3 Hydrangeas in 3 Varieties

The common hydrangea thrives best in the ground. Make sure the root ball of the Hydrangea macrophylla is soaked well - place the bush in a bucket of luke-warm water, prior to planting. Prepare a wide hole and loosen the soil with a fork. Plant the hydrangeas at the correct depth – the top of the root ball should be just below ground level. Refill the hole with soil and press firmly down. Water immediately after planting. Hydrangea macrophyllas thrive in a not too dry humus-rich soil. Improve your garden soil with a mix of well rotted garden manure and compost. Plant in a sunny spot, or partial shade. These hydrangeas also do well in large pots on your patio or decking. Make sure you choose a pot with adequate drainage.

These gorgeous Hydrangeas are suitable for every garden. The large, red, blue and pink flowers look great in groups or a border. You could fill a flower bed bordered with ‘Box’ with these colourful hydrangeas. They will even look at home grouped in the shrubbery or combine them with other common Hydrangeas and they will look great together!

The ball shaped flower heads start off a greenish colour, gradually turning pink, blue or red, and fade back to green at the end of summer. The flowers stay on the plant for months. They still look lovely in the winter, especially when covered with a layer of snow. Hydrangea macrophylla is also called the ‘common hydrangea’. The colour of the flowers depends on the pH levels in the soil.In autumn the dead flowers can be dried and are great to use in a flower arrangement or autumn wreath to hang on your front door!

The name follows the Greek – Hydrangea, 'hydro' (water) and 'aggos' (pot) which again points to the shape of the fruit (pitcher shaped). Macrophylla means large leafed.

Water your Hydrangeas regularly during dry periods as dry soil is not tolerated very well. Between March and July to allow for an extra rich bloom, add plant food monthly when watering. Provide it with cow manure granules early in the year.

Hydrangeas bloom on branches that were formed in the previous year. If you prune during the spring, flowers will not appear that same year. However, pruning is not absolutely necessary unless the plant grows too large. In such cases, you can rejuvenate the Hydrangea by removing 1/3 of all its branches, for the first year you'll have fewer flowers, but a normal bloom will occur in the second year. Remove its dead branches and carefully cut away its dead flowers during the winter.