Hydrangeas

 

Hydrangeas are stunning plants but did you know that they have an amazing heritage going back 23 million years?! 

A fossil species called ‘Hydrangea Alaskana’ was recovered from Jaw Mountain in Alaska, USA, from a section of rock dating back to the paleogene period. 

In more recent times, fossils have been found in Asia and, in fact, Asian varieties first made their way to Europe when the famous Swedish naturalist Carl Peter Thunberg brought back five plants to the continent, after a trip to Asia.

There are many species of Hydrangea nowadays, which makes it quite a job when one wants to select plants for the garden. These species can be sorted into 5 types: Macrophylla ( Bigleaf or French); Smooth (Tree Hydrangea); Panicle; Oakleaf and Climbing.

Thus, last year, I set myself a task of finding 9 different varieties for our front border. I decided to stay with the Macrophylla type with the large mop heads. Here are the nine, lovely plants lucky enough to make their way to my garden :

1. ‘Lady in Red’.

This is a rounded, deciduous shrub with toothed, dark, green leaves. In mid/late summer it has large, flattened, rosy-red flower heads that surround pinkish- green flowers. 

2. ‘ You and Me Together’

This charming plant produces an abundance of clustered, mophead flower heads, made of double blooms that start off as green but quickly turn to soft pink. This colour deepens to a pinkish red as the season progresses.

3. ‘Music Blue Ballad’

This Hydrangea produces clusters of vibrant, sky blue blooms that are spherical shaped and spectacular with a lovely, long flowering time.

4. Black Steel Zara Blue

Named because of their near black stems, the flower clusters are made up of pale, lime green buds which open into purple blue flowers and these contrast well with the dark stems and glossy foliage.

5. Magical Amethyst

This lovely Hydrangea has flower clusters that open lime green and then develop pink shades which develop into a darker, reddish pink. This then fades and the green colour returns! Just like…Magic!

6. Music Red Reggae

A delightful plant that forms spherical clusters and these wonderful blooms are rosy red in colour with soft, green markings that change over the long, flowering period. 

7. Music Deep Purple Dance

A Hydrangea with luscious, deep purple flower clusters and dark green foliage. The flowers bloom all summer long.

8. Music Soft Pink Salsa

This Hydrangea produces huge domes made up of baby pink flowers that are soft and stunning. Blooming from June until September!

 

9. Blue Boogie Woogie

Offering stunning, vivid, blue, floral clusters and thick, dark green foliage, this Hydrangea is showy and blooms all summer long and into early autumn. The flower heads can be dried for arrangements.

So that’s my selection. They’ve settled well into my border! Although they aren’t yet very big, some are beginning to bloom and I think that next year, they will be more ‘showy’! 

I’ll report back!