Plant of the week
Hydrangea
Each week, OGV sub-committee member, Gayle Parkes presents the 'Plant of the Week'. She also posts to OGV's Instagram - make sure you check back weekly for her latest post. This week Gayle brings us the beautiful, romantic hydrangea.
Hydrangea, common names hydrangea or hortensia, is a genus of 70–75 species of flowering plants native to Asia and the Americas. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably Korea, China, and Japan. Most are shrubs 1 to 3 meters tall, but some are small trees, and others lianas reaching up to 30 m (98 ft) by climbing up trees. They can be either deciduous or evergreen, though the widely cultivated temperate species are all deciduous.
Hydrangeas are such a beautiful romantic addition to any garden. Despite their delicate appearance they are hardy, easy to grow deciduous shrubs that happily tolerate shade. These wonderful shrubs would surely have to be included on a list of the ten best flowering plants in the world.
I bet most of us can remember hydrangeas as being our grandmother's favourite plant, the star of her summer garden. My dad loved and nurtured his hydrangeas too and I vividly remember as a child helping him pick the big blue flower heads for mum to use to decorate the house for Christmas. I just love all of the “old fashioned” plants and I think these gorgeous shrubs do fit that bill. Despite this label, their popularity really has never waned and at this time each year our garden centres are full of them. With new varieties becoming available each year, they walk out the door as a new generation of gardeners fall in love with their showy blooms.
Loved for their massive and ever changing coloured blooms, hydrangeas are a fantastic addition to any garden. They are so reliable, producing a fabulous display every summer with clusters of pink, blue, purple, green, red or white flowers, depending on the pH level of your soil, they are hard to miss. Their large juicy green leaves give a lush feeling and liven up any shady corner of the garden. Probably the most common variety would be the Hydrangea macrophylla, also known as mophead, the one we all grew up knowing. However, with a number of other varieties available including H. paniculata, or panicle, H. arborescens, H. quercifolia, the oakleaf hydrangea, there is bound to be one or two that will suit your garden.
Although their appearance may seem high maintenance because they are so luscious, with the right conditions and care hydrangeas are actually fairly easy to grow. Blooming in late spring/early summer, and even holding on into autumn, they are such winners that do not ask much of us busy gardeners. Despite their ability to be rather large showstoppers in your garden, these beauties all but grow themselves. They are fast growers too, often filling a space in just one summer. If you’re looking for a flower with wow appeal, hydrangea flowers, whichever colour, are truly stunning.
Knowing where to plant hydrangea shrubs is an important first step to a healthy and happy plant. Give them an easterly to southerly aspect with shade for most of the day, morning sun is fine, but they need shelter from harsh afternoon rays. Hydrangeas grow well in soil containing an abundance of organic material. Good drainage is vital, they cannot tolerate being waterlogged.
They also grow best with the correct pruning regime. I always prune my shrubs in late winter by cutting stems back to the first or second pair of plump buds. Old stems can also be removed at this time, cutting them back to ground level. Removing these older stems, usually when they would be around five to six years old, helps to rejuvenate the plant. All the books tell us to leave stems that haven’t flowered unpruned but I must say, I do prune all of my stems and they always produce flowers…. Just saying…..
Hydrangeas enjoy deep watering at least once a week, especially in dry weather. I find my plants do wilt at the end of hot days, despite being in shade, but by morning they have perked up again. It always pays to mulch your plant. A good organic mulch breaks down over time, adding nutrients and improving soil texture. Hydrangeas also benefit from an occasional boost of fertilizer once or twice a year in spring or summer.
These old favourites can also be transplanted easily, but this should only be done during dormancy in autumn or winter. Be sure to dig up the entire root ball and replant immediately. Hardwood tip cuttings taken in winter will propagate easily, allowing you to share favourite plants with friends. I have given away so many cuttings of my white flowering, black stemmed beauty. They “take” so easily and grow so rapidly.
My hydrangeas are planted in large pots. They give me so much pleasure. I have never played with the PH of my soil to determine the colour of the flowers as I am grateful for whatever I get. It is said that a white hydrangea always remains white however this year, my “white” one is “pink”!!! Blue, pink, mauve, whatever, I love them. Don’t be afraid to pick your hydrangea flowers to enjoy indoors. They make such a spectacular vase arrangement and the plants love the trimming. I can’t imagine a garden without at least one of these beautiful bushes that will reward you each year with their magnificent blooms. Each year I am taken back to those very fond childhood memories of my dad’s deep blue bushes under the bedroom windows out the back….. very special.