Surprise Rhodo Purchase and Dreams of Cherry Cheesecake

A landscaper knows what type of spot (size, orientation, sun, etc) needs filling, and finds a plant suitable for it.

A gardener has various spots available, and watches for plants suitable for them, and sometimes moves them about to find better spots for them.

A plant collector has no garden space available, but buys a plant because he/she must have it, even though 5 minutes before he/she didn't know about this plant, and then proceeds to find a space for it, whether it means lawn must be removed, or other plants need to be hacked back to make room.

I am definitely a plant collector.

Tonight I walked into a Canadian Tire store, looking for a moss killer for my lawn.  After 10 years, it has built up to being more moss than grass in many areas.  I don't care about the look of it, I quite like the look of moss.  However, it gets to be very wet and squishy, and takes a LONG time to dry out, so is not so good for enjoying the yard.  So finally after 10 years of letting the moss grow, I am planning to fight it back, and restore the lawn, at least somewhat.

I found a moss killer, although it wasn't the format I was looking for.  I still had extra time, so I bought a cheap pair of $10 bypass pruners, since they felt reasonably good in my hands, and my current pruners are pretty much at end of life.  I still had a bit more time, so I went outside to look at the plants.  Canadian Tire never carries anything very exotic, it is basic landscaping plants and basket stuffers, for the most part.  For curiosity, I looked at the tags of a few rhododendrons.  I was surprised to see a rhodo with the name Hachmann's something-or-other.  Since I fell in love with a rhodo "Hachmann's Charmant" a couple of years ago at a specialty rhododendron farm, but only took photos, and tried to think about where I would plant it, and then never returned to buy it.  (Probably because it was information overload at the time, and I decided to study their rhodo list a bit more before deciding.)

Anyhow, here is the photo I've been carrying around (on my phone) of Hachmann's Charmant :

Isn't it pretty?

Anyhow, I flipped the tag on a small rhodo today, and the photo was just as pretty.  The name was "Cherry Cheesecake".   I love cheesecake!  The description indicated that it was just like Hachmann's Charmant, but a more compact shape.  OMG.  It was true love on the spot!

So I brought home the small plant (it is probably only 8" tall), and will find him a cherished spot.  I think in the front yard, where others can adore him also.

Here is a photo of my beloved Cherry Cheesecake, from a UK based plant nursery's web page :

I can't wait until I have the chance to plant him in.  I'm so excited.