Biologist Yuri Bazhenov answers questions
Now many new varieties have appeared, especially paniculate hydrangea. It’s impossible to choose, I want everything. Is it possible different types and combine varieties into groups?
In my opinion, this is a great option. True, at the beginning of the season such a composition will lose a little, something else needs to be added. But from the second half of July, when flowering begins, it will be wonderful. Although a variety like ‘ Early Sensation' ('Bulk'), blooms at the end of June.
Are there rules by which hydrangeas are grouped? What if there are varieties that cannot be combined?
I think they are wonderful in almost any composition. The traditional rules for creating a mixborder apply here - contrast in color or playing on smooth transitions, choosing the time of flowering. The game of height is very interesting: small plants - 'Darts Little Dot' or 'Bombshell'- forward, and the tall ones - 'Kyushu', ‘Grandiflora’- in the background, or even in the third place. Early pinking varieties look very interesting, for example 'Vanille Fraise' with traditional white-flowered ones. Or 'Lime Light' with white or pink varieties.
Our readers, as a rule, are advanced gardeners and, when composing compositions, try to take into account the agrotechnical requirements of different species. Whether there is a general rules combinations of hydrangeas with other plants?
Honestly, I don't know any rules, any restrictions. I cannot name any plants that are categorically unsuitable for hydrangeas as partners or vice versa. This is a very plastic culture.
Hydrangeas grow wonderfully on weak acidic soils, this is just for us. More acidic soils are also acceptable. Plus, paniculate hydrangea “holds up” slightly alkaline conditions well. In Russia, however, they are rarely found. Then the attitude towards moisture - everywhere it is said that hydrangea requires rich, moist soils, but my site, for example, is bare sand. Over the last two or three extreme years, they, of course, did not show the best best flowering, not the best growth, but they behaved quite satisfactorily, and this year - absolutely great.
I think our readers will be interested in how you maintain hydrangeas in the sand, what do you do for them?
Compost additions, regular, as long as there is enough time, of course, fertilizing, watering. We also try to add clay to all planting holes as a hydraulic accumulator. Not a waterproofing layer, as is usually recommended (which is also very labor-intensive), but simply added to the substrate. Clay holds water very well and then gradually releases it to plants.
We'll touch on agricultural technology later, but now let's get back to design. What decorative leafy shrubs would you combine hydrangeas with?
Well, hydrangeas themselves come with decorative leaves! 'Shikoku Flash', for example, paniculata with white specks on the foliage. Of course, this plant is more for collectors, but it is very interesting.
A developed specimen is certainly noticeable. And there is a tree-like variety 'Raven Lace' with very, very dissected, such, you know, “chewed” foliage. As for combining with other cultures, I don’t see any difficulties. One of the most amazing options I've come across - 'Lime Light' against the background of dark-leaved barberry in a shrub mixborder. Looks amazing! Hydrangeas are universal; depending on the shape of the crown, they can be either loose, free forms or clear. You can try (and it will be nice!) to combine hydrangeas with cropped forms or plants with a compact crown. There is also an interesting option - a “cloud” mixborder or hedge. That is, choose plants with a rounded crown. It seems to me that hydrangeas go very well with conifers. Against the background of a hedge or large spruce trees with dark needles, white inflorescences look very advantageous.
What about perennials?
I saw a curious composition with cereals. In the foreground there is millet or something equally airy, alive, moving, and in the middle and background there are hydrangeas, that is, on the contrary, something static and heavy. Hydrangeas with blue aconites (Arends, Carmichael) are good: powerful, solid, bright, while radically different in color, shape of inflorescences and habit, bloom at the same time and require equal conditions.
It is interesting to combine hydrangeas with clumps of colchicums; by the way, you can add colchicums to the previous combination. For hydrangeas, ideal partners for cultivation conditions are astilbe, hosta, rogersia, large ferns, buzulniki (buzuln and jagged 'Britt-Marie Crawford', for example), Volzhanka.
I would like to know more about hydrangeas as a background plant.
Hydrangea is a great background for anything, as well as lilacs, large turf, why not? Only the height must be appropriate. U 'Kyushu' height two and a half to three meters. It can be used as a backdrop against which any mixborder looks good. By the way, among the tall ones there is now another 'Levana'.
A natural form of panicle hydrangea found in Taiwan. (N. paniculata Taiwanform)- plant up to three and a half, four meters. The inflorescences are large, but sparse, transparent, like a swarm of butterflies.
If you use hydrangeas as backdrops, their size is an advantage. What if in a mixborder? They grow so quickly.
Growth is controlled by pruning. The ability of hydrangea to easily form replacement shoots allows it to be used in any composition.
You can build up the skeleton of paniculata hydrangea and grow a large variety to a height of two, two and a half, even three meters. Or you can radically prune it and even plant it on a stump. Then this large, powerful plant will not be higher than one and a half meters every year. This property allows you to use paniculata hydrangea even as hedges. Another option is to form continuous curtains or arrays. The tree-like one in this form is already familiar to us, but the paniculate one is not yet. Every year, depending on the variety and the expected result, they are cut and many large and completely identical inflorescences are obtained at the same height.
