callmemadam | Entries tagged with hydrangeas

Years ago, a nice old boy came to give a talk to the Horticultural Society. To my delight, he called hydrangeas hy-dee-rangers. His advice was good, though. Yesterday, on Gardeners’ World, Monty Don pronounced that now is the time to prune hydrangeas. Hmm. I always used to do them in March, work a little rose fertiliser round them and let them get on with it. That’s why I like them: one job, once a year and months of flower. This year, we are still having quite heavy frosts every morning, so I’ll be postponing that pruning for a while.

I hate robbing the garden of flowers. I decided to pick this stem for the table before the storm arrives (if we get it). I couldn’t find a mat then saw that this little dish was exactly the right colour. (

huskyteer take note.)
Hydrangeas, like the tall sedums, are flowers which look good at all stages of their development, even when they become skeletons. I wouldn’t be without them.

Hot news: there is a second flower on the mystery succulent.

That’s how a friend of mine once described hydrangeas, which, obviously, she doesn’t like. I disagree. They are fantastically useful shrubs and easy to look after: a little pruning in March or April and they reward you with months of bloom. In my old garden I had a couple of choice varieties. Here there are two, not planted by me, of the bog standard type. But just look at them! Every flower head shown is on the same plant on the same day. Fascinating.