Southern Azaleas

It’s March, and the Azaleas are all in bloom throughout the town. Most of the year, the plants look like green meatballs, but right now, they’re in their glory. I just had to pick a few and put them in a vase, near my chair, where I can see them. 

When I first came to Raymond, there were three 100 year-old Azaleas growing in the front yard. They were so large, that they blocked the front entrance of the house, as well as the bay windows. I tried to cut them back, but they were so big and in the way, that I finally resorted to digging them up. This is when I found out that Azaleas are considered to be the holy grail in the south, and that it was almost sacrilegious for me to try and dispose of them. To tell you the truth, it took such an effort to dig them up, that by the time I finally succeeded, I just wanted to put them out on the street along with the trash. Good riddance. What a struggle!

Next thing I know, the neighbors are knocking on the door, asking why I put the Azaleas out on the street. All three were gathered up and taken away in less than an hour. Even though I tried to explain that I couldn’t landscape the front of the house without moving them, so you could see out the windows, they gave me dirty looks. I felt like I had moved to another planet, and not knowing the rules, had committed a felony. I’m sorry, they weren’t mentioned in my “how to live in the south” primer. It’s in there now, though! Oh, and by the way, all three Azaleas are alive and well in their new homes. I now know better, and promise to never do it again.