous white in the background make a stunning small tableau, hard by soime apartment complex parking lot.

Meanwhile, back to the local rhodedenrons –

It’s honestly quite a show.

Rhododendrons have adapted to the American North West like a native plant. They thrive and adore it up here. All those hybrids developed in England and now Canada and the US are paying huge dividends opf uncommon beauty. Yes, there are native rhodies here – typically purple-blooming. And, yes, they sure do well. But the ones we are seeing dosplayed here are almost all unviersally hybrids, most actually stemming from genetic permeations of Rhododendrons from Nepal and China.

Getting tired of these yet?  OK, here;s one more. That’s it!