I Spent $1000 on Hydrangeas… and Planted 34 of Them! Dream Lake House Makeover 🌸

After 10 years of marriage, we finally moved into our dream lake house—and the very first thing I did wasn’t unpack boxes, it was… planting hydrangeas.

In this episode of the Lake Me Alone Outdoor Makeover Series, I went full crazy plant lady and planted 34 hydrangeas (plus 9 other plants!) right after closing. From Quick Fire Fab hedges to Puffer Fish, Sky View, and Incrediball Storm Proof, you’ll see it all.

🌸 What’s inside this episode:

$1000 worth of hydrangeas… gone in a day

Before & After garden makeover

7 practical hydrangea planting tips

A “wall of sticks” reality check 😂

Budget officially busted (thanks to my MIL and a few farm trips!)

✨ Products I Used in This Video:

🌱 Holly-tone Fertilizer → [https://amzn.to/4nFuPbm]

🌸 Quick Fire Fab Hydrangea → [https://amzn.to/42clgsh]

🌸 Puffer Fish Hydrangea → [https://amzn.to/3IsQEfy]

🌸 Incrediball Storm Proof → [https://amzn.to/4gIddti]

🌸 Sky View Hydrangea → [https://amzn.to/426EGPs]

🧥 Sun Protection Gardening Hoodie→ [https://amzn.to/3W9gVCI]

📌 These are affiliate links. If you shop through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you—thank you for supporting this channel!

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more dream lake house transformations and garden chaos ➝ cozy makeovers!

who spends $1,000 on hydrangeas right after buying a house? Me. And it’s either the best or dumbest decision I’ve ever made. And trust me, wait until you see the before and after. It’s wild. After 10 years of marriage in the US, Tony and I finally moved into our dream lakehouse. And of course, the first thing I did wasn’t unpack boxes. It was yard work because I’m officially a crazy plant lady. The very first week, I trimmed the maple tree and overgrown shrubs, shaped my hydrangeanger tree, and thanks to Tony, got rid of those junipers I absolutely hated. Suddenly, the yard looked so bare, way too empty to ignore. Now, closing on a house is not cheap, so our budget was tight. But I knew if I didn’t plant hydrangeas now, I’d regret it next year. So, 34 hydrangeas plus nine other plants later. Here we are. And stay with me because in this episode, you’ll see how we tackle planting different varieties from hatches to tree forms. Plus, I’ll share seven practical gardening tips along the way. And at the end, I’ll show you the full before and after of this garden makeover. It’s already such a transformation. I’m a crazy plant lady, but if I had to pick one obsession, it’s hydrangeas. I’ve researched them, planted them, and honestly, I can’t stop. At our last house, I planted over 20 in a single year, and now I’m doubling down here at the lakehouse. And here’s what I’ve learned. Gardening isn’t about perfection. It’s about the process. You start with sticks, dirt, mistakes, and over time it transforms. That’s why I love it. By the way, our new shed is way too far. With my short legs, it feels like a hike. Meanwhile, Tony zips by on the old. [Music] I bought a total of 34 hydrangees. The 27 quarter size babies alone cost me about $500 and the other seven another $500 because they were larger sizes. Tip number one, when you buy in bulk, the small ones are way more budget friendly. And honestly, baby plants root in and establish better, but sometimes you just want instant impact, so I splurged on a few big ones, too. The HOA basically gave us a blank canvas. They ripped out everything right before we moved in. Tony was a little annoyed, but honestly, I was thrilled because it meant I could plant my favorite hydranger hedge again. Not a dream hatch this time, more like a no budget guilt hatch. Quickfire Feb is hands down my favorite variety. Tip number two, quickfire fab blooms earlier than limelight, so you enjoy flowers longer. We spaced them 5 ft apart, added holy ton fertilizer and got 12 quick fire babies in the ground. Already dreaming of next summer. For the front yard, I debated between Annabelle and Incredible, but I picked puffer fish. Tip number three, puffer fish stays white into fall. No pink fade. Thanks to Tony clearing out the junipers, planting these was way easier. Under my limelight hydrangeanger tree, I planted six sky view hydrangeas. In the last episode, I pruned this giant hydrangeia into a tree form because I had a plan. I wanted to surround it with smaller hydrangeas at the base. That meant redefining the old circle bag, etching it clean, pulling up the sod, and reshaping it all. Honestly, it was exhausting, but worth it. Tip number four, for a dramatic mess effect, pick one plant you love and plant multiples together. It creates the clean bold look that feels intentional and stunning. By the driveway, I planted six incredible stormproof hydrangees. Planting under trees is no joke. The roots are everywhere. Tony even had to sew through some thick ones just to make space. Wow. Sorry. I didn’t think it’s going to be this hard. Should that go on your tombstone? Huh? And you’re going to get our kids to please put that on your grave. Sorry. I don’t I didn’t think it’s going to be this hard. Yeah. Originally, I planned to strip out all the grass and mulch the whole area right away, but honestly, it was too much. So, we decided to save that project for next spring. Tip number five, under trees, clear thick roots and watch the sunlight. Too much shade means fewer blooms. Depending on root competition and sunlight, hydrangees may also grow more slowly here. So, be patient. Your effort will pay off over time. I thought planting 27 hydrangees would look dramatic instantly. Reality, a wall of sticks, gardeners, you know what I meant, but stay tuned. The hydrangeanger war isn’t over yet. And the very last part is going to quite dramatic and beautiful. And of course, I didn’t stop there. The best mother-in-law ever took us to a local nursery and five more hydrangeas came home with me. Tony always says budget is like a zero sum game. But gifts don’t count toward budget, right? I got a pinky winky tree, two compact flares, and even clearance kimono hydranches. Total happiness. Tip number six, ask your nursery if they extend warranties when you buy their soil or compost. Mine doubled the warranty from one year to two. I’m nothing. [Music] And did I stop then? Nope. I just stopped by a local farm to look around for a bit. And somehow two more hydrangees plus a few flowers ended up in the cart. This time it’s officially budget busted. But look at this before and after. Totally worth it, right? Tip number seven, new plant watering schedule. Keep it simple. First week, water every other day. Second week, every 3 days. After that, just keep an eye on the weather and give them a deep soak when it’s hot or dry. So, yeah, the crazy plant lady life chose me. Right now, it looks like a wall of sticks, but in a few years, this will be a blooming hydrangeanger paradise. This is all part of our lake me alone outdoor makeover series. Because why go out when we have everything at home? If you are curious about the hydrangeanger varieties I planted or the tools I use, I’ll leave links in the description. Shopping through those helps support this channel. So, thank you. And if you want to keep growing with us, not just the hydrange, but the whole dream lakehouse makeover, hit that subscribe and be part of the journey. Now, tell me, if you had a blank, what would you plant first? Let me know in the comments. Thank you for watching Lake Me Alone, but don’t stay too long.