Amateur Gardening – 10 August 2019

Ifyoulikemopheadsbutdon’tfancy

pinkorblue,H.macrophyllaoffers

plentyofoptions,manyofthem

changingcolourthroughouttheir

long flowering season

28 AMATEUR GARDENING10 AUGUST 2019

L

OVEthemorloathethem,you

can’tignorehydrangeasat this

timeof year.It’speakseasonfor

theblousymopheadvarieties,

withmanyfloweringprolifically from

nowuntilwellintoautumn.

Forthepastfewdecadeshydrangeas

havebeendistinctlyunfashionable,

dismissedafterbecomingtoomuch

of a signatureshrubforlargesuburban

gardens. However, the introduction of

excitingnewvarietiessuchas‘Runaway

Bride’– whichwowedthehorticultural

worldat Chelseain 2018– hasledto

renewedinterest.Somuchsothat

hydrangeas,likedahlias,gladioliand

lupinsbeforethem,arestartingto

enjoya resurgencein popularity.

It’snothardtounderstandwhy;

afterall,thesearegreat,hardworking

shrubs,witha longseasonof interest.

Thefantasticflowersbloomformonths,

lookgoodin winterwhenleftonthe

plantandaresuitableforcutting– many

varietiesworkin driedarrangementsas

wellasfresh.Oftentheyhaveinteresting

foliagethatcoloursupnicelyin autumn;

andthey’reeasytoprune.

Butoneof theirbiggestadvantages

is thattheyhappentogrowwellin shade

• shade-tolerantfloweringplantsbeing
  theHolyGrailof manygardeners.
  Evenif youarenofanof theclassic
  mopheadsin LiquoriceAllsortspink
  orblue,there’snoreasontodismiss
  hydrangeasasthosearebynomeans
  your only options. Species and cultivars

rangefromthedramaticandblousyto

thedelicateanddiscreet.Largeshrub,

smalldwarfvarietyorclimber– thereare

hydrangeastosuitgardensof allsizes.

Hydrangeamacrophylla, alsoknown

asHortensia,includestypicalmopheads

andlacecapsthatareeasytogrowand

preferdappledshade.Manyof them

arefamouslyblueorpink,depending

onwhethertheyaregrowingin acidor

alkalinesoil(andyes,throwinga handful

of rustynailsin withthepotdoesworkif

you want to change the pH of your soil).

Lesscommontypes

OthertypesincludeH.quercifolia, with

oak-leafedfoliageandcreamflowers

thatdon’tchangecolour.H.paniculata

bearscone-shapedpaniclesof flowers

thatalsostartcream– andstaycream.

LesscommonareH.involucrata, which

areverylow-growingsub-shrubs.Then

there’sH.serrata, a groupof farsmaller,

deciduousshrubs,thecolourof their

lacecapflowersdeterminedbythesoil.

If you’re looking for the perfect shrub

Fromclassicmopheadsto subtlertypes,hydrangeasarefantasticallyfloriferousand

many grow in shade. Little wonder they’re gaining fans once more, saysCamilla Phelps

Hydrangeas

Fall in love (again) with

H. serrata tend to be smaller