Well, it is a pretty dire plant disease really but recently it's been starting to affect rhododendron. Hurrah!
God, I hate rhododendron! The Victorians thought it looked quite nice in their gardens and in the right place it is a pretty shrub, but once it escapes into our native woodland, aaaaaarrgghhh! It hadn't been a native here since the last ice age but once it had been reintroduced, it spread and spread and now can completely choke our woodland flora. It's fairly safe to say it has attained 'pest' status in places.
Pretty... Not!
I was staggered to find that my own private hatred of this dreadful shrub isn't totally unjustified - in a recent survey of the most invasive & nuisance plants in the UK, it came in at number 3, only slightly behind Japanese Knotweed. No. 1 was Buddleja, which was a real surprise. (Apparently it costs Network Rail a fortune to keep the tracks and infrastructure clear of it.)
But take heart, ever growing groups of 'Rhodie Bashers' are slowly but surely culling it. A great example locally is at Lound Lakes - the local water board has had a real blitz on it just lately and the difference is staggering. Pretty lakes once hidden by it are now revealed and slowly but surely the woodland flora is returning. The whole environment is brighter and less claustrophobic. Great stuff! More of the same please.....
Before....
After. Tada!!
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