Hello Steve, I am Martha from Minneapolis, MN, USA. My maternal grandmothers maiden name was Ivery. If the following information on Dorking Nurseries is already known to you, I apologize in advance. If you have additional information on the J. Ivery & son's I would be interested. Thomas Ivery was born in Dorking , Sept 1765. His father(unknown 1st name) had a nursery in Dorking as early as 1770. Thomas(1765) inherited the "Ivery Nursery" from his father. The fisrt reference I have found on the Ivery Nursery in Dorking is a painting. At the "Marylebone Cricket Club" the painting: Dorking by James Canter around 1770-80, showing a cricket match at The Cotmandene Common in Dorking. The Ivery Nursery & House are shown above the Pipp Brook Mill Pond along The London Rd. Thomas' son James Ivery (born 1791) became, Ivery & Son's Nursery of Dorking & Reigate. James'(1791) 2 sons both became nurserymen. James Ivery(1823) carried on J. Ivery & sons in Dorking(his son Henry James Ivery born 1857 continued the business and in 1881 employed 30 men. Henry was listed as a florist when his daughter Constance married in 1913. That is 4 generations of Ivery's in the business. William Ivery(1825) was the owner of Hanover Nursery in Peckham. Following are a few references on the web: A History of Dorking.....by Bright, John Shenton, Published 1884 The Gardeners' Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette Proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society, Volume 3 THE JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE, COTTAHE GARDENER, COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, BEE-KEEPER ... By GEORGE W. JOHNSON , June 4 1866 The Floral Magazine: Comprising Figures and Descriptions of ..., Volume 10 "AZALEA—FANNY IVERY. From the Floral Magazine 1871 The name of Mr. Ivery, of Dorking, is well known to all lovers of the Azalea, as that of one to whom we are indebted for a large number of some of the best varieties in cultivation. Cultivars/hybrids of Ivery, J. ordered by name year1Admiration (info) (‘Lateritium’ x ‘Iveryanum’) (a.)1853y2Beauty of Dorking (info) (? x ?) (a.)1863y3Beauty of Reigate (info) (? x ?) (a.)1852yetc..... I hope this is helpful. I would love to know more about your research. Regards, Martha James

Azalea 'Martha Hitchcock' is also a match....

I do normally see some yellowing followed up by a leaf drop in the spring...when new growth occurs...but I have never seen the black on the leaves...they almost look scorched.

I live in NE PA (6a) and my evergreen azaleas looked like bare stubby sticks after our voracious deer attacked them last winter. The deer also ate all the leaves off my rhododendron. (We actually saw the rhododendron attack). But all plants came back this spring with healthy new leaves. They are smaller than before, but still healthy. My azaleas were potted on my front door alcove and I didn't think the deer would be that brazen! The rhodie had been protected last winter by a plant "tent" that had been covered with UV allowing plant cloth. It was doing splendidly until a windy storm ripped the tent off its stakes and blew the tent away. I ordered a new tent that night, but the deer ate the rhodie the next day! I have since ordered longer stakes for next winter! The previous owner had wrapped all shrubs (except the juniper and the thorny bushes) with bird netting. But, as the bushes grow, they need to get rewrapped because the new growth pokes through. A neighbor of mine has built a wooden frame with chicken wire to protect his garden. Other neighbors just plant junipers and thorny bushes! We have a lot of deer, as my neighborhood is in a hilly, forested area, about 1 mile from a national park. But I love azaleas and rhododendrons!