It happened almost over night

The first Rhododendron bud opened

My Rhododendrum shrubs (or Rhodies, as we like to call them) are full of buds

By the end of the day, a few other buds had started to bloom.

Soon, the entire shrub will be full of gorgeous blooms such as this one from last May.

Rhodies are abundant in this part of the world.  “Tall, wild varieties can reach over 35 feet high, and are found throughout the coastal mountain ranges from New York to Georgia. Designated as West Virginia’s state flower, rhododendrons are particularly abundant in the Great Smoky and the Blue Ridge mountains. Species in the Pacific northwest from northern California to British Columbia vary in heights” (www.library.illinois.edu)