The Wondrous Hydrangea Macrophylla

Hydrangea hate is incomprensible. Some complain about the “too flamboyant” flowers. Some can’t cope with hydrangea’s pruning requirements. One gardener took offense to the over planting of hydrangeas at New England beach houses. Well. Plants can’t please everyone.

Hydrangeas are polarizing flowers. Adored or scorned. I’m an adorer. Obviously.

I never planned to grow hydrangeas.

I moved into my former home in the middle of winter. Every plant in the yard except an overgrown yew tree was dormant. I didn’t know I had inherited three hydrangea macrophylla shrubs.

Not that I could identify any of the plants at the time. Not even if it was the growing season. “Huh…interesting,” was all I said about the very dry, very brown flowers sitting atop bare and woody stems.

The hydrangeas leafed out in April. I cautiously cut off the dried flowers and stems without new growth. June came and they bloomed with a few flowers. Specifically, a few stunning flowers. But I knew they were keepers. Whew! Those captivating flower globes saved me the trouble of digging out mature shrubs. Thus, saving my back.

Hydrangea: The Garden Alchemist

One shrub bloomed in a vivid pink and one shrub bloomed in shades of mauve and pink. The third bloomed in lavender, violet, sky blue, rose pink, mauve and hard to describe colors like gray-blue (my fave).

The third was the apple of my eye. The star that caught the indifferent eyes of those oblivious to flowers.

People wanted to know what I did to get my beloved hydrangea to produce so many colors on one shrub. I did nothing. It’s all down to nature’s magic. And an unstable soil ph (still magic).

Some fiddle with the soil ph in a desperate attempt to control hydrangeas’ bloom color. Alkaline soils produce blue flowers. Acid soils produce pink flowers.

Time is too precious for such shenanigans. Plus, the colors of June soon change as summer proceeds into autumn. Embrace the shrub’s endearing traits. Let it be.

In mid July, pinks and blues transform into muted tones of faded linens. By late summer, muted tones somehow become greenish tinged with burgundy. Then finally all burgundy. Color wizardry.

Hydrangeas Need Friends, Too

So often hydrangeas grow as lonely foundation shrubs or in hydrangea gangs. Shameful. Hydrangeas grow happily with other plants and look good doing it.

If planted in the right place, I’d suggest astilbe, hostas, shasta daisies, foxgloves. Mine weren’t planted in an ideal place so I planted drought tolerant purple coneflowers, yarrow, lavender agastache… and my cherished sedums.

Pruning Macrophylla Hydrangeas

Don’t let a chainsaw wielding groundskeeper near your hydrangeas. Not if you want and value the flowers. It’s a tough shrub and can withstand shearing to the ground. In fact, cutting it back to the ground restores the shrub’s vigor.

BUT… buckets of flowers require nuanced pruning.

Hydrangea macrophylla flowers on the previous year’s new growth. So if the shrub is cut to the ground in spring, then prepare for disappointment. Sorry, no flowers.

Pruning hydrangeas properly takes time. Careful and considered pruning is rewarded with abundant flowers. Just keep telling yourself that after an hour passes… and you're still pruning.

If cutting during the growing season makes you nervous, then leave the dried flowers intact and prune to the next leaf node in spring. I preferred to not leave all the pruning for spring. Spring’s energy sneaks up fast; it’s easy to get behind on chores. Pace yourself.

Ideal Growing Conditions for Hydrangeas

When planted in the ideal conditions, hydrangeas don’t require a lot of watering or feeding. The hydrangeas I lovingly cared for were once a part of a west facing shade garden.

Months before moving into the house, a large tree along the sidewalk fell in a storm. With the tree went the protective microclimate that kept the soil reasonably moist and cool. And protected the large leaves and flowers from the hot afternoon sun.

The shrubs fared well for several seasons until seasonal rains and heat began to vary wildly. Watering with buckets from the rain barrels in the evening became a must. I spread compost around the base in the dormant season. Yet, they suffered. Wilting from late morning until early evening. During especially hot and dry summers, the flowers burned.

I knew eventually, they'd need to dig up and relocate. But I moved before that eventuality. I don’t even want to think about their fate.

For the sake of your hydrangeas, plant them where they’ll get morning sun and afternoon shade. An east or northeast facing location is best. They originate in temperate forests, after all.

Ever See the Price of One Hydrangea Cut Stem? Yikes.

Hydrangeas are superb cut flowers. Cutting hydrangeas for vases reduces pruning time in spring. A little bit.

Why not cut some and enjoy them in vases? Or press the bracts between sheets of paper to use for crafts or whatever?

I know. Cutting flowers from non-blooming plants feels like a robbery. If you have feelings about cutting precious garden flowers, then do as I did. I cut flowers from the bottom that would otherwise be sullied by mud and rainwater. Or cut to decrease congestion and increase air circulation.

Hydrangeas aren’t violets or sweet peas. A hydrangea stem is a one flower bouquet.

Regrets and Fantasies

In reflection, I can’t believe I didn’t make a real effort to propagate my hydrangeas. Why didn’t I root stem cuttings? Why didn’t I grow them in pots? So many questions.

Don’t be like me, fellow gardeners. Try hydrangea propagation and growing them as potted plants. Even though I can’t advise you on how to do either.

Imagine a garden with a path leading to a small woodland. The path is lined with haphazard plantings of hydrangea macrophylla and oakleaf hydrangea. The hydrangeas are the understory shrubs of flowering trees. Spring bulbs, foxgloves, astilbes and hostas cover the ground around the hydrangeas.

Pretty tame as far as fantasies go. Since I never planned to grow hydrangeas.

Why Grow Hydrangea Macrophylla

Want to grow hydrangeas? But space is an issue? It's always an issue. I've seen hydrangeas growing beautifully in terracotta pots. Try it. I wish I'd done it. Do it.

• Easy to grow

• Long seasonal interest

• Head turning garden flowers

• Handsome foliage

• Good cut flower

• Good for dried or pressed flowers

• Reliable blooming if pruned properly