Few shrubs can rival the form and unique flowers that hydrangeas bring to your landscape. Versatile and varied, hydrangeas have regained favor in recent years as the perfect choice for many garden settings. Tolerant of seashore as well as shady locations, they produce long-lasting flowers that dry beautifully. Hydrangeas serve as the perfect transition plant from summer to autumn and combine beautifully with your favorite perennial choices.
Generally, hydrangeas prefer partial shade and moist, well drained soil. But it is possible with sufficient water to grow hydrangeas in full sun. Plan for them to grow large (with few exceptions). Most bigleaf varieties will mature to 5-6’ in height and width. Hydrangeas have a coarse texture which combines well with the smaller leaves of azaleas and Japanese hollies or the fine needles of a globosa blue spruce. The delicate foliage of a cutleaf Japanese maple is a stunning contrast to the large leaves of your hydrangea. Oakleaf varieties provide beautiful burgundy fall color and climbing hydrangeas can be used to scale trees or cling to a fence or trellis. 
To get the best blue pH should be between 4.5 and 5.5. Use aluminum sulfateto have a more acidic soil (lower the number). To get the best pink/red color pH should be between 6.5 and 7.5. Add lime to the soil to make it sweeter (increase number). Sometimes when acidity is neutral chlorosis (yellowing of the leaves) will occur. If this happens add some iron sulfate (but not too much). Also, adding phosphorous will aid flowering. Light shade also seems to help intensify color.
Hydrangeas have a shallow, fibrous root system. The need to water them during dry spells cannot be overemphasized. Some people call the hydrangea an “indicator plant”. It can indicate the soil pH by the color of its flowers. It is also one of the first plants to wilt when plants are under drought stress. Thus, a wilted hydrangea often indicates the need of all garden and yard plants for water. If a hydrangea becomes overy dry, it may suffer leaf “burn” or “scorch” during hot, dry weather.
Sometimes hydrangeas make healthy, vigorous leaf and stem growth, but fail to bloom properly. Also many old established plants stop flowering after a few years. Often this occurs when hydrangeas are planted near larger shrubs which cast too much shade. Other things that will result in a failure or decrease in flowering are poor soil; over-fertilization, especially too much nitrogen; cold temperature; and late pruning.
Weather may play a part in the lack of flowers if we have an especially cold winter or if we experience an extremely late or extremely cold frost. Finally, plants sometimes need the proverbial “kick in the bud” to begin producing. Try a mild dose of Triple Super Phosphate during the month of August. You will find it in our Garden Center.
The most frequently asked questions about hydrangeas have to do withblooming(or lack thereof). The problem more often than not, with lack of blossom, lies in pruning. Prune hydrangeas immediately after flowering. Flower buds are formed in the fall. If you prune them in the fall or early spring, you will reduce the number of flowers. Since hydrangeas drop their leaves in winter, they are not appropriate as foundation plants for a building. Sometimes they are used along the side walls or across the back of a building if evergreen shrubs are nearby. Hydrangeas are best when planted in masses in a side or rear yard where they can be viewed at a distance. When massed in beds near azalea plantings, they extend flower color into summer after azalea blooms have fallen.
