Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Hydrangeas great for yards in South
Hydrangeas are one of the stars of summer landscapes. They’re so easy to grow, so dependable and so beautiful. Modern hydrangeas such as Endless Summer and Blushing Bride gained great attention in recent years and their popularity is well earned.
But they are not the only great choices among hydrangeas in today’s marketplace.
Others also will grab attention with their showy flowers, some of which are distinctly different from the garden hydrangeas we often call mopheads for their globe-shaped blooms that begin to appear in late spring and early summer.
They are different and delightful. While many exist, here are just three of the best for a partly shady landscape.
Aak-leaf hydrangea is a deciduous, large shrub that really deserves to be called magnificent. Depending on the variety, they may be short, 4 to 5 feet tall, or a more majestic 12 feet. The flowers are coneshaped and creamy white, sometimes turning a soft pinky purple as they age later in summer.
The blooms typically emerge in May and remain at their peak for several weeks. But even after that, many kinds of oak-leafs turn a soft pinky purple as they age through the summer. Another asset is the fall foliage, which is a rich burgundy red and a great accompaniment to other fall colors.
Limelight has really grabbed my attention in the last few years for its great performance in hot weather. Another tall deciduous shrub, Limelight grows 8 to 10 feet tall, bearing flowers from early to late summer. The abundant flowers have a bit of pale green early on, but then are mostly white.
Limelight does a good job of keeping the season going after the oak-leaf and mop-head hydrangeas are getting done. The white color is also lovely in hot-summer weather, making this a good choice near a patio or deck where people relax in the evening.
Tardiva blooms even later and can serve to round-off the hydrangea season in late summer and early fall. The deciduous shrub rises 10 feet or more and the blooms are elegant, white cones with foliage that also turns an interesting bronzy red in the fall. Since the weather is usually still quite hot when Tardiva blooms, it gets bonus points for the cooling effect of its bright white flowers.
These three all bring important assets of low-maintenance, high-performing shrubs of generous size to a landscape. They make wonderful additions to a landscape for summer and fall beauty and do great work to enhance the hydrangea show in your garden. Keep in mind they all take space, so do not try to stuff them into a tight spot.