Paniculate hydrangeas look spectacular not only in the massif. They are also good on a standard. True, then the question arises, what to put down?
Ground cover plants, mantle, for example, or Cossack juniper. Possible lining of ground cover roses. Whatever your heart desires. Hydrangea on a trunk is good both in a natural garden and in a regular one.
Panicles and trees are really good everywhere. Are there gardens for which hydrangeas are “contraindicated”? Or separate garden areas?
Hardly. In high tech? They will look good there too. You can work - look, select. It’s also great in formal gardens. Looks like it's good everywhere.
As for the different areas of the garden, hydrangea is not an allergen, so I don’t see any restrictions for the recreation area or landscape part. At the playground? So hydrangea is not thorny.
How do you feel about large-leaved plants? They are so bright that it is probably difficult for them to choose equal partners. Can they only have a respectful retinue?
Let's not forget that large-leaved hydrangea is not the best option for our climate. Can be used as a planting crop. The most affordable - Endless Summer And Forever and Ewer. But shelter is a must, a lot depends on the microclimate of the area.
Just think, not for our climate. When has that ever stopped us? We are ready to cover, and huddle, and cherish. Let's combine them in some interesting way too!
You know, garden hydrangea is the exact opposite of the species we just discussed. This is a self-sufficient plant. Plus it requires shelter, a specific landing site, and care. Although. A friend of mine has a site with a natural decrease in relief, overgrown with spruce trees, and damp, heavy soil.
Can you imagine he uses Endless Summer And Forever and Ever as undergrowth! The bushes feel great because it is a closed, damp place, there is a lot of snow, they are not even covered for the winter. When all this blooms, it’s an indescribable spectacle. But you see, hydrangea, although in a massif, is still on its own.
In Europe, one could try to combine it with boxwoods and rhododendrons, but again, this is not a combination, but an addition: rhododendrons play in the first half of summer, hydrangeas in the second, so you get a joint, but independent life.
Serrated, oak-leaved, Sargent hydrangeas, like garden hydrangeas, require shelter. It turns out that they are “on their own”?
Yes, they are not the kind of plants that create the skeleton of a garden. They are planted as a curiosity, to which they bring friends and say: “Look what I have.”
But the Scandinavians and Poles are now looking very closely at the serrated plant.
Last year at the conference of the Association of Polish Nurseries there was a report on the comparative winter hardiness of different species and varieties (interestingly, large-leaved hydrangea Endless Summer received a C). Serrated hydrangea has varieties that overwinter frankly poorly, but there are those that have shown excellent results over the past two or three years in Polish conditions. With stable flowering, with excellent preservation of the bush. It is clear that breeding and selection will continue, and a large number of cultivars will be tested. I think in the coming years there will be varieties that don’t care about our winter. White acacia or black locust was also once considered unpromising.
Hydrangeas are rarely affected by diseases, but, nevertheless, are there “dangerous neighbors” for them?
No, I haven't heard of this. You just have to keep in mind that young paniculata specimens sometimes freeze slightly.
Therefore, you need to be more careful with fertilizers in the second half of summer. Perhaps, in the first years, cover very young ones - annual and biennial plants.
I want hydrangeas to show everything they are capable of. But mature bushes, especially paniculata - 'Unique', 'Kyushu', 'Grandiflora' - grow and fall apart over time. Do I need special pruning to prevent this?
Formative pruning is necessary.
They have strong branching, shoots, remember? It is important to form a good strong skeleton. The second option is annual pruning: either heavy or medium, depending on the variety. For varieties like 'Phantom' severe pruning is not recommended, because large, powerful inflorescences will certainly destroy the bush, especially during rain.
From tree-like ones you want to achieve the largest possible inflorescences. How to do it?
Buy the right variety! Or 'Annabel', or a new product of recent years - it is very popular in Europe, and is slowly penetrating to us - 'Incrediball'.
Yes, I bought it, the picture is so tempting. What can I do to see the same luxurious hats in my garden?
Just wait a little. Three or four years, and I think you will have the same inflorescences. Good feeding, of course. At the beginning of summer you can use nitrogen, then potassium-phosphorus. Everything is as usual.
Doesn't pruning help increase the size of the inflorescence?
With a tree view, this does not work so clearly, as far as I can tell from my experience.
When exactly should you prune hydrangeas?
It seems to me that spring is always safer. In winter, the mass of shoots will trap the snow. Then, many hydrangeas, especially paniculata, serve as decoration winter garden. Faded and dried inflorescences are very decorative.
If there is an opportunity, and there is enough time in the spring, then it is more logical to do this.
Do you know how hydrangeas are planted in Europe? Anything to learn?
The use of hydrangea as a coppice crop is extremely popular. They are also planted in large clumps and masses, that is, they are essentially used as a ground cover plant. Variety 'Darts Little Dot', by the way, was created to fill roadside spaces.
It is very popular in Europe. The flowers are not large, the bush is small, but in the mass it is luxurious! Lots of container plants.
