In nature, rhododendron plants build up a nice mulch over the years from their old leaves. In waterless summertime Victoria, a rhododendron will be tempted to achieve this mulch in one year by dropping all of its leaves in a one-time valiant, but painfully suicidal, effort to conserve moisture. We can increase its chances of survival by providing an artificial mulch. It should taper down from the drip-line to the trunk. In our society the most popular recreational activity is gardening.
Recreation is a good word.
It implies enlivening, making new and therapy and healing. One would think that economists would love gardening as it is largely concerned with growth. To be successful these days one must have growth. Gardeners are silent, gentle people. We now need a crusade.