Six months with Azalea — what I actually learned

I brought Azalea home six months ago with high hopes and almost no knowledge. The first challenge was understanding mulching around the base annually to feed and retain moisture — something I hadn't expected to matter so much. Once I got that right, the whole thing settled down.

I grow it in a formal clipped topiary or box hedge and the position has been ideal. generally low maintenance once established is what keeps drawing me back to it. summer flowering on the current season's growth was the moment that made me glad I persisted through the learning curve. One honest warning: leggy and open growth habit from insufficient light caught me off guard in month two. Stay on top of it from the start.