For the love of Hydrangeas

[DeborahJane]

Your birthday celebrations sound great Esther.A hoe down would be so much fun. Makes my 2 lunches and dinner seem a bit boring Have a great time.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

here is the link to the restaurant we are going to.http://www.vickersrestaurant.com/

 

[claudine]

To be honest, I had no idea that hydrangeas can grow so big. I always thought they're relatively small plants.
Thank you for sharing those gorgeous photos, Esther Knapicius

 

[Cereus]

I adore hydrangeas! Sadly never had the space to grow them back in Seattle. Other plants were competing for space haha. Yours are gorgeous!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

To be honest, I had no idea that hydrangeas can grow so big. I always thought they're relatively small plants.
Thank you for sharing those gorgeous photos, Esther Knapicius

Depending on the hydrangea you chose, some can grow 20 - 25 feet, and you can prune that one in to a small tree, and keep the trunk single until about 3 foot up into the shrub (which is what I did to my big guy) And there are some that can grow only up to 4 foot, and lots in between. And also leaf sized and shapes can be unique.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I adore hydrangeas! Sadly never had the space to grow them back in Seattle. Other plants were competing for space haha. Yours are gorgeous!

That is a shame. Up in Seattle you can grow the more fragile ones, the zone 7 and the zone 8, which I cannot. And Heronswood nursery is up there, well known for their Hydrangeas, did get to visit there, a wonderful experience, picked out some from there and had the plants mailed home for us. Will be going to Seattle at the end of this month.

 

[claudine]

Depending on the hydrangea you chose, some can grow 20 - 25 feet, and you can prune that one in to a small tree, and keep the trunk single until about 3 foot up into the shrub (which is what I did to my big guy) And there are some that can grow only up to 4 foot, and lots in between. And also leaf sized and shapes can be unique.

Thank you for the information, it's very interesting I'd love to have a small hydrangea tree!
Hydrangeas are wonderful

 

[Owdboggy]

To answer the comment about danger to animals. The flowers do contain cyanide, but in very small amounts. Animals which eat the flowers can have an adverse reaction, but I cannot find any reports of death.
We cannot grow the macrophylla types as we get a really bad freezing wind in April which removes all the flowering stems so they rarely flower. However the paniculata and grandiflora types do well for us. We have about 20 of them. Also like the oak leafed ones which just about manage to survive the cold winds and flower. I really like H. aspera with its felted leaves.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Thank you for the information, it's very interesting I'd love to have a small hydrangea tree!
Hydrangeas are wonderful

to find the right one, its all about careful reading and more reading and searching. For me the hunt of a special plant is exciting in general. My gardens were started way before any of these forums started. So spend time in the books or on line, making notes. I would rather have a vacant area than just fill it with what is not "perfect" for the area and me.

 

[purplepen88]

Such a beautfiul plant. I love hydrangeas, I had purple ones in my wedding bouquet. Are they hard to grow? Would love to plant some in my front garden.

 

[DeborahJane]

When I first started gardening I was given loads of cuttings of hydrangeas from friends. I put them all in hoping some would survive. I think in one area all of them did and it got a bit overcrowded. About 2 months ago I dug a couple out and moved them. Now I know just how big hydrangae root balls are. Huge. I was limited as to which ones I could move. Had to give up on one big one as the root ball was too big to dig under without risking damaging it. I was a nervous but the hydrangae patch was too crowded so I was prepared to take the risk of loosing them. But luckily the 3 which I moved are looking great. All new buds and leaves. And the cuttings I took of my French Lace hydrangea which has black stems have taken so I'm going to plant them in the garden I see from my bedroom window. Really looking forward to that. I'll be keeping my eye out for the purple variety purplepen88. I love purple too!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Some hydranges will offer up babies from their root systems coming out about 6 to 10 inches from the mother plant, so cuttings are not necessary. Just look under the plant.

 

[DeborahJane]

Thanks for the info Esther. I'm tempted to go and look now by torchlight because it is 3.28 am.....my usual insomniac time, [no idea why this has gone to italics...I'm such a techno-whiz]
Re our past posts, we are now in charge of Max, the old border collie. My son and daughter in law have gone to a Malaysia for 3 months. It has only been a week and I know he is confused. I'm sure he keeps looking for them when he hears any noises but we are doing our best. Saturday night is fish and chip night in front of the fire in the lounge room, a room which has always been out of bounds for all our dogs [we've had 3 - Fang, Sam and Roses] and even our visiting dog [Texie Girl - a neighbours' dog which visited me at all hours every day]. It was the one night Max was allowed in the lounge room with us all so we are continuing that. He is a real sweetie.I just fixed it, see...you can teach an old dog new tricks!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I have an oakleaf hydranga that I successfully got two babies from, just already coming up as described from the ground, Moved them to other locations, and they are now there 3 years or more, and 5 foot tall. there is also another one, I got two babies from, and the same, it gave up babies one at a time. Now I have two more in other places. Back to my oakleaf, there is one good size one there now again under the original mom. Left it there, husband says he may want it somewhere, its been there two years now, just getting bigger.
the shrub Clethera, will root up babies also (hope I spelled that right) close enough. have many there near the mom, ready to toss them though. Also my Japanese Maple, reseeds babies, I have gathered several and potted them up in nice soil to grow taller.

 

[Esther Knapicius]