This blog is for everyone who uses words.

The ordinary-sized words are for everyone, but the big ones are especially for children.



Sunday 24 April 2011

Sunday Rest: rhododendron

Now, before I get attacked by the Rhododendron Fanciers' Club, I do like rhododendrons.

True, rhododendron armies invade the countryside wreaking havoc on fragile eco-systems - but they don't do it on the chalk hills where I live, because chalky soil spells DEATH to the lot of them.

Anyway, rhododendrons are not all bad. Rhododendron flowers can sparkle quite beautifully through a dull spring wood.

But their name: rhododendron. It's so heavy and clumping. No one can say it without sounding as though they've got a bad cold.

Surely, surely someone can come up with something a bit prettier. How about evergreen azalea, for instance?

All suggestions very welcome!

Word Not To Use Today: rhododendron. This word is from two Greek words, rhodos, which means rose, and dendron which means tree.
Rose Tree would be a much nicer name altogether for a rhododendron; but I rather think that it's already been taken.

No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments are very welcome, but please make them suitable for The Word Den's family audience.