Hydrangea madness

I knew summer had arrived when the hydrangeas started blooming last week. That plus the fact that I stepped outside after dinner this evening and found myself soaked in sweat after being out there for only ten minutes. Ugh, that part I don't like about Alabama!

I've never counted the varieties of hydrangeas in our garden but I'd say the number would be close to fifty. Michael is the hydrangea fanatic but I have to confess that I have grown very fond of them.



One of the easiest to grow is "Annabelle". It blooms on new wood and can be cut down to the ground and will come back and bloom -

"Veitchii" is one of my favorite lacecaps. It should be covered in blooms in a few weeks -

Michael's favorite is "Purple Tiers" -

The much lauded "Endless Summer" sulked for two years but this year it is pretty impressive -

"Lady in Red" has performed in a spectacular fashion, growing very fast and blooming heavily every year -

And probably the most common hydrangea, "Nikko Blue" is hard to beat -

The oakleaf hydrangeas are excellent and more adaptable to sunnier spots. If you have limited space, try a dwarf variety, such as "Sike's Dwarf" -

I have created an entire guide on growing hydrangeas on my website. These plants are easy to grow and excellent for shady areas in your garden.