Urban gardening is a sore subject. How great it would be if hydrangeas grew in our parks too!
Rather than planting crazy flower beds of tulips, then pansies, and annuals every year, it is easier to cover a huge area with some variety of hydrangea.
This is a long-lasting, sustainable culture.
I am glad that here, for example, in Mytishchi we now begin to use many shrubs - Japanese spirea, gray. Hydrangeas paniculate and tree-like can go in the same row. True, there may be a problem of vandalism, the plant is bright, but lilacs survive in our country.
Hydrangeas are the most promising for domestic nurseries - they are easy to propagate and grow. And demand looks set to remain high for many years to come. After all, their reasonable price and long-lasting decorative effect make it possible to use hydrangeas for seasonal decoration. Like heathers, hebes, they can decorate cafes and balconies. They are convenient as container plants and have a compact root system.
What is there! They have already begun to offer paniculate and tree-like varieties for forcing. As I say, unlimited possibilities.
Based on materials from the magazine “Flower Club”
More material on the topic of this section:
Large-leaved hydrangeas are capricious: sometimes they freeze almost to the ground, sometimes they damp out. But if you follow a few conditions, you can easily grow hydrangea in your own garden and even get huge heads of flowers.
Hydrangea- beautifully flowering deciduous shrubs, sometimes vines or small trees. Name hydrangea received in honor of the French Princess Hortense. The generic name Hydrangea emphasizes the plant’s moisture-loving nature.
Hydrangea inflorescences consist of two types of flowers - fruiting and sterile. Flowers that produce smaller fruits and fall off quickly, those that are barren are more beautiful, larger and longer blooming.
There are 35 types of hydrangeas. They are common in East Asia and America (North and South). Hydrangea came to Europe from Japan. It was a large-leaved (or garden) hydrangea. Since this plant does not overwinter here, it was grown as an indoor potted plant.
Now botanists have adapted 11 species of hydrangea for growing in open ground in central Russia. But large-leaved hydrangea can so far be grown freely only in the south of the country or as a potted crop.
Most often you can find paniculate hydrangea, tree hydrangea and Bretschneider's ground cover hydrangea in gardens. Petiolate hydrangea is used as a decorative vine. Other species are more thermophilic and are much less common among us.
1. Hydrangea paniculata. It grows under natural conditions in China and Japan, as well as in the south of Sakhalin. Shrub 1-3 meters in height or small tree up to 10 meters. The leaves are elliptical or ovate, pubescent. The flowers are collected in dense panicles about 25 cm in length. Fruiting flowers are white, barren ones are also white, but gradually turn pink. Usually a 4-5 year old plant blooms. Flowering is very long - from mid-June to October. Frost resistance up to -25 degrees. Among the cultivated varieties, the most famous are: “Grandiflora”, “Kiushu”, “Matilda”, “Pink Diamond”, “Presox”, “Floribunda”, “Tardiva”, “Unic”. Varieties differ in bush height, crown size and shape, flower size and inflorescence shape. There are slight deviations in the flowering period.
2. Hydrangea. The shrub is most often low, up to 1 meter, less often up to 3 meters. The shoots are slightly pubescent, the leaves are ovoid or elliptical, jagged along the edge, green above and bluish without pubescence below. The crown is rounded. Corymbose inflorescences up to 15 cm in diameter consist of white sterile and fertile flowers. Flowering continues from early July to October. The most winter-hardy species.
3. Hydrangea ground cover "Brettschneider". A shrub up to 3 meters high with pubescent brown shoots, ovate-elliptical leaves and milky white inflorescences. Dark green leaves turn yellow-brown in autumn. Blooms from June to August.
4. Hydrangea petiolate. The only species that can be used as a ground cover or climbing plant. However, this hydrangea is quite thermophilic and can be successfully grown only in the southern regions of the country. Although experienced and enthusiastic gardeners grow it in central Russia, for the winter it is removed from its supports and carefully covered. Liana-like shrub with aerial roots and suckers. Corymbose inflorescences up to 20 cm in diameter are white and pink.
In the garden, hydrangeas will undoubtedly become an elegant decoration. They are planted singly, but more often in groups on the lawn, as well as in complex compositions with coniferous or deciduous ornamental shrubs. Hydrangea will also help create an alley or hedge. Beautiful combinations obtained from hydrangea with roses, lilies or clematis. You can form a standard tree from hydrangea. Hydrangea is used for bouquets, both fresh and dry. For fresh bouquets, the tips of the stems are split and burned, and the leaves are torn off. For dry bouquets, hydrangea is cut at the end of flowering, the leaves are torn off, and the stems with flowers are hung upside down in a ventilated, dark room for drying. And large-leaved hydrangea is even canned! This is done as follows: make a preservative solution consisting of glycerin and hot water 6:4. The tips of the hydrangea stems are split, the branches with flowers and leaves are first immersed in the solution by 4-5 cm, then the solution is gradually added, preservation in this way lasts from 2 to 4 weeks, as a result the leaves and stems become elastic and slightly change color. The hydrangea obtained in this way can be used in winter compositions.
