Outdoor Wednesday: Hydrangeas

Mophead Hydrangea

I think hydrangeas are among the prettiest summer flowering bushes! My favorites are the mophead and lacecap varieties. Right now, they are in full bloom here in New England.

Lace Cap Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are fairly easy to grow and maintain. They prefer morning sun and afternoon shade. Hydrangeas grow best in rich soil, so compost the soil well before planting them. They also need to be watered well. Mulching the soil around them will help them retain moisture.

To keep your hydrangea in peak condition, remove about one-third of the oldest stems every year in mid-spring. Cut them off as close to ground level as you can. This will ensure lots of new blooms at the bottom and will keep your hydrangea plants healthy.

Did you know you can change the colors of the flowers by altering the soil pH levels? They will turn blue when you drop the pH level by adding some sulfur to the soil. Alternatively, you can turn the flowers pink when you raise the pH by adding some lime.

Now is a great time to buy hydrangeas. Many local nurseries and garden centers have marked down their perennial stock by 50%. You may even find them for as much as 75% off!

Hydrangeas are also beautiful dried. Susie Harris recently blogged about drying hydrangeas. If you haven't read it yet, you can find it here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks to Susan of A Southern Daydreamer for hosting Outdoor Wednesday! Visit Susan's blog for more Outdoor Wednesday entries.