Arthur Bedford Rhododendron

There are just so many different rhododendrons, making a choice can be hard. New varieties have appeared for well over a hundred years, but if you want a plant that has stood the test of time, you can’t go wrong with the Arthur Bedford Rhododendron. Developed a hundred years ago, when breeding the best was a competitive sport among wealthy gardeners, this vigorous, durable and reliable bush is going to become a substantial plant in a reasonable time, with large, sturdy leaves and a classic display of huge flowers that will really appeal to anyone who enjoys the best. Combing rich lavender and red, the 3-inch blooms cluster in large trusses, opening around the beginning of June. If you have acidic soil and some shade, you can’t go wrong with Arthur – generations of gardeners who have grown in will agree to that – without hesitation.

Growing the Arthur Bedford Rhododendron

Size and Appearance

The Arthur Bedford Rhododendron is a substantial evergreen bush of considerable vigor. It isn’t going to just sulk and sit there, but instead quickly become about 5 feet wide and tall in 10 years. In later years it will easily reach 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Imagine that in bloom! The smooth, glossy, dark-green and leathery leaves are 6½ inches long, broad, elliptical and handsome. The leaf stems are red-purple, adding richness to the look. Leaves fall in early summer, not fall, so your bush will never be bare and twiggy, but always substantial and green, contributing to the structure of your garden even when not in bloom. This variety has good sun tolerance, and will do well in those inevitable sunnier spots in your shade garden.

Flowering takes place in most regions between late-May and mid-June, in the main period of rhododendron blooming, bringing fabulous beauty to this high-point of the gardening year. Each bloom is 3¼ inches across – yes, you read that right – and each one is a charming fluted and curled funnel of pale mauve pink. Heavily spotted with deep red dots, especially on the upper petal, the flower is highlighted by a large red-purple blotch of brilliant color in the throat and spreading onto the upper petal.

Things don’t stop there though, because the glorious flowers are gathered together at the ends of every stem into a cluster of as many as 16 blooms, forming a classic giant truss of blooms, and making a vibrant impact – what a display you can expect in just a short time.

Using the Arthur Bedford Rhododendron in Your Garden

This is a substantial shrub, and should be given the space it is going to need in a few short years. Grow it around your home as part of the foundation planting, out in beds, or in open areas beneath trees. It’s an essential component of a shade garden, but with good sun tolerance (for a rhododendron) it works well in the brighter spots with sun for part of the day, which are often found in areas of mixed shade. It will also grow well on the east side of your home, and even in planter boxes outdoors all winter from zone 8.

Hardiness

The larger leaves of the Arthur Bedford Rhododendron mean it is not quite as hardy as some others with smaller leaves. Reckon on sheltered spots at the warmer end of zone 6 as a minimum, but in warmer zones than that it will really thrive. Areas with cooler, damp summers are preferred, and like most rhododendrons will suffer in high humidity, high temperatures and drought conditions.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Full sun would be fine, with good soil conditions, for the Arthur Bedford Rhododendron in zone 6. Otherwise, morning sun and shade in the hottest part of the day is ideal. It will also grow happily in the light, broken shade from deciduous trees in all zones, but avoid the heavy, year-round shade of large evergreens, as flowering may become reduced. Shaded areas with blue sky overhead are ideal.

As for soil, acid conditions are essential, with soil pH values below 6.5, and preferable around 5.5. The soil should be rich in organic materials (make sure they are lime-free), loose, well-prepared and moist. This is not a drought tolerant plant, and needs plenty of water, especially during its early years. Rotted leaves, pine needles and other similar things are ideal for both soil preparation and for mulching over the root-zone once every year or two.

Maintenance and Pruning

Once established your Arthur Bedford Rhododendron will need little or nothing in the way of maintenance. Deer and rabbits leave it alone, and problems are much more likely to be about light, soil and water than about pests or diseases, which are symptoms, not causes. Pruning of branches is not needed, and is best avoided.

Once the flowers fall, reach to the base of the truss and twist a little so that it snaps off in your hand. Do not use pruners, as the new buds are directly at the base of that flower truss. Do this as long as feasible – once it is a large bush, dead-heading becomes a big job! Dead-heading will encourage a big display every spring – ignoring it will reduce blooming, especially on young plants. Otherwise, just mulch and water as needed.

History and Origin of the Arthur Bedford Rhododendron

Lionel de Rothschild was one of the super-rich garden lovers who owned large properties in England in the 19th and early 20th century, where no expense was spared to grow the latest and the rarest. The arrival of new Rhododendrons from the Himalayas at the very beginning of the 20th century was an opportunity to breed new, cold-hardy varieties, and that is what owners like Rothschild did.

The variety called ‘Arthur Bedford’ was first released to gardeners sometime before 1935, sold directly by Exbury Gardens. We know that Arthur Bedford was Rothschild’s head gardener at Rothchild’s property, Exbury Gardens, who sold this plant first directly from the garden. Exbury is still famous today for its rhododendrons. Frustratingly, we don’t know anything about the breeder, a mysterious T.H. Lowinsky. There is a variety named after his wife (‘Mrs T.H. Lowinsky’), so he was probably not an ordinary working gardener. All we know of its parentage is that Rhododendron ponticum is in it. That species is native to southern Europe, from Portugal to Turkey and Lebanon,

Buying the Arthur Bedford Rhododendron at the Tree Center

Use the test of time as your buying guide, and go for the Arthur Bedford Rhododendron. Structure, and enormous beauty will be your reward. You and Arthur deserve each other, and so does your garden, where it will soon become an eagerly-awaited annual treat. Go ahead and order now, because plants with this kind of reputation are soon sold out.