Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are a must have in all gardens. Such a versatile shrub and are very easy to maintain.

We have the traditional mop / lace cap hydrangea that you see in most gardens, classic huge ball shaped flowers or the delicate petals that surround the flower bract. Both are perfect. Stout growing.

Or we have the Paniculata’s which are the upright woody shrubs. These have large ball or diamond shaped flowers. These really can catch your eye. They are perfect for a showstopper and a beautiful back drop shrub

Climbing hydrangeas are fantastic these are ideal for semi shade and full shaded areas and they self-cling, with delicate flowers

Where to Site Your Hydrangea

I would suggest planting the mop / lace cap hydrangea at the front to the middle of the flower border to make sure you get the best out of the flowers; they can also be planted in pots which their impressive showy flowers.

Paniculata hydrangeas I would suggest planting these as either a showstopper on their own or at the back of the flower border with dwarf plants placed in font. These create height and will draw the eye to the back of the border adding a touch of drama.

How to Grow and Look After you Hydrangea

The mop / lace cap hydrangeas, the blue flowered ones are best planted in acidic soil, if you do not have this then you can add an ericaceous fertiliser to them. Best planted in a semi shade position. They don’t require pruning, only a light dead head. If you do need to prune them then it is best to do this half at a time as they flower on last years old wood.

The paniculata can be planted in moist well drained soil, ideally in a semi shaded location. These can be trimmed back hard if they do grow too large for their space. It helps create stronger branches, an improved shaped shrub and better flowers.