Heavenly Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas.  They have so much to offer.  They’re one of my favorite cut flowers and one of my favorite shrubs.  They come in many colors, shapes and sizes.  The early varieties begin blooming in May, others bloom as late as August. 

With the exception of the ‘Annabelle’ and ‘Oak Leaf’ Hydrangea, the majority are deer resistant. 

In addition to enjoying the blooms all summer long, they can be dried and brought indoors, giving you something to look at in the winter and early spring months.  Yes, hydrangeas do it all, pleasing the gardener from one season to the next.

Let’s start with the most popular hydrangea.  Hydrangea ‘macrophylla.’  They’re the big, extravagant blooms you see that come in pink or blue in all the catalogs and magazines.  The blooms can get larger than a grapefruit and the color can hold true for many months.  But, this variety is a little temperamental.  The cold winters and occasional cold snaps in the spring are not conducive to growing beautiful Mopheads in St. Louis. 

Remember the horrible cold snap we had 4 years ago? That one event resulted in nary a bloom for the lovely Hydrangea macrophylla.  Even the botanical garden was bloomless.  Indeed, it was a very sad year for Hydrangea lovers. 

Another problem with these Hydrangeas is that, as the shrubs age, blooms can be sporadic.  I wondered why this is and my friend, Meg, found the answer for me.  When the plants are shipped from the greenhouses, they are blooming their big, beautiful heads off.  We purchase them, rushing home with our treasures, and are disappointed because they never look as perfect as the day we bought them. 

The answer is simple: fertilizer.  Nurseries know that we want to buy Mopheads that are full of buds and blooms. In order for that to happen, they must be fertilized heavily.  Nurseries give a dose of fertilizer every week as soon as the leaves emerge. That produces multitude of blooms.  I am contemplating doing this next spring with my large drift of Mopheads and see if it really works. 

Another thing to know about Mopheads is the correct time to trim the dead wood back.  Since these Hydrangeas bloom on old and new wood, you mustn’t trim the dead wood in spring.  Cutting your hydrangeas down to the ground in early spring will result in very minimal, if any blooms.  In actuality, what you’ve done is cut off the stem that will eventually produce the bloom.

Hydrangea ‘paniculata’ has cone-shaped blooms.  This type of hydrangea is great for nearly every location and will reward you with stunning flowers all summer long. 

I purchased 3 ‘paniculata tardiva’ Hydrangeas 10 years ago from Wine Country Gardens in Defiance.  They were in small 2-gallon pots with a few small blooms.  I knew that they preferred some shade, but I planted them in the sun, next to my pool.  I was expecting them to struggle in the heat of summer, but they just flourished!  They are now 10 feet tall and one of my favorite Hydrangeas.

Because they can get so tall, I trim them back by half every 3rd spring and they go into overdrive; they produce double the blooms of the previous year.  

Many other varieties of paniculata have become available recently and they all are great for any landscape.  ‘Limelight’ is one sure fire winner.  It eventually gets up to 8 feet tall and nearly as wide.  Deer won’t nibble because the leaves have “tooth” to them.  They’re rough and pretty unappetizing. 

As the flowers open, they appear kiwi-green.  When they mature, they change to white and eventually, in fall, take on a pinkish tone.  If you buy only one Hydrangea this year, make it ‘Limelight.’  It won’t disappoint you! By the way, these hydrangeas bloom on new wood; feel free to trim them in the spring.

Everyone loves the ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea.  It spreads nicely, allowing you to transplant some after only a few years.  The blossoms are beautiful and white.  The new cultivar ‘Incrediball’ boasts larger blooms and sturdier stems. 

Personally, I’ve never purchased the ‘Incrediball’ because I have lots of the “original” Annabelle Hydrangeas.  Perhaps the blooms are a little larger, but I’m more than satisfied with what I already have. These make fantastic dried flowers; just cut them, strip off the leaves, hanging them upside down in a dry place.  Once dry, use them in arrangements to enjoy all winter long.

