Hydrangea Shrubs Are Excellent Accent Plants

The hydrangea, Hydrangea sp., French, H. macrophylla, is such a beautiful and versatile plant. The rounded form of this deciduous flowering shrub makes an excellent accent plant. The mature plant may reach a height of 5-8 feet and spread up to six feet if allowed. You may choose to prune the shrub to manage its size and appearance. In any case the beautiful rounded clusters of flowers create an almost perfect globe in white, blue or pink. The pH of the soil determines the color of the blossoms. Thus you may choose to amend the soil to create the color of blossoms you want.

Plant the hydrangea shrub in full sun or partial shade. Do make sure that the shrub is planted in a rich, moist, well-drained soil and you should have no trouble with this shrub which requires little attention.

Do prune the shrub after flowering. This will maintain the desired shape and also maintain the health of the shrub.

You may like using the hydrangea surrounded by hostas and a colorful annual each year for a long lasting spot of color and seasonal interest. The foliage of the hydrangea and hosta do look very nice next to each other. The hydrangea and hosta also both like rich, well-drained soil and either full sun or partial shade. Usually when the flowers on the hydrangea begin to fade and wither the hostas begin to flower. By adding an annual to this grouping you may maintain blooms throughout the summer.

The rounded flowers of the hydrangea are so beautiful you may like to display them. Even one rounded, globe like flower can make a beautiful display for a side table or other small area. A large vase filled with multiple hydrangea flowers will make a large display. The flowers sometimes vary in color during different stages of their development and you may have several shades of color on one shrub. You may be able to cut three shade of one color for an interesting display.

I have shown one flower in the picture with this article. Using just one flower in a tall bud vase is one of my favorite ways to share the hydrangea. Just one flower is so large, so perfectly round, and so colorful that it stands alone in its beauty.

This year as our hydrangea began to bloom the flowers were white. A few days later some pinkish blue tinges began to show on some of the flowers. Later some of the flowers turned a mid tone of blue and then they turned a beautiful purple. That had never happened before. All I can think is that the abundant amount of rain that we had this year caused this beautiful and unexpected result. In any case it created a most beautiful shrub full of flowers of many hues much to my delight and enjoyment.