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Agatha Christie's Greenway (Devon, England) - The House

I can think of two places that we visited where I enjoyed the house more than the gardens. The first was Greenway, not for the house itself, which was surprisingly small and cramped, but for the history behind it and the fascinating mementos on display. Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan were enthusiastic collectors. You can see their collections on display throughout the house - European and Oriental ceramics, pottery, African tribal masks, Egyptian artifacts, Tunbridge ware, china, trinkets, and books. The Morning Room has a portrait of Agatha Christie as a child and her doll Rosie, sitting in a chair - The Drawing Room was where the family would gather in the evenings. Christie would entertain guests by reading chapters from manuscripts of her latest books.  Agatha Christie's bedroom. Max always slept on a smaller portable traveling cot (you can see part of it in the foreground). It was his favorite bed and he carried it with him on all of his archaeological travels. N...
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Rhododendron 'PJM'



For me, Rhododendron 'PJM' is one of the main plants that signal the beginning of Spring. Nevermind that it is rather pedestrian, dotted everywhere around town and often residing on properties where it is obvious that gardeners do not live within. The reason for this is that, when it comes to rhododendrons, it is very cold hardy and one of the easiest to grow.

The story behind it is an interesting one. It was developed by Edmund Mezitt, the son of Peter J. Mezzit, an emigrant who fled the Russian czar and came to America in 1911. He and his wife Olga founded Weston Nurseries in 1923 in Connecticut. Their son, Edmund, had a passion for rhododendrons but was discouraged by the selection of offerings in the New England region. In 1939, he crossed Rhododendron carolinianum, a plant native to the Carolinas and Tennessee with Rhododendron dauricum var. sempervirens, an extremely cold-hardy plant gifted to his father by Russian missionaries. The result, Rhododendron 'PJM', named after his father's initials, took the country by storm and made their nursery famous.

I see 'PJM' growing in a variety of conditions - full sun, part sun, shade - it all seems to work but I would recommend a partly shady spot with preferably morning sun. It grows about 3 - 5 ft. in height and is upright. Today there are other varieties including 'PJM Elite' which has slightly brighter color and suppose to be more compact.



Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. AnonymousApril 16, 2023 at 5:52 PM

    That's a good story. We often don't know how plants ended up for sale in our local nurseries or on line. Millions growing around the world that were once a single seedling.

    That intense color sure wakes up the eyes in a grey spring!

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  2. Kris PetersonApril 16, 2023 at 7:03 PM

    It's pretty and cheerful - just what you want to kick off spring!

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  3. Lisa at GreenbowApril 17, 2023 at 2:55 AM

    I agree it is an interesting story. It is a beauty too. Happy Spring.

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  4. AnonymousApril 17, 2023 at 7:49 AM

    I planted PJM Rhododendrum a few years ago. Very little direct sun made it grow leggy branches, it lost the lovely bronze-colored leafs it had when I punched it, and it produced 5 blooms this year. I'm rather discouraged.
    Chavli

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    1. Phillip OliverApril 17, 2023 at 7:52 AM

      Actually mine is not very dense. I wonder if pruning would help?

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  5. tz_gardenApril 17, 2023 at 9:25 AM

    So commanding with the bright color. I know rhododendrons are common, but I miss them (grew up in Portland, OR now in CA).

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  6. AnonymousApril 17, 2023 at 6:45 PM

    What a great story! Thank you for that! I know they are common, but damn - there is a reason for that. I love that dark foliage contrasted with that nearly fluorescent purple. If I had room, I would totally plant one.
    Anna K

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