The “Lace-cap” Hydrangea should be in every gardener’s landscape.  The blooms are like nothing else out there.  They are flat, about the size of a saucer, with flowers and tiny buds on the same bloom.  They are so unusual, coming in shades of pink, blue, purple and solid white.  Lace-cap Hydrangeas rarely, if ever, need to be trimmed; another reason why they’re a perfect addition to any garden.

The ‘Oak- leaf’ Hydrangea has a leaf just like an oak tree.  Even though the leaf and flowers are rough, deer seem to be drawn to this type of hydrangea; keep the Liquid Fence handy!  They can get about 10 feet tall and have beautiful peeling bark in the fall and winter.  Be advised, though.  These are not regular bloomers.  They prefer shade and can take on a spotty appearance if given too much sun and not enough water. 

I just got my Wayside Garden catalogue for fall and noticed that a new cultivar of the Oak-leaf Hydrangea is for sale.  The leaves are somewhat chartreuse and it maxes out at 5 to 8 feet tall.

Do you have a blank wall in your garden that needs “just that little something” to bring it to life?  Why not try a climbing Hydrangea.  They are tolerant of shade and sun.  In fact, if you happen to visit the back courtyard garden at , you’ll see the most beautiful climbing Hydrangea in West County.  It is grown in full sun, on a brick wall, with no irrigation.  It is more stunning as each year passes. 

Be warned, though- the Japanese Beetles LOVE that climbing Hydrangea.  It’s always the first plant to get hit in June.  We never trim it, it rarely gets watered, and it is just spectacular.  Go figure!

If you’re mad about Hydrangeas, no doubt you’ve seen multitudes of new introductions in the past few years.  My friend, Meg, gave me a lovely ‘Invincebelle’ Hydrangea.  It’s pink and the profits benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Fund.  I’ve had breast cancer twice and it was so sweet of Meg to purchase this in my honor. 

Unfortunately, in my garden, it’s unimpressive.  The blooms are very small and are more brown than pink.  There have been introductions called “Blushing Bride,” “Pinky Winky,” “Forever and Forever,” “Quick Fire,” “Twist and Shout” and many, many more. 

I was shopping at Dausters last week and they just got a shipment of a new “patio sized” hydrangea.  It’s a Mophead called “Forever Pink” and only gets 3 feet tall.  The leaves are smaller as well, making it great in a container or small patio.  If you like having the latest and greatest, go purchase some of the newbies.  But, I have come to realize that, sometimes, the old standbys are still the best thing out there.

In closing, I would suggest that every gardener should have at least a few Hydrangeas in their garden.  The anticipation of the first buds erupting into full-blown Hydrangea bliss is a thrill all its own.  Drying Hydrangea flowers will give lift your mood in January when the snow covers the ground.  I’ve also got a few tips concerning Hydrangeas.  In no particular order, they follow.

1. If you desire blue blooms from your ‘Mophead’ Hydrangea, purchase an acid-based fertilizer.
2. If you buy only 2 hydrangeas, make them ‘Annabelle’ and ‘Limelight.’  They will never let you down and in a few years you will be able to divide them and replant in other spots in your garden.
3. If you have a blank wall in your garden, and want something striking, plant a climbing Hydrangea.  You won’t be disappointed!
4. Fiddle around with light exposure.  My Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’ should have been planted in shade/light sun.  It’s planted by my pool and in full sun. And it’s amazing!  Shade doesn’t ALWAYS mean shade.
5. Fertilize your Hydrangeas regularly.  I am taking Meg’s advice next spring and fertilizing my Mopheads as soon as the leaves emerge.  And, I’ll fertilize  weekly until buds form.  It’s kind of an experiment and I’m willing to spend a few bucks on fertilizer to see if it works.
6. Remember the rules for trimming: Mopheads bloom on new AND old wood.  If you trim them in late fall or early spring, you will likely have minimal, if any, blooms the next year.  Limelights, Annabelles and Paniculatas can be trimmed in late fall or early spring without losing blooms.  In fact, old shrubs will bloom their heads off given a good shearing every few years.
7. Annabelles and Limelight Hydrangeas make great dried flowers.  Trim to the desired length, strip off the leaves and hang upside down to dry.  Place a rubber band around the punch and hang in a dry place.  A basement or garage would be great.