Hydrangea season has started, and we are so excited to see your hydrangea garden creation!
Know before you Grow!
There are many different kinds of flowering hydrangeas, and each variety grows best in a different light condition.
Smooth (Arborescens) hydrangeas such as the "Annabelle", "Incrediball", and "Flowerful" have round flower heads that bloom in late June. These hydrangeas prefer cooler environments and will show wilting if they get too hot. They are perfect for underplanting larger trees, foundation planting in shady areas, or filling large garden spaces.
Smooth hydrangeas can be divided in the fall once the blooms have dried. Smooth bloom on new wood, so they’re easy to prune and bounce back strong year after year. These are excellent for beginners and a shade garden classic!
Big Leaf (Macrophylla) hydrangeas are famous for their vibrant pink, blue, or purple flowers. their round flower heads have larger florets than the smooth hydrangea, and are often smaller in overall shrub size. These are the only hydrangeas that change colour based on soil acidity! Similar to the smooth hydrangeas, bigleaf hydrangeas prefer cooler environments, so avoid hot afternoon sun if possible!
These bloom on old wood, meaning you need to prune carefully and protect buds from frost. They prefer morning sun and afternoon shade and thrive in containers or well-prepared beds.
Panicle (Paniculata) hydrangeas such as the "Limelight", "Quickfire", and "PeeGee" have cone-shaped flower heads that bloom later in the summer. These hydrangeas can be as small as 40cm in height (like the BoBo) or as tall as nearly 3 meters at full maturity (like the Phantom) and offer a wide range of colours through the season. Most panicle hydrangeas develop creamy buds and open to white flowers. Over the summer, most panicle hydrangeas will transition to either a faded green or vibrant pink. Their spent flowers make excellent dried flower stems for fall arrangements!
Panicle hydrangeas are woody shrubs, making them easier to shape and create a neat garden look. They also can tolerate significantly more heat than all other hydrangea varieties, making them an excellent low-maintenance shrub in hot, sunny gardens.
Panicle hydrangeas bloom on new wood, so pruning should be done in the fall before new buds swell in the spring. While panicle hydrangeas cannot be as easily split as smooth or bigleaf hydrangeas, they don't spread; making them easier to manage in small garden spaces.
Standard (tree) hydrangeas have either been pruned or grafted to achieve a neat ornamental look. You can expect that the canopy of the tree will reach the same height and width as the original panicle shrub, depending on how often and aggressively you prune. Similar to panicle hydrangeas, hydrangea trees come in a variety of colours and can offer a unique look to a sunny garden!
Plan your garden!
After you choose the hydrangea that best suits your landscape, be sure to measure enough space for your hydrangeas to develop evenly. While smooth and bigleaf hydrangeas will grow to fill the space, panicle hydrangeas need space to grow into a full and round shrub. For example, if you are planting a "Limelight" hydrangea close to the house, you should plant it at least 1.5 meters (4-5 feet) from the foundation. Smaller varieties like the BoBo or Tiny Quick Fire only require 30cm from a foundation or walkway.
Hydrangeas leaf out and bloom later in the season! If you are planting hydrangeas as a focal point, you may want to consider companion planting them with early spring perennials such as peonies, columbines, bleeding hearts, or poppies!
Hydrangeas prefer acidic, well draining soil. Consider planting your hydrangeas near an evergreen which naturally acidifies the soil. Other companion plants include blueberries, azaleas, rhododendrons, bleeding hearts and asters. In the spring, consider adding a slow-release granular soil acidifier to improve your hydrangeas blooms and overall growth!