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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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Cool Photos Before the Heat

Catalpa 'Aurea' - I just discovered that the flowers are
 quite fragrant, similar to honeysuckle.

The heat wave lingers - today we reached 100 and tomorrow is expected to go higher. The one thought that keeps me from wanting to jump off the nearest bridge is that I remember Alabama where it is always like this. Although the heat breaks a bit on Wednesday, the long-term forecast shows temps in the mid to upper 80s. This isn't really "back to normal" at all! It is disgusting and even Michael, who said he would never make another move after this one, is wanting to move to the coast! 

In the meantime, here are some cooling shots taken in the days before the inferno hit.

Pinus contorta 'Taylor's Sunburst' and 'Sea Foam' Rose
 with a bloom from Clematis durandii peeking in.

Outside the front window is a mix of heathers ('Firefly' and 'Multicolor'), Allium 'Millenium', Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel' in a pot and annual snapdragon. The snapdragon usually will last all summer but who knows what will happen in the current conditions. This is my favorite variety, which is a peachy color but it appears more red in the heat.

Roses 'Lady of Shallot', 'Lyda', 'Rozanne' geranium and Dappled Willow 'Hakuro Nishiki'.


Stay cool!

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. danger gardenJuly 9, 2024 at 10:27 AM

    Your garden is looking lush and lovely Phillip! Re: Michaels possibly moving again, your comment reminded me of something a friend who moved here from Nebraska once said "If I'd have wanted temperatures like this I would have moved to Phoenix"...

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  2. Ardith FergusonJuly 9, 2024 at 5:38 PM

    Your garden looks like a paradise! You have so many beautiful specimens and color compositions. Having just moved here from Colorado, I'll take the heat here any day compared to intense sunny heat in a high desert = fire danger.

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    Replies
    1. Phillip OliverJuly 9, 2024 at 5:47 PM

      Thank you Ardith! At least it isn't humid like it was in the South. But we really hate the heat and I worry that the climate change will affect our ability to grow the beautiful things the region is known for.

      Delete
  3. Kris PetersonJuly 10, 2024 at 8:08 AM

    I know how hard it is to face wilted and burned foliage and flowers following a heatwave, Phillip. I hope your heatwave is waning. The garden will of course spring back in time.

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  4. tz_gardenJuly 10, 2024 at 8:26 AM

    Oh wow, everything looks so good. I hope the heat didn't hit anything too hard. Taylor's Sunburst made me audibly gasp. Stunning!

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  5. Book Cottage by the BayJuly 10, 2024 at 3:52 PM

    Oh wow. Your garden is in full bloom. And it does look cool, especially as here in Minnesota we are having 86F which is not normal for us. Stay cool too!

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  6. tz_gardenJuly 13, 2024 at 8:30 AM

    Hmm, I think my comment was consumed by ? Taylor's sunburst is glorious, love the color & texture so much. Such wonderful combinations you have, the last shot does make me feel cooler. Hope you got through it unscathed!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hoover BooJuly 15, 2024 at 6:00 PM

    Another cool-weather fan here. I hate summer! I hope your garden wasn't too damaged by that terrible heat--that last photo especially, so lovely!

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