"Heaven...
I'm in heaven...
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak...".
Irving Berlin, 1935
The hydrangeas are really flourishing this year.
There are seven hydrangea bushes around the Cottage
and this year they are all blazing with blooms.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I am not the reason why anything grows in this garden.
I may plant them but that is where my expertise stops.
The moon and the stars must just aline, or the fairies are working their little fingers to the bone.
Whatever the reason, this seems to be a banner year for the Cottage hydrangeas.
This particular specimen was one stem, two leaves and one flower, all tied up with a pretty pink bow, when I received it as a gift a few years ago.
It stayed that way for quite some time and, though the plant grew larger, it only had one blossom last year.
This hydrangea, I think, does not get enough sun, or perhaps it is just the nature of this particular specie,
but never-the-less it has a profusion of blooms this summer.
It has not blossomed for the first three years since its been planted.
These "twins" are Mini Penny.
They were planted in the barrels last year
and have grown considerably since then.
This "Endless Summer" is my best producer and has been for a few years.
It is the source for many of the dried arrangements during the winter.
It seems to be happy blooming where it is planted.
This one is slow to bloom
but its color was so beautiful last year...
...a very intense blue.
Evidently there is plenty of acid in the soil here.
This is the last of the Cottage hydrangeas.
This plant has been in place for about eight years and seems to be a slow grower.
The flowers and leaves are very sturdy, however, with beautiful color,
and they make excellent drying material.
A dried arrangement of hydranges on the dining room table last fall.
I'm so happy that I have such an array of choices to make
for this coming winter's bouquets.
...Judy...
"Merrily, merrily shall I live now/
Under the blossom that hangs on the bough."
Shakespeare, "The Tempest"
Sharing today with:
Ohhh I love them all. We have so many deer in our yard that they just nibble nibble nibble until the hydrangeas are all gone. Yours are spectacular.
ReplyDeleteOh Judy your hydrangeas are gorgeous!!! I am soooo jealous! We have 2 plants on the south side of our home but they are smushed in between these ugly shrubs. Would love to pull out the shrubs so the hydrangeas could just take over. Yours are so lovely and yes making fabulous dried arrangements with them is the icing on the cake!
ReplyDeleteXO Barbara
Judy, your hydrangeas are stunning. I really love them - they are one of my favorite plants. Mine are doing well also.
ReplyDeleteA week ago I was at Wal mart and I always go through the garden area to check it out. Well there was a table full of beautiful blue hydrangeas, but they were pitiful - needed to be watered and some tender loving care. I asked the man in the garden area if they would reduce them since they were in such bad shape. He asked the manager and he said I could have them for $2.00 each - so I bought two and brought them home. Watered them and they perked up so I planted them and they are doing great . Yea - what a great deal.
Thanks for sharing your lovely hydrangeas with us.
Mary
Those are all just gorgeous, Judy. We can only grow the white and/or green ones here. Even with amending the soil they revert back from the blues and pinks to the whites and greens...lol...but I love them anyway. My own are only just starting to get a nice size...they won't bloom until August sometime. xo Diana
ReplyDeleteJudy...these plants are simply gorgeous! You have so many colors. I have never gotten the acid balance thing. I just planted 3 new hydrangeas last summer and one 4 year old...I am so excited! But hurray for you! For not having anything to do with those pretty blooms you sure are lucky! :)
ReplyDeleteJane
What a beautiful selection you have, Judy! I hold great hope for my hydrangeas this year, as they are all full of buds. Last year only one bloomed, but this year all three promise to. It took several years for the plants to recover from the damage done by the deer.
ReplyDeleteJudy,
ReplyDeleteHydrangea's are my fave's and yours are just gorgeous. Love all the pretty colors you get.
Kris
Hi Judy,
ReplyDeleteYour hydrangeas are stunning! How lucky that they are all blooming so beautifully this year.
I would love to have hydrangeas to dry.
Hope that the rest of your week is wonderful.
K.
well indeed the fairies are busy then because it all looks quite lovely!!!!! very pretty flowers!!
ReplyDeleteYour hydrangeas are absolutely gorgeous......your fairies have definitely been sprinkling their magic everywhere!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!!!
~Des
Your hydrangeas are so beautiful Judy. The fairies at your cottage work very hard.
ReplyDeleteI do love hydrangeas. We had lots of them in our garden in S.A.
I have not tried them here.. maybe my next plant.!
wishing you a good weekend.
val xxx