Hydrangea prefers a slightly shaded place. The soil should be nutritious and moist with an acidic reaction. To increase the acidity of the soil, add brown peat, coniferous soil (rotten spruce or pine needles) or sawdust. Under no circumstances should you add lime, chalk or ash. Due to their moisture-loving nature, hydrangeas are not recommended to be planted under trees, as they absorb moisture. But planting ground cover plants, saxifrage or sedum, for example, in tree trunk circles, will help retain this moisture.
It is better to plant hydrangea in the spring, since when planted in the fall in the middle zone and more northern regions, it may not have time to take root. Dig holes 30x30x30 cm, at a distance of 1 meter from each other, pour 1/3 of a bucket of humus into the holes and plant the seedling without deepening the neck, water it. Fertilize with slurry and complete mineral fertilizer. The soil around the bush is mulched. In autumn, plants are hilled to a height of 20-30 cm.
Hydrangea loves water; in the absence of rain, it is watered once a week generously with 15-20 liters of water for each bush; if the weather is rainy, it can be watered once a month. To make the shoots strong, it is recommended to water them with a very weak solution of potassium permanganate. If you water the plant with a special bluing substance (available in gardening stores) or sprinkle aluminum sulfate around the roots, the white hydrangea flowers can be turned blue.
Hydrangea paniculata and hydrangea tree bloom on the shoots of the current year, so for greater decorativeness they need to be pruned in early spring (March-April). This will contribute to the formation of powerful shoots, the bushes will have a well-groomed appearance and lush flowering. In the first year after planting, pruning is not very strong; shoots are cut to one or three quarters of their length. The bushes are leveled, larger ones are trimmed more heavily. After pruning, the plants need to be fed. In the second year, last year's growths are heavily pruned, and the soil around the plant is well mulched with manure or compost. This will stimulate powerful growth of new shoots. In subsequent years, this operation is repeated in March-April every spring. The main woody branches are thinned out periodically after several years. Rejuvenation of aging bushes is carried out by pruning “to the stump”, leaving only 5-8 cm in height; such bushes will bloom only next year.
In petiole and groundcover hydrangeas, several of the strongest shoots are selected every year to replace the old ones; in the spring, weak and old shoots are removed, and strong and long shoots are only slightly shortened for better branching and more abundant flowering.
Most varieties of large-leaved hydrangea bloom on last year's shoots, so you should not prune it as a paniculate or tree-like hydrangea, since in this case it will not bloom. In the spring, last year's inflorescences, as well as small and dried shoots, are removed.
Hydrangea can be propagated by spring, summer or winter cuttings, dividing the bush or layering. Reproduction by grafting and seeds is also possible, but these methods are more labor-intensive, expensive and less reliable.
1. Cuttings. Cuttings can be in spring, summer or winter. Spring is when, at the beginning of June, green cuttings with a “heel” are taken, that is, with a small part of last year’s shoot. Summer - when the top of the current year's shoot is taken with one or two internodes in July before the shoots lignify. The leaves of the cuttings are cut in half and rooted in a soil mixture consisting of peat and sand (2:1) or leaf soil covered with a 3-4 cm layer of sand. In the northern regions, rooted cuttings of tree and paniculate hydrangeas are kept in pots in the basement or cold room greenhouse, and only in the spring they are planted in open ground, and the next fall they are covered with spruce branches, and only from the third year they allow the plant to overwinter without shelter. Winter cuttings are used for large-leaved hydrangea. In the fall, mother plants are transplanted into pots and kept at a temperature of 0 to 2 degrees until January, and then the temperature is raised to 7-10 degrees, after which the plants begin to grow and green cuttings can be cut in February.
2. Dividing the bush. All hydrangeas can be divided; this is done in spring or autumn. The dug up bush is divided into divisions so that renewal buds remain on each.
3. Reproduction by layering. A one-year-old shoot is bent to the ground and buried with buds, leaving the top about 20 cm outside. Rooted shoots are separated from the plant.
For all information about ornamental shrubs, see the special section on our website here.
In the language of flowers, HYDRENSA means COLDNESS, INDIFFERENCE, HEARTLESS! Although in some interpretations HYDRANGEA IS YOURS FOREVER! Hydrangea adds French charm to a bouquet of roses.
The garden is one of the most important places suburban area. They approach its design very carefully. Hydrangeas are especially popular in landscape design. Their lush flowering, which pleases the eye until late autumn, will become a unique decoration of any garden. The most important thing is that such a plant does not require special care. It easily withstands any climatic conditions. But many gardeners are interested in the question of what is best to plant next to the hydrangea in the garden.
Today you can find a wide range of such plants on the market. The most common option for the middle climate zone is paniculate hydrangea. It is widely used for garden decoration. The hydrangea inflorescence looks like a pyramidal panicle. As for the shade, it changes from white to rich pink. IN in this case it all depends on the flowering period.
Tree hydrangea, which can reach a height of two meters, is no less popular. Thanks to this height, the shrub is ideal for garden decoration. The inflorescence may be white, cream or beige. The plant easily tolerates wintering.
