Hey folks-
This weekend will be the last chance to see the grove at Rhododendron State Park in all its splendor of the 2019 full bloom, but it will still be worth the trip in the next 10 days or so.
If we get the hazy, hot and humid weather that is predicted for the next few days it may or may not speed things up a bit. Who knows? I don’t.
I can tell you though: the bugs are thick!
Thank you for the update, Ted. We went to the park last weekend and didn’t see many blossoms. We will try again this weekend. Why are dogs excluded from the flower loop? We brought our Newfie with us but could only stay on one trail with him.
Hi Beth –
The Rhododendrons at Rhododendron State Park in Fitzwilliam, NH are not at all the same as the “improved” and hybridized plants that are commonly seen in landscapes. Unlike “cultivars, R. maximus (the native species found at the State Park) rarely blooms profusely. This is normal. This year the flowers are in good numbers, but not the thickest I have ever seen. You may see a few more flower clusters towards the tops of the bushes, but mid-July is considered “peak” flowering. You may see flowers as early as mid – June or as late as mid – August. The “peak” was a little later than mid – July this year, but still well within normal range.
The No Pets rule (indeed, it is an official state law) is a grey area at Rhododendron State Park. The “Rhodo Loop” is a wheelchair accessible trail (you may have noticed that bicycles are also prohibited). Even the most well behaved dogs – even leashed – do not mix well with wheelchairs. There are a few other reasons why dogs are not a good fit for The Rhodo Loop – not to point any fingers at anybody, but everybody in the world has their own idea of what chaos and control means. This can translate into loose dogs, scared or hurt people and other unmentionables that get left behind. I have cleaned up way more than my fair share of those unmentionables over the years. Please don’t get me wrong – I have had many loving dogs in my life that I often take with me when I go places. I am a dog lover.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Sincerely, Ted