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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...

Revisting the McElhaney Garden


The last garden on the East Vancouver Mini-Tour was that of Judy and Roger McElhaney. I had visited their garden previously in 2016 and was just blown away. It is hard to believe that it is now eight years later.


At first, I didn't recognize their garden. It is astounding how things have grown. The majority is very shady with the exception of one side (pictured above) that is open to the sky. 


A beautiful Mock Orange




Acer palmatum 'Shirazz'


This was the most beautiful shrub, about 5 feet tall and wide and covered with blooms. Judy could not remember what it was but we decided it might be a deutzia.








Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. It's a beautiful mature garden, with every plant perfectly situated to make the most of that wooded landscape.

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  2. What a beautiful shady garden, I can feel the cooler temps through the pictures!

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