Large-leaved hydrangea is also widely used to decorate the garden. The peculiarity of this species is that the inflorescence can have different shade. So, depending on the variety, the flowers of the bush can have white, pink, purple, blue and lilac shades. Thanks to the large selection of shades, this hydrangea is widely used to create unique projects and compositions on summer cottage.
Hydrangea is widely used to decorate a garden at a summer cottage. With its help, they create unique compositions that delight the eye and soul. It is often used in conjunction with spirea, lilac and mock orange. Due to the fact that the inflorescence has a variety of shades and shapes, hydrangeas can be combined with various garden flowers that have similar shapes. Such combinations during the flowering period create an amazing effect.
In coastal areas of a reservoir, hydrangea can be used as the main decorative element. The composition is complemented by hosts, astilbe, bergenia and other plants that like to live in moist soil. Hydrangea also goes well with trimmed plants such as cotoneaster, juniper and others.
Hydrangea blooms in the second half of summer, providing blooming species Your garden.
A beautiful flowering shrub? Hydrangea paniculata is actively used by designers and gardeners in landscape design and the popularity of the plant is absolutely deserved. It becomes a real decoration of gardens and plots, blooming in the second ten days of summer, when most of the blooming ones have already lost ground. The inflorescences remain securely and for a long time on the bushes, including when cut.
Hydrangea? a plant that does not tolerate drought and cannot grow in areas exposed to the scorching rays of the sun. Plants should be planted in partial shade zones, regularly (at least three times a season) loosen the soil around them to a depth of more than 5 cm. Hydrangeas can be planted both as tapeworms and in group plantings, in combination with other plants, including including conifers. Today, both private gardens and city squares, gardens and parks are decorated with hydrangea.
Hydrangea bushes are planted, as already mentioned, in places with relative shade. During the planting process you will need the following set of materials and tools:
First, we select the place in the garden that is most suitable for the shrub. It is important that the area is not constantly in the shade; the plant likes to receive a sufficient amount of light in the morning and afternoon, this must be taken into account. The area of the site where it is planned to plant hydrangea shrubs should be well protected from light, since the plant does not tolerate drafts well. As for the composition of the soil, it should be a mixture of sandy, leaf and turf soils.
What is the optimal period for planting shrubs? beginning of autumn. Dig a hole in the area previously designated for the plant. Its dimensions should exceed twice the size of the rhizome of the seedling. If the seedling has to be planted in hard soil, then you will need to further deepen the hole taking into account the size of the root of an adult shrub, and then sprinkle it with loose soil. The future planting site is thoroughly moistened.
Before planting, shake the seedling a little to clear the roots from the soil and straighten them. Plant it in the prepared hole so that the root ball is above the soil level. Fill the hole with a mixture of sod and compost soil. Lightly compact the soil around the seedling, water it, watch how the water penetrates into it, it should all go away without remaining on the surface. Mulch the area around the bush using sawdust and crushed tree bark.
Hydrangea requires constant feeding, especially during the flowering period.
If, following the instructions, you did everything correctly and the bush began to grow, then the next thing you will need to study? these are the rules for caring for a plant such as paniculata hydrangea. Firstly, the bush will need regular feeding.
At the very beginning of its growth, you will need to add about 20-25 grams of urea and about 40 grams of potassium sulfate per 1 square meter. During the period of bud formation, fertilizing will need to be almost doubled. The third and fourth feeding will need to be done in the summer.
Considering that hydrangea? one of the most moisture-loving plants, it needs to be watered weekly. You can use a manganese-potassium solution for this. In addition to mulching the plant, you will need to regularly clear the soil of weeds and carry out pruning, starting from the period when the bush reaches 6-10 cm in height.
As for diseases and pests, the hydrangea shrub is quite resistant to them, so you don’t have to worry about the plant dying out in your absence during the summer holidays, for example.
The plant reproduces mainly through green cuttings, which can be cut from shoots, by dividing the bush, by seeds, layering, or grafting. Most often it is summer and spring cuttings. Place the cuttings in a mixture of sand and fertile substrate or under film in greenhouses. The percentage of their rooting is quite high and reaches 80%. Rooted cuttings are planted in open ground at the end of summer or left in pots in the winter. basement for subsequent planting in the spring.
An important point: the flowers that appear on the cuttings will need to be cut or torn off.
Hydrangea will find its place in a garden decorated in almost any style of landscape design. For example, a Mediterranean garden, which is in demand among people who gravitate toward summer southern landscapes, will definitely need to be decorated with hydrangea shrubs. Considering that the main components of the style are plants of rich flowers, decorative objects and elegant garden furniture, it would be better to leave the choice to flowers in decorative containers. Also a good option? varieties of light shades of hydrangea for vertical gardening. This could be a climbing hydrangea that can deftly climb a wall with any slope.
In areas registered in oriental style, hydrangea is most often part of flower beds arranged in intricate patterns. Here paniculata hydrangea shrubs can be planted near bodies of water, decorated, for example, in the Persian style.
