My Azaleas in Bloom

May 9, 2026

My azaleas are putting on quite a show at my Bedford, New York farm.

Of all the shrubs that flower in spring, azaleas provide some of the most brilliant displays. I have hundreds of them planted together in a garden that starts just outside my Summer House and runs along two sides of the carriage road all the way down to my stable. When they bloom this time of year, this area of my property erupts with spectacular color - from pure white to shades of pink, crimson, and orange. And right now, I'm enjoying them all.

Enjoy these photos.

: The azaleas here at my farm are looking more beautiful every day.

: My azalea collection is in a lightly wooded area, where they get lots of filtered sunlight.

: When I expanded the azalea garden, I added a variety of different azaleas and arranged them by color.

: Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the Ericaceae family, which includes blueberries and mountain laurel. They are also all rhododendrons and members of the genus Rhododendron.

: Azaleas are generally healthy, easy to grow plants. Some azaleas bloom as early as March, but most bloom in April and May with blossoms lasting several weeks.

: Azalea petal shapes vary greatly. They range from narrow to triangular to overlapping and rounded. They can also be flat, wavy or ruffled.

: Azalea flowers can be single, hose-in-hose, double or double hose-in-hose, depending on the number of petals.

: Many azaleas have two to three inch flowers and range in a variety of colors from pink to white to purple, red, orange, and yellow.

: The leaves are often evergreen with wooly undersides. The length of azalea leaves ranges from as little as a quarter-inch to more than six inches. Leaves of most azaleas are solid green, with a roughly long football-shape.

: The tube-shaped base of the flower contains a stamen that protrudes from the center.

: The best time to shop for azaleas is when they are in bloom so one can see their flower colors and forms.

: Buy plants that are sturdy, well-branched, and free of insect damage or diseases. And, avoid plants with weak, spindling growth and poor roots.

: When selecting a location for planting, be sure to know the mature size of the plants so they can be grouped accordingly in the landscape – tall plants in the background and short plants in the foreground.

: Azaleas have short root systems, so they can easily be transplanted in early spring or early fall. Be careful not to plant too deep and water thoroughly after transplanting.

: These beautiful bold orange azaleas are at one end of the grove closer to my stable.

: In another area, I have several crisp white azaleas and all of them are flowering now.

: It’s so nice to see them thrive in my gardens, but never eat azaleas. Like its cousin the rhododendron, the azalea is a toxic plant, and all parts of the plant are poisonous, including the honey from the flowers.