As winter arrives, remember why it was such a good year for hydrangeas
Mal Condon, curator of hydrangeas at Heritage Museums in Sandwich. says this was the best year for blooms since 2013. What will this winter bring?
Sue Scheible, The Patriot Ledger
How are your hydrangeas looking this year?
The flowers, which come in a variety of colors, thrive in rainy summers and mild winters, according to C.L. Fornani, a garden educator and published author on Cape Cod.
Fornani said that while the blooms are beautiful this summer, they’re not as stunning as they were last year.
“It’s a good year for hydrangeas again. Last year was a spectacular year ― it’s not as good this year,” Fornari said in a July 2025 interview.
She is the founder of the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival, an annual garden showcase that is set to take place July 11-20 this year. While the show celebrate hydrangeas, it also showcases Cape Cod gardens in general.
What last year’s hydrangeas were like
The perennials were particularly vivid last summer, Fornani said in an interview last June.
Regular rain throughout the summer and fall of 2023 and a mild winter in 2024 created a “boom” of hydrangeas when the following spring and summer rolled around, Fornani explained.
The weather “produced an astounding amount of hydrangeas because the [flower] buds made it all through the year,” said Fornari.
Hydrangeas go dormant during the winter, and they have a hard time blooming after cold temperatures swing through, she said.
New England saw some colder weather this past winter, and more snowfall than the previous year.
Give your eyes and nose a treat at the annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival
The 11th annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival takes place July 11-20, with more than 100 gardens across Cape Cod to tour. Visit the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival website at capecodchamber.org for a list of gardens, addresses, and dates available.
Gardens are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Your $5 entry fee for each garden supports one of four dozen nonprofits chosen by the gardeners.