What's the main thing in country style? a feeling of rustic negligence on the site. Therefore, here, too, hydrangea shrubs will look most impressive near bodies of water, as well as as part of flower arrangements.
Hydrangea will also find its place in the English garden. The plant will look most impressive in the central part of the flower garden. It is better to choose varieties with pink, white and cream flowers.
Hydrangea shrubs are also widely used in the design of Russian gardens. Plants are great for decorating flower beds, and also decorate the walls of fences and gazebos, used for vertical gardening.
A mature hydrangea can reach a height of up to 2 meters, which looks truly amazing!
Hydrangea of this variety is most popular in landscaping areas. The plant can be grown not only as a shrub, but also as a compact tree. Its height sometimes reaches two meters, and the diameter of the crown? up to three meters!
The main difference between paniculate hydrangea and other species of the plant family? these are inflorescences. They are pyramidal panicles with a length of more than 30 centimeters. During the flowering period, the flowers change color from creamy white to pink, and in the fall the hydrangea turns greenish-red. The plant does not bear fruit.
In landscape design, this variety of hydrangea is often used to form a standard form in regular-style gardens. The plant looks great when decorating the front porch or staircase of a house. Planted shrubs near a building with columns will add pomp and luxury to the area.
When decorating landscape-style gardens with hydrangea paniculata, the plant is left in its natural bushy form, placing it, as a rule, in the foreground. When forming multi-tiered group compositions, hydrangea is also left in the foreground, planting rowan and mock orange behind. Plants should not be planted too close to fruit-bearing trees, as this will cause them to compete for water.
Plants of this variety respond well to shaping and retain the shape that can be given to them when pruned. When pruning a plant in the spring, it is important to leave about 12 strong shoots, shortening them by no more than 5 buds. As for the pruning process itself, it must be carried out correctly.
What is the best time to prune a plant? This is spring before the sap begins to flow. If you didn’t have time to trim during this period, then it is better to wait until the first leaves begin to bloom and only then begin the process. If you start pruning during the period of sap flow, you can harm the plant and disrupt its flowering.
At the very beginning of pruning, remove crooked, stunted branches at the base of the plant, which have a detrimental effect on the density of the crown. Last year's shoots will need to be shortened by 4 buds, thus forming a well-groomed crown of the correct shape.
To obtain a vertical bush, you will need to purchase a young plant (no older than 4 years), plant it in the garden for a couple of years so that the root system becomes stronger, and then cut off all the inflorescences that appear. In this case, the plant will not expend energy on flowering. Once the bush has about 8 branches, it will need to be cut down to the ground. If everything is done correctly, the plant will be pleased with new and strong shoots already in the year of pruning. If they start to bloom, then all the inflorescences, as before, will have to be cut off. Next year it will be possible not to cut off the skeletal branches that will become the basis of the plant, leaving also last year’s strongest and vertically growing shoots.
Hydrangea paniculata is suitable for almost any region of Russia, including the northern ones.
Hydrangea, and especially paniculata, can become a real decoration of a site, even in the northern regions of the country. The plant copes well with frosts down to 25 degrees Celsius, without needing special shelter, and blooms magnificently and beautifully from the beginning of summer until mid-autumn.
The plant is represented by many varieties, including both large-sized ones (real trees!) and compact ground covers. The flowers of the bush are not only decorative, but also have a pleasant aroma. All shrubs of this family belong to the group of honey plants.
They grow quickly, are easy to shape, and are available in different colors. The photo shows paniculate hydrangeas in the design of a private garden. The plant fits perfectly into the design, complementing the picture created by the skillful hands of landscape designers.
Hydrangea is a shrubby plant belonging to the genus Hydrangeaceae. It is of interest to flower growers due to its beautiful lush flowering with large inflorescences of various colors: white, blue, pink, blue. The homeland of hydrangea is China and Southeast Asia. The plant was introduced into cultivation at the end of the 18th century.
Previously, hydrangea was considered a capricious and whimsical plant, but thanks to the efforts of breeders, species were developed that even a novice gardener can grow without much hassle.
One of them is panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata), which is attractive primarily because it tolerates low temperatures well and has long flowering. We will talk about other advantages of paniculata hydrangea and its best varieties in this article.
Paniculate hydrangea is characterized by large and long panicle inflorescences - up to 30 cm in height. The shrub itself can grow from 1 to 10 meters in height. When blooming, the flowers have a greenish-white or creamy-white color, closer to the flowering period they turn pink, and towards the end of flowering they turn red. Flowering period is from June to October. The first flowering occurs four to five years after planting.
The shrub attracted the attention of breeders at the end of the twentieth century. Since then, more than 25 varieties of paniculata hydrangea have been bred, a description of the most interesting varieties presented below.
Grandiflora was one of the first to be bred. It differs in its somewhat late onset of flowering compared to other varieties - it produces flowers in July. Flowering ends in September. The color of the inflorescences of this variety is interesting. When the shrub just begins to bloom, the flowers on it are creamy-white; during the flowering process they become pure white, then pink, and when they fade, they become greenish-red.
