You are very fortunate to have one of the best rhododendron nurseries in the country near you. It is www.rarefindnursery.com. They carry native rhododendrons including ones that are azaleas. They list of native North American Native Rhododendrons includes: Rhododendron Species   Common Name        Classification            Suitability R. alabamense       Alabama Azalea      deciduous azalea            yes R. albiflorum       Cascade azalea      deciduous elepidote rhod.   NO R. arborescens      Sweet Azalea        deciduous azalea            yes R. atlanticum       Coastal Azalea      deciduous azalea            yes R. austrinum        Florida Azalea      deciduous azalea            yes R. calendulaceum    Flame Azalea        deciduous azalea            yes R. camtschaticum    Therorhodion        deciduous elepidote rhod.   no R. canadense        Rhodora Azalea      deciduous azalea            difficult R. canescens        Piedmont Azalea     deciduous azalea            yes R. catawbiense      Mountain Rosebay    elepidote rhododendron      yes R. cumberlandense   Cumberland Azalea   deciduous azalea            yes R. eastmanii        May White Azakea    deciduous azalea            no R. flammeum         Oconee Azalea       deciduous azalea            no R. groenlandicum    Labrador Tea,       lepidote rhododendron       no R. lapponicum       Lapland Rosebay     lepidote rhododendron       no R. macrophyllum     Pacific rhod.       elepidote rhododendron      no R. maximum          Great Laurel        elepidote rhododendron      yes

Birdsong72, this is Somerset Co. red clay (loamy red clay but it will crack in dry weather) and all I can say is it beats Union Co. clay/rocks by a mile. Some plants I just can't grow but the rhodies are okay (not great but okay). I have mostly catawba and maximus types or crosses and three yak hybrids. I grow a few in slightly raised mounds (about six inches originally, but they sunk). There's one white one growing in deep shade under pines, growing almost horizontal in search of light, and it blooms if the deer don't eat it. It has character. There's a monster lavender one near my front door, in a raised bed, leaching alkalinity from the foundation, and I have to hack it back. I've got native azaleas (austrinum, candulaceum, flammeum) under pines with full sun from the south - they need irrigation even though they're heavily mulched. The ones with a north exposure near but not under the pines don't need watering unless there is an absolute drought. Also mulched with pine needles. I've got ordinary hybrid Japanese type azaleas flourishing with morning sun. Have to cut them back. My mother with horrible Union Co. clay in a hollow can grow Jap. azaleas but not Rhodies; her neighbors up the hill (northern exposure) can grow Rhodies, maximus and catawba. A slope helps. Don't be a ground-cleaning, leaf blowing fanatic - the neighbor with pachysandra and fifty years of fallen leaves has big healthy rhododendrons and the obsessive leaf haters have wimpy spindly ones. My conclusion: you can grow many rhododendrons in some kinds of clay, in some locations, without a whole lot of trouble. Experiment with the cheap ones first. Slope, leaf or pine mulch, east or north exposure, not too much competion with tree roots will give the best results.

Don't give up. I found the sort of red currant I tried, Red Lake, I think, extremely easy, vigorous and fruitful, here in South Jersey. The gooseberry bush, a friend gave me, spread so easily and quickly that I got rid of it. Increasing shade, as trees grew, caused me to rescue only two of my bushes. They are now in pots, to be moved to a sunnier spot, if I can find one not already crowded.

Cactus dude, its all good. If you're not familiar with mid Atlantic and Northeast Beach culture, its radically different than going to a beach in California. California is more about day tripping to the beach. It's a year round beach climate and people go there to surf or picnic or watch the sunset. Here, our beach season is short. Businesses have three precious months to make money for the entire year. Rent is VERY expensive. Anything that sets you apart from your competitor or makes your place look more "beachy" will help make the season. Tourists generally don't do day trips either, as most of the east coast cities are a few hours drive from their favorite beach resorts. So visits are often in increments of every weekend, entire week's vacation or entire seasons renting a house (often year after year or generations). Repeat loyal customers are big business. The thousands spent on "disposable" palms can translate to hundreds of thousands for the beach club, bar, mini golf or restaurant. Same for the garden center that sold the palms and installed them. Growers too.