Hey Klark!! Check out this link - it has a pretty decent listing of big leafs. The problem is finding them :-) Whitney Gardens over here in Brinnon has a pretty good selection and you can often find selections like sinogrande, macabeanum or rex at better local nurseries (Wells Medina, Swanson's) but I think your best bet is the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden - they have a relatively new garden area devoted to the big leafs (and they sell plants as well!).

Also, when Heronswood has its Open Garden Days (next one is Saturday, 4/1), there is usually always a vendor from RSBG selling plants - I bought an adorable little dwarf (R. megeratum) there last fall.

Hi Pam! Good suggestions, thanks. RSBG is where I read about R. praestans and where I planned to buy it, unless someone suggested that I try something else instead. Are you going to the 4/1 open at Heronswood?

I was planning on it :-) Wanna meet up??

That sounds like fun. If we 'walked on' could you pick us up at the Kingston Ferry? Beer is served at various places in Kingston, I believe, and I would like to buy you a pint ;-)

Regarding rhodies: Any thoughts on which big-leaf species I would be least likely to kill?

Of course I can get you from the ferry - let's plan on it and we can be in touch closer to the date by email or text.

As to the rhodies, I doubt you'd be inclined to kill any of them!! My friend in Shoreline who had the other half of the trillium (which is growing like gangbusters, btw!!) is growing several of the big leaved species - don't remember which - and if she can grow them, you can too :-)

Chimacum Woods is often present at Heronswood and other local plant sales. They have a great selection of big leaf (including praestans) and other Rhododendrons. I got two of these from them: R. auriculatum and R. basilicum. Both are fabulous plants even when not in bloom (mine haven't bloomed yet, it takes many years for big leaved R. to start blooming).