May will be full of fabulous flowers, the most anticipated month of the year for the gardener. If this past April's show is any indication of things to come, it will indeed be beautiful. With any luck May will be frost free and the real work of preparing vegetable and flower borders has arrived. There is one group of plants that I would like to highlight. The first flowers will arrive in May but the show will continue until early September, what a fantastic range of bloom. I'm talking about the native rhododendrons or native azaleas. Not only will various species bloom sequentially over this extended time frame but many are very fragrant, sometimes referred to as wild honeysuckle. I suspect that a few are resistant to deer browsing as well, I do see them occasionally in the understory on wooded sites. There is work being done to breed with Rhododendron austrinum to introduce some deer resistance so I'm sure it has potential as a native species in areas with deer pressure. The real attraction though is the chance to have flowers in the various summer months, when little else is flowering in the shady garden.

Most native azaleas (technically rhododendron), offer flowers that are very open and display extended stamens and pistils which elongate, curving upwards, at least doubling the length of the petals. The flowers, better known as trusses, open in a horizontal whorls and are exceedingly beautiful.

The first to flower offers its colorful bloom in May, Rhododendron austrinum is also known as the Florida Azalea or Flame Azalea. The flowers vary from the purest yellow to orange and a orange-yellow mix. Initially the flower clusters develop at the end of almost leafless stems. This is one of the fragrant natives, sending a light floral fragrance across the woodland garden. Tall growing, in time this woody shrub can reach 10 feet. There are several cultivars of this species, the most available of these is named R. 'Millie Mac' with bright yellow flowers.

Rhododendron atlanticum follows with white flowers that age to pink. Also fragrant, both sweet and strong enough to waft in spring breezes. A thicket forming rhododendron that grows 3 to 6 feet tall, very old colonies (100's of years) can become acres in the wild.

Next to come into flower is Rhododendron arborescens with flowers that open in June or early July. White in color, perfect for the shady garden, this is a species that can grow very tall, reaching 8 to 10 feet. The flowers are highly fragrant, like heliotrope. One of its common names is sweet azalea, I'm sure in reference to the floral fragrance. An upright grower, it will also sucker and form a thicket.

Next to flower comes the highly desirable Rhododendron prunifolium which flowers in July and August. Often called the plumleaf azalea, alluding to the Latin name prunifolium from prunus, the same family as the fruiting plumes. The flowers are bright orange-red and not fragrant. The best specimens I have encountered where at woods edge, a delightful encounter for mid to late summer. Typically slow growing, like the many other species, capable of reaching 10 feet over time.

The final 'piece de resistance' is Rhododendron serrulatum. Pale pink to white flowers open in July and August, sometimes September. Commonly known as the hammocksweet azalea, it can be found growing wild from Florida to Louisiana and north to Maine. The flowers produce a clove-like fragrance and this is another tall shrub, capable of reaching 10 feet. A moist site suits this species best and it is considered the last of the native azaleas to flower.

May is great but for the gardener with native azaleas and even more exciting in the months that follow. Not just with color for the visual sense but fragrance too!