Grandiflora's bushes grow large - up to 2 m, with a round, spreading crown. The variety also has beautiful leaves; they are dark green, velvety, and pointed. The plant prefers to grow in sunny areas, but can tolerate light partial shade. Paniculate hydrangeas of the Grandiflora variety are resistant to frost; young plants need to be covered for the winter.
In decorative culture, this variety is best used in standard form. It is also used for forcing. If the inflorescences are dried, they are perfect for decorating winter bouquets.
The Kyushu variety can be easily distinguished from other varieties by its dark green glossy leaves with red petioles. It also stands out fragrant flowers. Blooms in mid-July. The flowers are classic white. Flowering ends in September. The shrub grows up to 3 m in height and in diameter. Loves light, but can tolerate partial shade.
In culture it is used in miskborders, Japanese gardens, group plantings and alone.
The Matilda variety is noticeable for its rather tall conical inflorescences (25 cm) and a large bush - up to 1.8-2 m. During the flowering period from July to September, the colors of the flowers change four times - from creamy white to white, then in the fall the flowers become soft pink and end up blooming greenish-red. Survives low temperatures.
Tardiva blooms later than all other varieties. Flowering begins in the second half of August and ends with the onset of frost. Its inflorescences are narrow, conical and pyramidal in shape. The flowers are creamy white, turning pink over time.
In order not to lose their decorative value, it is better to plant Tardiva bushes in open sunny areas. IN winter period young plants require shelter. The older the shrub gets, the more resistant it is to cold.
Tardiva shrubs are used for mixed plantings with perennials, in shrub mixborders. Dried inflorescences are used in bouquets.
Bushes of the Limelight variety reach maximum height one and a half meters. The inflorescences of this variety have a pronounced lemon or green tint. At the end of flowering they turn pink. In front gardens, these hydrangeas look beautiful both individually and in group plantings. Together with other shrub plants they are used in mixborders. The inflorescences are suitable for winter bouquets.
The Pinky Winky variety is valued for its strong, elastic stems, which are capable of supporting large, heavy inflorescences 15-20 cm in height without support. The bloom of this hydrangea is a wonderful sight. Just like all hydrangeas, Pinky Winky's inflorescences change color depending on the flowering period - in July they are white, and in September they are dark pink. Since this process occurs unevenly, the inflorescences can be colored differently at the same time: for example, they can be pink at the bottom, light pink in the middle, and white at the tips. And on the bush itself there can be either pure white inflorescences or completely dark pink.
The shrub grows up to 2 m in length and width. Its crown is round. Prefers to grow in open areas, but not in direct sun. This hydrangea is often planted near the entrance to a house or yard, near gazebos, benches, and as a hedge. Suitable for both single and group plantings.
Another popular variety of paniculata hydrangea is the Vanille Fraise variety. These shrubs reach a height of 2 m and a width of 1.5 m. At the very beginning of flowering, the pyramid inflorescences are white, but they quickly change shade and become deep pink. This variety is photophilous and frost-resistant.
Low-growing varieties have also been bred for Hydrangea paniculata. These, for example, include the Belgian hydrangea Bombshell - it grows only 70-80 cm. At the same time, the shrub blooms profusely. The inflorescences of this hydrangea are round, slightly elongated, 13 cm high. Change color from green-white to pink. During the flowering process and as the inflorescences become heavier, the branches bend downwards, thus forming a spherical crown. The flowering period is very long - from June to mid-autumn.
Plants of this variety can be planted in partial shade. Suitable for container cultivation.
The Presox (Praecox) variety, bred by Japanese breeders, is distinguished by its earliest flowering - inflorescences appear in June. Its inflorescences are small, the petals have denticles at the ends.
The Floribunda variety, popular among Europeans, blooms with very large white-cream conical inflorescences on long stalks. Against the background of contrasting dark foliage, the flowers look very elegant. The shrub grows up to 2 m. It blooms from July to September. Prefers well-lit areas, sheltered from drafts.
Mature plants are characterized by high frost resistance. Young bushes require shelter for the winter. Floribunda on the lawn is especially beautiful in combination with conifers or other ornamental shrubs.
Hydrangea of the French variety Great Star, perhaps, cannot be confused with any other. It has a unique shape of inflorescences, which are formed from two types of flowers: sterile - large white (up to 10 cm) with curved petals, similar to propellers or stars, and fertile - small, unremarkable. There are about 17 sterile flowers in the inflorescence, 200 fruitful ones.
Mature bushes grow up to 2 m in height and width. They have a widely spreading crown. Plants of this variety are light-loving, but can also withstand light shade. Like most hydrangeas, Great Star is unpretentious and does not require staking. Used in single and group plantings.
Tall and lush bushes are formed by the Silver Dollar variety. They reach 2.5 m in height and width. Their crown is smooth and round in shape. The shrub blooms from July to September with large pyramid-shaped inflorescences of white-green color. A little later, the flowers become silver, and in the fall they turn lilac-pink.
The plant is equally decorative both in the sun (not in direct rays) and in light shade. Withstands winter temperatures down to -29 °C. Plants of the first two years need to be protected under cover during wintering.
