Okay - here I go! I'm replanting the foundation areas in the front of my house and would like to use Rhodies and Azaleas and maybe Kalmia. It faces northeast and gets about 4-5 hours of sun a day. The left corner gets afternoon sun also for a few hours. I want disease resistant and plants that top out between 4 - 5 feet. Ideas so far are Olga Mezzitt (enough sun for fall color?), Catabriese (SP?) Boursault, Vulcan Flame (mildew?), Nova Zambia )straggly?); azaleas - the northern lights series and golden oriole. I also saw a Weston's 'Lollipop' but size was not clear. I would like to incorporate a small white bleeding heart and brunnera also. Perhaps Kalmia in one spot. Mix of evergreen and deciduous. I'm going to have to add organic matter to the soil and need to get the ph down quite abit. Is using aluminum sulphate a problem as I read somewhere?
Oh, it is a raised bed.
Thank you for any help and suggestions.
Maggie - a newbie from NH

Yes, in large quantities, aluminum is toxic to azaleas and rhododendrons. I would use products containing "soil sulphur", "elemental sulphur", "flowers of sulphur" or "organic sulphur". Since your zone is so different from mine, I will let others comments about your choices but... just wondering... you said are looking for those whose height is 4-5' but Olga Mezzitt tops out at three feet. Were you aware of that?

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:391758}}

Your original post was entitled:
"What Rhodos & Azaleas to Plant"

It is at What Rhodos & Azaleas to Plant

I responded to it and you responded to me.

Thank you for the tip on sulphur use. I checked at a local nursery today and they said that ammonium sulphate (as opposed to aluminum sulphate)is okay. I haven't seen the "soil sulphur", but will look in a couple other places. "Olga's" height was difficult to determine as three different tags read differently. I've decided against it as I have seen some other varieties that I like better.