It's one of the less hardy varieties, I believe, and will be best indoors (cool conservatory, good light) until the milder weather (huh!) comes back - i.e. March/April. Pot in up then and keep it oudoors until late autumn, then give it protection once more. That'll toughen it up a bit, too. Ok outdoors in a sheltered spot, light woodland, and fairly frost free. Worthy

oh good ~ thanks worthy, dont have a conservatory but will try to find a windowsill??

Should be okay, certainly for a while. Remember, there's no such thing as an indoor plant. Radiators create too stuffy and airless an atmosphere, so a cool room (probably the one no one goes in over Christmas, so no one will see the azalea!) Worthy

might have to go in my plastic greenhouse that is fleece lined??

Yes, should be okay. The frost isn't penetrating at the moment, but be aware of really low temperatures. When roots freeze, water is prevented from reaching the rest of the plant, and the plant dies, dried out. A little odd in winter, but true. Perhaps wrap the pot in an extra layer, or in straw, to lend a little protection. W

ok, was hoping to keep it inside for a bit longer, garage would be right temperature but sadly no natural light!

I read in my paper advice from the guru Alan T. - he said to keep water in the saucer under the pot, as azaleas like to have damp compost and mustn't dry out.

Hope that helps, too! :-)

oh yes, that helps ~ wasnt sure about that ~ thank you

I'm sure you know, Sticki, but when you put it in the garden next Spring, it needs acid (ericacious) soil.

I put them in the garden in spring and just leave them there to flower in subsequent years - in spring. They're lovely. I had some that were several years old in my last garden.

i hope i can do that but its a bit colder than where you are beattie

Um, there seems to be some confusion here with this plant - there are two types of azaleas sold as houseplants, in full bloom, as this one is - one's the Indian Azalea (rhododendron simsii) and the other's Japanese Azalea (rhododendron obtusum). The difference between them is that the latter one (Japanese) can be planted outside in Spring and will survive and flower again the following year, outside, because actually its hardy.
The Indian type is the most commonly sold one as a houseplant at this time of year - and that's what you have there, and it is not hardy. Enjoy the flowers indoors now, try to give it a cool position (50-60 degF is ideal), keep very moist, and either stand outside in its pot for the summer and bring in next autumn, or remove to a very cool room over summer, keeping it moist and let it rest and it may flower again for you.

thanks bamboo ~ how do you learn all these things?

Brain like a sponge, Stickitoffee - if it interests me, I remember it. though not so much now I'm this age, much more difficult to retain new information, interesting or otherwise.

Some of the Azaleas I've planted out after flowering were the same as this plant Bamboo.

I've been googling, and R.simsii seems to have frilly double flowers and rounder leaves. R.obtusum has single flowers and more pointy leaves. The later ones that I've planted out are R. simsii, I'm sure, though the azaleas that went into the garden several years ago were R.obtusum. Re-reading Worthy's first reply, the spots I've used are light woodland, and in a relatively warm part of the country. Perhaps that's why they've survived a few years.

Blooms on the Japanese hardy one are smaller, about 1 inch across, whereas the Indian one has larger, and often more, blooms, 1.5 inches across - that's the way to tell really, though there are minor differences in the leaves too, but more difficult to detect.

wish i had a brain like that ~ but thank you all
my garden is on the edge of a wood so i shall risk putting it out around may and see what happens?

That wouldn't be my recommendation, if you're intending to leave it out all winter, but its up to you.

no ~ just put it out may ~ september/october then hopefully bring it in again ~ assuming it is still alive!!

Oh yes, fine then, somewhere shadyish and keep it well watered during the summer. But enjoy it now, it's very pretty...

i will ~ thanks ~ i just love white flowers

I had an extremely pretty bi coloured pink/peach one last year - put it out on the balcony for the summer and missed watering it a couple of times, one dead plant...

oh no, im sad when they die

I'm sad when almost anything dies... with the possible exception of Robert Mugabe...

i dont think i had better comment!!

We're still waiting for that.