Clearly what you have is not the species r. maximum. It's also very, very unlikely that it's a selection or even a hybrid involving r. maximum because these would share the very late blooming trait you wanted.

As an educated guess, I'd say what you have is the hybrid Roseum Maximum. This has always been an unfortunate and confusing name. It is an old-time English hybrid of r. ponticum and has nothing at all to do with the native N. American species maximum. It's easy to see, however, how labels could wind up reading "Rhododendron Maximum - pink."

I don't think you would make yourself a "problem client" by asking to receive what you had requested and paid for. The landscaper may wind up losing on the labor end, but the wholesaler bears the responsibility for providing correctly labeled plants. (One could suggest that a landscaper or grower ought to be able to easily recognize the difference between r. maximum leaves and those of other varieties as well.) Of the three parties involved, you the client are entirely blameless.

Roseum Maximum (assuming that's what you have) will never bloom late, will not grow as well in as much shade, and will not attain the great height and width of what you wanted. I'd say you have every reason to hold the landscaper and grower accountable.

Thanks a lot for your reply. It was very helpful.

Just to be more clear? the variety name on the tag appears to be "jesus". Really! Printed right on the tag. Does that name mean ring a bell re a particular rhodo variety?

ML

The "jesus" on the label rings no bells at all. You could try checking at hirsutum.info which is the most comprehensive listing of registered rhododendrons available anywhere, but I think it would be a futile search. Given all the other issues, I would not trust the labels at all.