Royal rhododendron

A few local photographer friends have been in the garden today, taking pictures of I know not what - some are Blippers, some not. 

Maybe we'll have a few Arduaine Blips today, and mine is no exception, not having been in the outside world since yesterday. I was going to Blip a lovely trillium, then had doubts about its identity, so will leave that for another time.

This pink azalea is Rhododendron 'Hinomayo', one of the most popular of the evergreen azaleas, and with good reason. If anyone is wondering about the rhododendron/azalea thing, I can only say that all azaleas are rhododendrons but not all rhododendrons are azaleas!

This variety was obtained by the Dutch Nursery of C.B. Van Nes from the Emperor's Garden in Japan around 1910. I tried to get a translation of Hinomayo but got only as far as 'Day of Mayo', so maybe they used a lot of mayonnaise in Japan at the time! Pink Mayo!