Rhododendron: 9 successful companion planting ideas

In a wood edge woodland for a spectacular effect

Particularly floriferous, rhododendrons maintain a bush habit, with green foliage, and make excellent bushes for woodland edges. From the heart of spring, their spectacular flowering will illuminate the entire area. They will combine with shrubs that have complementary attributes and equally remarkable spring flowering, such as Andromedas or Pieris with their splendid evergreen glossy green foliage and charming fragrant bells, Japanese Azaleas, Japanese Quinces, Skimmia, Kalmia latifolia or Magnolias with their splendid delicate flowers, Mexican Oranges, Deutzia, Camellias, and Hydrangeas that will take over the flowering.

Rhododendron ‘Melrose Flash’ – Japanese Azalea ‘Rex’ – Kalmia latifolia ‘Opencage’ – Magnolia Soulangeana Rustica ‘Rubra’

Brightening a shady flowerbed

Large Rhododendrons will bring contrast, colour, shades, and light to a somewhat dull semi-shaded border. They are therefore more willingly placed at the back of the border, mixed with broad and linear foliage. They are surrounded by their beautiful acidophilous companions of the shade, such as ferns with finely cut foliage that provide an ideal contrast in shape, Hostas with flair and brilliance, or the luminous Brunneras. The opulence of their flowering adds beautiful brightness and density to these shaded corners. White varieties like ‘Madame Masson’ subtly illuminate this environment of foliage, while brightly coloured varieties like ‘Nova Zembla’ are perfect for serving as a focal point in the garden.

Hosta ‘Frosted Dimples’ – Rhododendron ‘Madame Masson’

With Japanese Maples

Here is a delightful combination to brighten up the shaded corners of the garden! The densely flowered intense pink masses of Rhododendron ‘Marcel Ménard’ or ‘Winsome’ will appear lighter alongside a magnificent Japanese maple with feathery light green or dark red foliage, finely dissected. The Acer adds verticality and lightness and is perfect for shading heather soil beds to accompany the Rhododendrons, which can be paired with Chinese or Japanese heathers.

Acer palmatum and Rhododendrons in spring

In a cool rockery

With their homogeneous silhouette and a uniform blanket of flowers, small rhododendrons are perfect for undergrowth in shady borders. Dwarf varieties, hybrids of yakushimanum, such as ‘Golden Torch’ or ‘Dream Land’, which are very compact with a rounded habit slightly wider than tall, form dense and highly floriferous bushes under trees or along the edges of beds or paths from April onwards. They can be paired with dwarf Hostas, bright Epimedium, Bleeding Hearts, Hellebores, primroses, or Capillary ferns with very graphic, finely cut leaves.

Dicentra spectabilis – Rhododendron ‘Dreamland’ – Capillary

Pink monochrome table

Soft pink, marginate pink, crimson pink or candy pink, focus on monochromy by mixing the pinks: they will harmonise without a false note, ensuring a decor imbued with delicacy, poetry or depth. The rhododendron presents pink in all shades and allows for all variations. To create a romantic scene, the rather soft pink of R. ‘Dream Land’ pairs well with the flowers of the Chinese Azaleas ‘Homebush’ with a strong magenta pink or a Japanese Azalea ‘Koromo Shikibu’ with a delicate lilac. It will be perfect alongside a Kalmia latifolia with pale hues, a Pieris japonica ‘Katsura’ with small soft pink bells, the pink flowers of a Camellia, a Bleeding Heart in pink or even a Japanese Quince ‘Pink Lady’. It will be full of charm surrounded by a carpet of low-growing plants such as heathers, spring bulbs (wood hyacinths), and Bergenia. The flamboyant foliage of Acer (‘Dissectum Garnet’) will form a bold backdrop, the grey leaves of a Hosta placed in the foreground, a softness of tones that harmonises well with the entire range of pink hues.

Japanese Quince ‘Pink Lady’ – Pieris – Camellia Japonica ‘Kerguelen’

Peach Melba!

Some rhododendrons are sought after for the richness of their spring flowering in shades of peach-apricot. The tangy orange clusters of R. ‘Olga’ pair well with the warm tones of a Chinese Azalea ‘Fire Ball’, the colourful young shoots of Pieris, and the red-purple and garnet hues of the foliage of ‘Japanese Maple ‘Atropurpureum’, the flowers of Loropetalum chinense ‘Fire Dance’, or the coral-orange flowers with salmon reflections of a Japanese Quince ‘Mango Storm’. For a more contemporary-inspired scene, pair it instead with the white flowers of a Bleeding Heart and the foliage of the coppery pink fern ‘Dryopteris erythrosora’. For perfect harmony, consider the Gordon Currant (Ribes gordonianum) with its clusters of tubular red flowers with a peach throat.

Japanese Maple ‘Atropurpureum’ – Rhododendron ‘Olga’ – Dryopteris erythrosora

With other "Rhodos

If these evergreen bushes help maintain a touch of green in the garden during the autumn and winter months, when planted at the back of a flowerbed with other Rhododendrons from the same group, they will create spectacular kaleidoscopes of spreading flowerings in spring: from March, the Rhododendron ‘Calsap’ showcases a magnificent early flowering, ‘Olga’ will take over in April and May, and ‘Melrose Flash’ with its bicolour cream and pink flowers will adorn your flowerbed edges, terraces, and flowering hedges in June. Rich hues will find their place in themes of unbridled sumptuousness, while calmer tones will create associations that are just as vibrant but perhaps less aggressive. While their spring flowers are a beautiful attraction, a solitary Rhododendron may appear quite dull for the rest of the year. It is preferable to plant them in spaced groups, mixed with less dense foliage plants such as ferns, Japanese maples, Pieris, and grasses.

With heathers

For a beautiful early spring scene, plant rhododendrons with a multitude of Heathers (Erica) in white, purplish pink, or lilac pink. They will create a tapetum on which the brightly coloured flower clusters of R. ‘President Roosevelt’ or R. ‘Graziella’. The upright forms of the rhododendrons will introduce a striking pit that will break the uniformity of the heathers.

Erica x darleyensis ‘Kramer’s Rote’

In a pot on a shaded terrace

The modest dimensions (50-80 cm) of certain varieties and their slow growth allow for pot cultivation: planted in large containers, dwarf Rhododendrons ‘Dora Amateis’ and ‘Impeditum’ will be lovely decorative subjects all year round. With their evergreen, glossy green foliage, they will serve as a boxwood substitute. Highly floriferous, they also pair well with the generous flowering of Camellias and Japanese Azaleas, as well as the freshness of spring bulbs like daffodils or hyacinths.

Japanese Azalea ‘Silver Prince’