My hydrangeas are just starting to bloom. They’re one of my favorite flowers for drying, crafting, bouquets, and just to leave blooming in the garden for winter interest. Their blooms dry to a light brown color, and last all winter in my Ohio Garden.
There are plenty of reasons to celebrate the beautiful hydrangea. Here are just some of the varieties available:
Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), – Most people think of hydrangeas as shrubs for shade, but if you’ve got a sunny garden and are longing to grow hydrangeas, consider planting a smooth hydrangea variety. These decadent beauties are hardy in Zones 3 to 8, and are native to eastern North America. Because these wide, mounding plants adapt to full sun or partial shade , there are an exceptional choice for sunny garden spots. Smooth hydrangeas typically grow 3 to 5 feet high and wide.
Bigleaf hydrangea (H.macrophylla) -Perhaps best-known among its counterparts, the Bigleaf hydrangea or (H. macrophylla) is hardy in zones 6 to 9. This popular shrub is native to Japan, and typically grows about 4 feet high and wide. It produces large blue or pink flower clusters in early summer.
Lacecap varieties are also classified as Bigleaf hydrangea, and produce smaller flower clusters in which a ring of blossoms encircles a flattened center. Endless Summer,’ a popular mophead variety is one example of a Bigleaf hydrangea.
Peegee hydrangea (H. paniculata) – Peegee hydrangea are the largest of the free-standing types, growing 15 to 20 feet high and 10 to 15 feet wide. Native to both China and Japan, Peegee hydrangea are hardy in zones 3-8 and produce elongated white flower panicles appear in late summer. Over time Peegee hydrangeas can be trained to resemble trees.
Oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia), – Hardy in zones 5-9, Oakleaf hydrangea are native to the southeastern United States. This type of hydrangea can grow 4 to 6 feet high and wide. Part of its charm, the Oakleaf features large, lobed leaves that turn rich burgundy red in the fall. Its elongated cream flower panicles burst into bloom in early summer and persist through fall in most parts of the country.
Climbing hydrangea (H. anomala petiolaris), – Originating in China and Japan, Climbing hydrangea can reach up to 60 feet, using its stems to cling to walls or other supports. This hydrangea is hardy in zones 4-8, and is often appreciated for its airy white flower clusters that appear in early summer.
W. Atlee Burpee & Co., one of America’s best-known home garden companies, is planning a hydrangea celebration of its own on Friday, July 10th and Saturday, July 11th from 10 am to 4 pm at its historic Fordhook Farm in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
Called the Mid-Summer Garden Party, the two-day event will showcase a wide range of hydrangea varieties. Visitors to the farm will not only have access to Fordhook’s 8 specialty gardens, they’ll also have a chance to participate in a plant sale, guided garden tours and a lecture given by world-renown hydrangea expert Dr. Michael Dirr, best known for breeding the Endless Summer hydrangea. For event details, visit Burpee.com.
Looking for more hydrangea festivals around the country? Check out this schedule to find a festival near you:
Alabama
Hydrangea Fest
BC Canada
Hydrangea Blossom Festival
Georgia
2009 American Hydrangea Society Annual Garden Tour
Pennsylvania
Mid Summer Garden Party
South Carolina
Rosebank Farms for details, call 768-0508
Tennessee
Mid-South Hydrangea Society 5th Annual Garden Tour
If you know of a hydrangea festival, and it’s not listed here, please feel free to add it in the comment section below.
Images courtesy of Burpee.