The Wilson Display Garden, located at the Agricultural Center at 1806 South Goldsboro Street is open for you to enjoy. The Garden will have an official ribbon cutting on Sunday, May 2, from 3-5 PM.

This month when I walked out to the garden to pick the plant of the month, I was greeted by a mommy bluebird. After staying still and looking around I found daddy bluebird not too far off sitting in a sweet gum tree. This is the second year for bluebirds to make their home in the Wilson Display Garden.

The plants that are blooming now include many different cultivars of azaleas. The garden has these azaleas: 'Snow', 'George Taber', 'Salmon Beauty', 'Redwing', 'Coral Bells', 'Gumpo White', 'Mildred Mae', and 'Pink Ruffles'.

Besides millions of different cultivars of azaleas there also are many different hybrids. 'Snow', 'Coral Bells', 'Mildred Mae' and 'Salmon Beauty' are Kurume hybrid azaleas. 'Snow' has pure white, hose-in-hose flowers. 'Snow' is a vigorous grower and common in the nursery trade. 'Coral Bells' has coral pink, small, 1.5 inch diameter, hose-in-hose flowers. The plant is dwarf and low spreading, 3 feet tall by 3-4 feet wide. This plant is one of the most commonly available azaleas. 'Mildred Mae' has large, single, pale lavender flowers. 'Salmon Beauty' has salmon-pink, hose-in-hose flowers.

Southern Indica types of azaleas are the best for high light areas and in the coastal plain. They are vigorous, upright growers and can reach 5-10 feet high. They have profuse spring flowers. 'George Taber' is a selection of the Southern Indica azaleas. It bares a very large, single, light orchid-pink flower. It also is very cold hardy.

Rutherfordiana hybrids have medium-sized flowers and grow 2- 4 feet high. They require mid-day shade for best survival. 'Pink Ruffles' has pink-violet, semi-double flowers. Satsuki hybrid azaleas come from the Japanese word Satsuke, meaning fifth month, as when these plants typically bloom. They are excellent evergreen spreading shrubs of dwarf size. You can include 'Gumpo White' to prolong the spring bloom of your azalea bed. It has large single white flowers. The plant has a dense growth habit.

'Redwing' was introduced Monrovia Nursery (you may have seen Monrovia tags on plants you have purchased in the past). This azalea is part of the 'Imperial' Family. 'Redwing' of course has red flowers, 3-4 inches across.

Most azaleas prefer filter shade, such as under pine trees. Azaleas also like moist, well-drained soil. So during our hot dry summers you may need to water your azaleas, 1 inch of water per week once established. Azaleas stressed by lack of water or too intense of sunlight will surely fall victim to azalea lace bugs. If you notice your azaleas yellowing look at the underside of the leaves and see if there is black specks. This is evidence that lace bugs have been there. Lace bugs are active April through June and this is when appropriate insecticides should be applied.

With the vast array of different hybrids and cultivars of azaleas there is definitely one that will work in your shade garden. If you only have full sun you probably will want to choose a different flowering shrub.

If you have been wanting to prune your azaleas, prune them right after they have stopped blooming. If you wait too late you will prune off next year's flower buds.

Take a walk through the Wilson Display Garden and plan to join us for the ribbon cutting, May 2.

Date Created: 12/06/00.