Hydrangeas have become very popular in the last few years. This is not surprising, as they are very versatile, and there is a hydrangea for every garden.
They last for such a long time and can be bought in most colours from white to pink and blue.
The flowers are small and often surrounded by large sepals which are sterile, but produce the typical hydrangea flower head.
The common or best known ones are the mop heads, or hortensias which can be pink or blue and feature in almost every suburban garden. These are the ones that can change colour according to how they are treated.
In slightly alkaline soil they are pink, but can be made to go blue by adding a blueing agent.
Three ounces is added to three gallons of water every seven to 14 days. There are a lot of different varieties, which can be pink naturally, but will turn blue well if treated.
The lacecaps have flattened heads which consist of the small flowers surrounded by the sepals. One of the best is white wave, which will make a wonderful plant in dense shade.
Many of the others are pink or blue and flower for many weeks towards the end of the summer. They can be used for winter flower arrangements also, as they dry very well.
The climbing hydrangea, H. petiolaris, will climb up a north or east facing wall or even a tree. It takes a while to get established, but once on its way can grow very tall.
Like most hydrangeas it likes the shade which makes it a useful addition to a dark corner. For a shady spot hydrangea villosa makes a big shrub with pale blue flowers.
It mixes well with rhododendrons, as they like similar conditions, and flower at each end of the year. Hydrangea quercifolia grows in woodland conditions - the leaves are lobed like an oak and it has big white flowers.
There is also one with semi double flowers, called snowflake - the leaves of this type have wonderful shades in the autumn.
Hydrangeas are the most useful shrubs, especially in late summer and into the autumn and winter, when they retain their flowers.
They can be vulnerable to frost early in the year and are best pruned in the spring, just in case the winter does it for you.
By Pat Edwards
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