The American Rhododendron Society's page (www.rhododendron.org/ ) is an excellent place to research pests and diseases that may affect your plants. The Plant Care heading on the main menu also covers topics such as planting, pruning and propagation.
A comprehensive list of rhododendron problems can be found at http://pep.wsu.edu/hortsense/rhody.html. This is part of Washington State University's Hortsense project, which focuses on providing solutions to common lawn and garden problems of the Pacific Northwest. Rhododendrons are listed under ornamentals on the main page.
Probably the most common rhododendron problem around here is root weevils. The adults chew notches in leaves, which is unsightly, but the larvae feed on the rhodo's roots and stem and can girdle and kill the plant. I've been told that laying rhubarb leaves around the base of the rhodo will prevent the weevils from climbing the plant, but I can't vouch for this by experience, and neither of the sites above endorse this theory. Putting a sticky material such as Tanglefoot or Stik-Em around the stem will prevent adult feeding, but a chemical solution such as Orthene may be necessary to kill the larvae.
A virtual tour of some outstanding gardens featuring rhododendrons and azaleas is a great antidote to reading about the horrible diseases and insects that could attack your plants.
One of the most beautiful (in my opinion) is the Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens on Whidbey Island (in Puget Sound). Featuring over 43 acres of rhododendrons, azaleas and companion plants, these gorgeous gardens are definitely worth a visit if you're visiting Washington state. You can get the flavour of the gardens by taking their online tour at http://www.whidbey.net/meerkerk/tour.html .
Also in Washington (in Federal Way) is the Rhododendron Species Foundation Garden ( http://www.halcyon.com/rsf/),another gigantic collection of over 10,000 species rhodos (rhododendrons which grow wild in temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia, as opposed to rhododendron hybrids). While the description and catolog are impressive, pictures are few.
Minter Gardens (Chilliwack, B.C.) provides a much better online tour. They, too, have a large collection of rhodos and some of the photos on their site are outstanding. Go to http://www.minter.org/virtual.htm to see for yourself.
http://www.exbury.co.uk/exbury.htm will take you to Exbury Gardens. Located in Hampshire, England, these gardens are justly famous for rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. Created by Lionel Nathan de Rothschild (of the banking family), the gardens contain many rare shrubs brought back by the 'plant hunters' of the early 20th century as well as the hybrids Rothschild developed. The photos are breathtaking and the history is a fascinating read.
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