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Pruning 'Summer Crush' Hydrangea in Late Summer or Early Fall

Hydrangea 'Summer Crush' in June... in September Pruning can be a complicated project, especially when it comes to hydrangeas (I can think of one more plant that causes pruning headaches - clematis). That said, if you grow many hydrangeas, especially different types, once you get the hang of it, it begins to come naturally. I used to rarely prune my hydrangeas because I had more space. Now, with a smaller garden, I'm finding that some are getting too large for comfort. Case in point, 'Summer Crush'. It is actually not a huge hydrangea, but it does get larger than advertised - about 5 feet in my garden (the tag said 3-4'). 'Summer Crush' is in the 'Endless Summer' line of hydrangeas and they are among the easier to prune. This is because they bloom on both old and new wood. Therefore, no matter when you prune, you should get blooms. It is the older hydrangeas, the ones that only bloom on old wood, that you have to be careful with. I would recomm...
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Bugloss (Anchusa capensis)



This is Anchusa capensis 'Blue Angel', commonly known as "Bugloss" and also known under more attractive names like "Cape Forget-Me-Not" and "Summer Forget-Me-Not".

I did not know this plant when I purchased it earlier this year and decided to get it to fill a spot and anything with blue flowers will get my attention (plus it came from Little Prince and that is usually a good sign). Co-worker Kellie told me it was a nice plant and I always follow her advice. I planted it in one of the front raised borders in partial shade, promptly forgot about it, until the blue flowers appeared. Gorgeous! And very long-lasting.

When the blooms faded, I cut it back about halfway. And now, here it is again!

Investigating it further, I've learned that it is a member of the Borage family. It is actually a biennial and native to South Africa. According to the North Carolina Extension website - 

"The genus "anchusa" is from the Greek word "anchousa", which makes reference to its use as a dye for cosmetic paint obtained from the roots of another plant in the genus Anchusa tinctoria. The species capensis translated to "from the Cape" referring to South Africa." 


The blue flowers are outstanding and the foliage is nice as well. In mild climates, it is said to be "weedy" when it self-sows. Aha - borage! 

That said, I'm in love with it at the moment. We will see what happens next year with it. 

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. tz_gardenSeptember 3, 2023 at 8:33 AM

    What a little beauty! Love the intense blue, I'm going to have to give this one a go. *Thanks Kris for the reminder of Annie's labor day sale.

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  2. AnonymousSeptember 3, 2023 at 8:58 AM

    Now THAT is blue!
    Chavli

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