This week the garden is bright and cheery following some heavy rainstorms and cooler temperatures, especially at night. I love sleeping with the windows open now the choking yellow pollen is long gone, listening to the rain splash on the leaves of the hickory tree, and then hearing the birdsong of a fresh early morning.......just like this one.
The Moonflower and Morning Glory seeds I planted in the large pot are already growing and soon will be twirling up the fishing line.
Note the blue hydrangeas are coming into bloom. Last year I was so disappointed when hardly any flowers appeared. This was due to a severe pruning the previous year to allow for painting the exterior of the house......I had to cut those two gigantic shrubs back almost to the ground, a painful thing I assure you.
This year they are back with huge blue blossoms - I've even cut some to bring inside while they're so pretty.
These are the Endless Summer variety. If you prefer pink or white they are also available at the garden center. I planted the two in front of the porch several years ago. They bloom right through until Autumn and give me ample blooms for drying later to use in wreaths and plop into vases and baskets around the house. When dried, the mix of dusty green, blue, sometimes even lavender, is beautiful. You can see some in my current blog banner above.
Once a small plant is comfy in your garden spot, part shade is best although mine are in full sun much of the day, they grow to huge bushes laden with blooms within a few years. They do enjoy a good drink, water being their beverage of choice! When the Summer days turn hot and humid here in the south I find myself watering them almost daily as they start to droop by mid afternoon. They are 'clean plants', my verbiage for shrubs and plants which never seem to have creepy crawlies who munch on leaves, or get disfiguring diseases such as yellow spot. They always look pristine from top to toe...........yes, can't you tell, I love, love hydrangeas.
I just popped outside in my P.J.'s with the camera.......here are the shrubs this morning after another rainy night.
Do you grow this shrub in your garden?
Share your lovely hydrangea stories please.
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