Forever and Ever Hydrangeas – Friday, 06.08.07

Have you seen the Forever & Ever hydrangeas? They come in a variety of colors—even red! I know, I know. After I was all prissy a few days ago talking about the antique roses in my garden, I’m all aflutter now about a hybrid now. I don’t think this means I’m fickle so much as flexible.

Harry felt sorry for me one Sunday when I was despairing over all the planting I had to do and installed these for me next to the woods. We’re trying to tame the edges into something a bit more civilized and less toxic (poison ivy!)

These hydrangeas are supposed to be repeat bloomers. Just deadhead the spent blooms and new ones shoot right up to take their place. What a lovely idea for the garden and yard. I’ll let you know if it works as advertised.

In the meantime, I thought you might be interested in some other useful sources about hydrangeas:

Changing the Color of Your Hydrangeas – This website gives very specific directions about how to turn your hydrangeas from pink to blue or from blue to pink.

All About Hydrangeas – A very useful site that includes information about propagating, planting and fertilizing, pruning and a very good description of the needs of different types of hydrangeas.

I wish I had read these sites before I let a well-intentioned helper prune my hydrangeas in the fall. We had NO flowers the following year. She also “evened out” some hollies in front of the house, meaning that two that are supposed to be tall on the ends are now stubby and short. And my spiral topiaries are a disaster.

IMPORTANT LESSON FOR TODAY: Read up about pruning and institute a NO PRUNING OR TRIMMING policy with any yard and garden helpers. This year things have gone much more smoothly.

That’s it for now. It’s been a long week and I have much work to do this weekend.

Ciao!

–Bumblebee (Robin)