For many gardeners, this autumn has felt pretty close to perfect. Calm days, plenty of sunshine, very little wind, and after a wet end to summer, a welcome break from the rain.But if you're growing rhododendrons, you may have noticed something different.

Christchurch recorded just 5.2mm of rain during May — less than 10% of our usual May rainfall and one of the driest Mays on record. While cooler temperatures mean gardens aren't drying out as quickly, rhododendrons are evergreen plants and continue using moisture throughout autumn and winter. Many are also busy developing the flower buds that will become next spring's display.

Established plants generally cope well, but newly planted rhododendrons can still benefit from an occasional deep soak if the soil feels dry beneath the surface. Even here at RhodoDirect, we've found ourselves reaching for the irrigation far more often than we'd normally expect at this time of year. Canterbury weather certainly knows how to keep gardeners on their toes!