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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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Southeast Portland Mini-Tour



A recent HPSO Mini-Tour included four gardens in the Southeast Portland area. 

First, Christine Weaver's garden with winding pathways was full of perennials, vines, carnivorous plants and cacti -








Next up is Jeanne DeBenedetti Keyes' naturalistic, waterwise garden with a collection of native plants. The back garden is a lush, Chinese-influenced, walled garden -








The third garden was Renee Moog's enchanting and whimsical 1/3 acre garden with beautiful plantings enhanced with garden art, including glass bottle walls and floors, and a fantastic water feature -












And finally, the Happy Valley garden of Jennifer Buss emphasizes four-season interest, low-maintenance plantings, and some bonsai specimens (unfortunately my phone battery was depleted and I didn't get many photos) -



 (Visited August 17, 2025)

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. AnonymousAugust 27, 2025 at 7:54 AM

    I love the stone figure with the basket on its head for collected treasures!
    Chavli

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  2. Kris PetersonAugust 27, 2025 at 10:10 AM

    You have such beautiful gardens in the PNW and people are so generous in opening their gardens. I love the Sempervivium artwork and the excellent use of recycled bottles.

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  3. Jeanne DeBenedetti KeyesAugust 27, 2025 at 1:51 PM

    Great photos, Philip! You captured some very lovely vignettes. You've got a great eye. Thanks for coming out. It was good to see you.

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    1. Phillip OliverAugust 27, 2025 at 2:10 PM

      Thanks Jeanne and thank you for opening your garden. I enjoyed it!

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  4. JerrySeptember 2, 2025 at 8:05 AM

    Wow, I am enchanted with Renee Moog's garden. That shed and the creative way she used bottles. I will have to keep an eye out for future open garden events there.

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    1. Phillip OliverSeptember 2, 2025 at 8:20 AM

      Yes, very creative! I enjoyed that one. If you get a chance, do try to go.

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