We filled the flower beds around our north-facing front door with azaleas 14 years ago and have never regretted it. Almost precisely on the first of April each year, the green shrubs turn brilliant shades of pink and red, thanks to a few hours of sweaty work many years ago. Azaleas are perhaps the most stunning blooming shrubs that one can buy. If you have azaleas in your yard, you should cut a few blooming sections to bring indoors in a vase, to enjoy their beauty alongside early spring roses and sweet peas. Also, it's a good time now to choose azaleas for your garden.
Many varieties are in full bloom in nurseries, ready to be planted.
When choosing to plant azaleas, you should remember that they are forest understory plants and prefer locations that are also appreciated by camellias. They like mottled sunshine, so locations under tall trees or on the eastern or northern side of a house can be excellent. Even the so-called sun azaleas may not be able to take full Bakersfield summer sun. Azaleas like soil that is rich in organic material and well drained. Use shredded wood mulches around your newly planted azaleas to keep the soil cool and to help provide that organic material.