Rhododendron or hydrangea?

[Ohshitiveturnedintomymother]

Going to take a large pittosporum out of a very sunny bed, and want some colour to replace it. My two things I fancy are rhododendron or hydrangeas, as they are biggish and add colour and will get high enough to keep privacy. I am on fairly heavy clay though. Which would be best?

Other stuff in the bed are roses, honeysuckle and a Californian lilac, not much in the way of bedding plants yet as I’ve not long moved and my sellers only seem to have had big things.

I have similar and my hydrangeas are very happy in the soil.
I improved the soil slightly with a bit of sand and fertiliser...

rhododendron is evergreen.
if your soil is suitable I would go for that.

but if your soil is not ideal you can plant it in a big pot and bury that pot where you want it.

Rhododendrons are lovely, I have quite a few, but they flower for such a short time. A hydrangea would flower longer through the summer and makes lovely cut flower arrangements nd you can dry the flower heads.

I've got both on heavy clay, shaded rather than sunny.

If you want privacy in the winter then rhododendron. My soil isn't acid but it does fine with ericaceous feed/sequestered iron every year or so. I'm not sure but I think it doesn't leach straight back out of the clay too quickly.

Although rhododendrons can get big, it takes a while IME. So maybe put in both to start with and eventually prune back/remove the hydrangea.

Ooh 2 of my faves. I think already covered but I have hydrangeas for colour in beds and rhods behind for height. the flowers are stunning but fleating although the purple seem slightly longer lasting

As Errol said, they can get a bit big. These are 50 years old. They’re due for a prune.

Rhododendrons if acid soil, hydrangeas if clay.

We have loads of white hydrangeas and I absolutely love them but can't grow rhododendrons or azaleas.

Thanks all! I think hydrangeas sound like they will suit best, it’s definitely clay here not acidic soils. I had some azaleas in my old house nearby and they all died pretty quick so maybe not those.
I don’t think I have room for both, and agree that rhododendrons are quite short lived in terms of flowers but they are so gorgeous when they are out. A bit like magnolia, worth it for the brief display.
If I’ve got clay soil, what colour hydrangeas will I end up with?

@Beebumble2 your rhododendrons are beautiful! Not sure I’ll be in this house 50 years to reap the benefits though! Did you plant those?

If I’ve got clay soil, what colour hydrangeas will I end up with?

The colour of hydrangeas is controlled by:

1. the variety - a white or pale one will never be deep blue or pink

2. the amount of available aluminium salts. This means if you want blue, there has to be aluminium but also the soil must be acidic enough for the plant to get it.

Depends on whether it has to be evergreen in which case it's rhododendrons as hydrangeas die back in the winter. I find rhododendrons are lower maintenance but love hydrangeas in bloom.

Onshitiveturnedintomymother, no I didn’t plant them, I’ve been the custodian of the garden for 11 years. I’m going to do some gentle pruning after they’ve flowered, as they’re a bit bald at the bottom.

Oh* not on!