Hooray for Hydrangeas

This is the time of the year when hydrangeas are at their prime. They will hold their blooming splendor well into the fall making them a valuable component of the garden. When you mention hydrangeas most people automatically think of the large round blue flowering variety. There is sooo much more available! The variety of colors and types is amazing and often underutilized. Choose from wee dwarf varieties (such as the lovely Pia) to tall tree form hydrangeas (such as the Pee Gee) to the bushy, rounded form of the
Oak Leaf hydrangea. Bloom shape is again varied with the round ball form of the macrophylla’s, the flat, delicate form of the lacecap and the conical form of the paniculatas. Flower color ranges from pure whites (such as the Incrediball) to soft pinks to purple, blue and limes (as in Limelight).

White hydrangeas will always remain true in color but pink and blue varieties can change depending on the soil composition they are grown in. Turning the bloom color either pink or blue can be achieved with the addition of either lime or aluminum sulphate. I admit to having a soft spot for hydrangeas for a few reasons: they are hardy, rarely get disease or insects, pretty low maintenance and bloom for long periods.

This is a picture of my 4 year old tree form Pee Gee hydrangea. Notice the solid stake it has. The blooms are so large and heavy, it actually split the stem one year due to the weight. I gave it a brutally hard prune and the next year it came back nicely with stronger stems. When all the blooms open, I often have people walking by comment on its beauty and ask what kind of tree it is. They are always surprised to learn it is a hydrangea because again, most people only think of the big, blue ball shrubs as hydrangeas.

If you’re looking for something easy and gratifying to add to your garden then give another look at the wide, world of hydarngeas!