my next door neighbor lost a beautful one that she planted last year... but it's under the canopy of my large maple and that's what may have sucked the life out of it.

I've noticed that I had to water my clethra frequently for the last few weeks. It's under a pussy willow and I believe the willow sucked up whatever moisture was in the soil before the clethra could get to it.

I don't think it's drought in this case though I suspected at first. The branches that I have been cutting off are not crispy. They have moisture. The leaves are pliable.

I was away a good part of August & my waterer concentrated mostly on my containers rather than my shrubs & I lost a few rhodie branches here & there, except 1 was really badly hit & I bet I lost half the branches on it. I think mine was drought-related.

I have noticed this here in Northern Virginia too, I think it could be a combination of factors, cool to cold spring, very fast warm up, drought and underwatering and not enough fertilizing/improper pH in the soil. These factors can weaken the plant to the point it can not resist a disease it might otherwise resist if not stressed.

I planted 2 a couple of years ago. The one near my house looked like that and we just ditched it, the other one on the side yard is doing fine.

Drought (and not suddent oak syndrome) played a major part in the demise of many plants in the landscape this summer. When there is no rain for 8 weeks as I endured, you're going to take some hits.

My well established rhodies (3-5 years) still required major watering every 3rd day (and this was in the shade of oaks and in good leaf litter). Other than that, all survived and are enjoying the recent deluges.The PJM hybrids are all turning purple/reds, with the natives also having beautiful fall colors (ranging from yellow/reds to oranges). The evergreen rhodies were the really thirsty ones this year, and the causes of much angst with this writer.

Native azaleas, natives such as aronia, itea, my native mag. tripettela required virtually no water. Clethra (which I have over a dozen roseums, hummingbirds, alnifola, etc) did require a lot more watering than I would've ever suspected. Rh. viscosum (a native) really took a beating as it was hid in the back of one of my beds. Even trusty viburnums could only take so much of the arid & heat.

The good thing is that if they made it through this horrific 8 weeks of summer, they'll be ok for next year. As for spring flowering? Who knows.

The larger and more grave issue (in my mind), is that these weather extremes will continue to reak havoc on us gardeners, and more importantly, PLANTS and TREES.

I know in my case, it was disease of some sort and may have nothing to do with whatever is bothering my neighbor's plants. I had problems last year when the ground was moist. I am not sure about all my neighbors who lost their rhodies but I know the neighbor that approached me originally waters.
I wondered originally because some people I know who are involved at the extension center mentioned it was a problem. However, the oaks around here do look pretty good.

It could be your soil or you purchased diseased plants.

If you have oaks, you should be mulching and dressing your garden beds with it. Your rhodies will love you for it.