Getting to Know You: New Garden part 94

[callmemadam]

Each month brings surprises in my new garden. There are shrubs here I don't instantly recognise, probably because I've never gardened on acid soil. This is obviously an azalea and I think it may be one called 'Mandarin Lights'. Rather startling. I wish it were PINK. I'm still separated from my gardening books and can't look anything up.



It's a large shrub, more like a small tree. Here's a close-up of the dangling flowers.



They're sweetly scented and busy with bees. Any suggestions welcome.

I must say few of these shrubs, like the boring, overgrown weigela, are what I would have chosen. Nor do I favour quite so much purple foliage as there is around, especially in a country garden. Realistically, though, I haven't got thirty years to wait for replacements to grow, so I'm not likely to be grubbing them up. I'll think on.