Hydrangea arborescens in bloom at Alice Ely’s Weston home.
By Kerri Williams
When it comes to hydrangeas, Brookfield resident Lorraine Ballato knows her stuff. She has written a book on them that is a resource to gardeners near and far.
It all started more than 20 years ago when she was working at White Flower Farm nursery in Litchfield. Lorraine noticed that every customer had questions about hydrangeas – no matter what plant they originally came for.
“I wondered, why is everybody so interested in this plant,” Lorraine said. “And here I am still talking about them.”
Easy to love
It’s easy to see why people love hydrangeas and their clusters of blooms that make a beautiful summer centerpiece. There are many different varieties, from the bright blue and pink ones known as macrophylla, to the cone-shaped ones called paniculata.
Hydrangea macrophylla in bloom this summer.
While growing up, my husband called the hydrangea in his backyard the “snowball bush.” The round, white clusters of flowers looked just like large snowballs in the middle of the summer.
That bush, which has been flowering for well over 50 years, is a native variety of hydrangea known as arborescens. It’s a particularly hardy variety that attracts both butterflies and bees.
Great variety
For Lorraine, it’s the great variety in the plants that has kept her interest for so many years, motivating her to write Success with Hydrangeas: A Gardener’s Guide. She also has a blog, all about the plants that bloom in July through the early fall.
“I like them for their variety and for the challenge of growing them,” Lorraine said.
Anyone who has gone through a summer when their hydrangea did not bloom knows about the challenge. It can be baffling to have the shrub covered with blossoms one year, with none the next.
Pay attention
Hydrangea paniculata in bloom at Kerri’s former Connecticut home.
The reason usually comes down to the type of hydrangea and the weather that spring. Some varieties of hydrangea macrophylla only bloom on old wood, according to Alice Ely, a UConn advanced master gardener who lives in Weston. If a frost occurs after the buds are set in the spring, the bush will not bloom that summer. In addition, this variety of hydrangea should be pruned in late summer. Avoid pruning them in the fall, winter or early spring, as this will remove the flower buds for the following year.
Happily, there are newer types of macrophylla that bloom on both old and new wood, eliminating that problem. One such variety is called, “Endless Summer.” Alice recommends asking when purchasing a new shrub if it is a reblooming variety.
Be mindful
Planting hydrangeas in the appropriate spot is also important. Most varieties do better with morning sun, with blooms wilting if they are in full sun in the afternoon. Another issue is giving them the correct amount of water. Overwatering can lead to a fungus forming on the leaves, so Alice suggests watering them at the base and not using a sprinkler system.
Soil is also a factor for hydrangea macrophylla, with more acidic soil leading to blue blooms and alkaline soil making for pinker ones. Gardeners can sometimes change the bloom color by either adding garden sulphur to lower ph, making the soil more acidic, or adding ground lime to raise the ph, for more alkaline soil.
Some hydrangea paniculata arranged on a vase on Kerri’s table.
Beautiful arrangements
Whatever the color of your hydrangeas, don’t forget to bring them inside to provide beautiful arrangements for your dinner table or to brighten up any room. They are easy to arrange either by themselves or with other summer blooms.
“It’s one of my favorite things to do,” Alice said, noting that when her flowers turn a maroon-to-green color they happen to match the color scheme of her living room perfectly. “I find them very beautiful,” she said.
So, if you happen to have hydrangeas blooming in your yard this summer, or you spot them on a drive about town, make sure to appreciate their beauty and spend a few moments in hydrangea heaven.For questions or to share pictures of your own gardening adventures, contact Kerri Williams at cultivatingwithkerri@gmail.com.
Kerri Williams
Kerri Williams is an award-winning writer and journalist. She has worked as a reporter at the Norwalk Hour, as Living editor at the Darien News-Review, and managing editor for the Norwalk Citizen-News. For Westport Journal, she is a reporter as well as a gardening columnist, writing “Cultivating with Kerri.” She recently published her first children’s book – “Mabel’s Big Move,” based on her daughter with special needs.
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