Used in solitary and group plantings. Silver Dollar hydrangeas make beautiful silvery hedges; they decorate areas along garden paths and paths in city parks. Goes well with perennials from other families.
The Phantom variety stands out among its fellows in appearance due to its largest cone-shaped inflorescences and beautiful bush shape. The height and width of the bush is within 2 m. Traditionally, for hydrangeas, flowers change color from the beginning to the end of flowering - they are cream in summer, pink in autumn. Phantom blooms in July.
The variety is winter-hardy, suitable for planting in semi-shaded areas. In landscape design it is planted as a tapeworm and in group plantings, in combination with other perennial crops. Paniculata hydrangea is actively used in breeding experiments today, in Lately new varieties were developed. Among them are Ammarin, Big Ben, Bobo, Brussels Lace, Dolly, Early Sensation, Mega Mindy, Shikoku Flash, Mustila, etc.
Hydrangea paniculata – It is a very beautiful plant and it is not for nothing that it is popular among flower growers and breeders from different countries. And no matter how much we try to describe the decorativeness of this plant in words, you can, just by looking at photographs with abundantly flowering shrubs, fall in love with this flower and want to decorate your garden or balcony with it.
We examined in detail hydrangeas, which we can deal with in one way or another in our Central Russian climate. And yet, their assessment will not be complete if you do not try to find them the right place in the garden, correct application. And this is a question for someone who knows how to make beautiful gardens, a question for a landscape designer.
Not all hydrangeas can be recommended. To create a reliable ornamental garden in the middle zone, paniculate, tree, Bretschneider (or Himalayan) and petiolate hydrangeas are suitable. This is the basic set, but the uses of these types are different. A species such as large-leaved hydrangea is suitable only for container decoration in our area. In the ground, large-leaved hydrangea is promising for gardens on the Black Sea coast.
Hydrangea paniculata has the largest variety of varieties at the moment. Some varieties have not yet been sufficiently studied. The height of plants is very different - from 0.5-0.6 m to 2.5 m and above - you can choose. A peculiarity of paniculate hydrangea is the change in color as sterile flowers age: from a weak manifestation of new shades to a strong, spectacular redness. Therefore, when getting to know the variety, it would be good to have pepper through your eyes, photographs of inflorescences at the beginning of flowering, in the middle and at the end. For example, as it turns out, I don’t like the “dirty” redness of the inflorescences of the variety ‘Pinky Wlnky’
Hydrangea paniculata is durable, reliable, grows quickly, there are varieties with aroma. It combines well with many other plant species and perennials. It does well in light partial shade, although for intense redness it is better to plant it in open areas.
Hydrangea paniculata can be used both in gardens and compositions of classical formal style, and in landscape compositions, and in country style gardens. We can say that this is a universal group of plants, the possibilities of which are far from being exhausted. With the help of cutting and directed formation, you can create umbrella plants, classic standard forms, any garden volumes depending on the height and habit of the variety. At the same time, I am against extreme pruning of hydrangeas, since I believe that the curtain should fulfill its function in the garden and have a certain volume in the off-season. That’s why I shape my hydrangeas, but don’t plant them on a stump,
And one more nuance. There is an opinion that those varieties of hydrangea that have more inflorescences are more decorative. I can't agree with this. It is necessary to evaluate the harmony of the plant as a whole, and in my opinion, a low bush with giant inflorescences looks unnatural. Thus, the low variety Bobo in combination with other perennials is perceived strangely, and a feeling of disturbance of scale arises. Therefore, I would not use a haircut to drive out flower stalks with huge inflorescences, which also droop from rain and wind.
Hydrangea paniculata looks great next to clumps of purple-leaved barberries (Ottawa or Thunberg) and hydrangea viburnum 'Diabolo'. The inflorescences of most varieties of hydrangea paniculata gradually change shade. At the beginning of August they are white with a slight pink tint, in September they are almost crimson, and at the end of October they are golden-bronze
I am for the traditional appearance of these plants. I like both species hydrangea and well-known, well-proven varieties - 'Annabelle' And ‘Grandiflora’. The varieties with pink flowers that have appeared on sale and are widely discussed grow poorly, burn out and become lodged. And traveling through the gardens of Europe, I have never seen this spectacular hydrangea. If you need pink, I prefer Japanese spirea and Boumalda to these varieties - they are much more stable and decorative. Variety ‘ White Dome‘- another new selection - it does not overwinter well in our conditions, and I give preference to reliable plants.
Tree hydrangea is good in groups in partial shade and on the lawn, very unpretentious. Unlike paniculata hydrangea, tree hydrangea sets a certain style of composition, but allows you to experiment in flower beds. I saw a successful example of arranging varietal tree hydrangea with saplings, calimeris, and cereals in the flower beds of Piet Oudolf. The inflorescences of saplings and hydrangeas were similar in shape and, thanks to the correctly chosen variety, were comparable to each other.
In the design of a path located in partial shade, you can create a composition of Anabelle tree hydrangea. Its bushes harmoniously combine with clipped barberry, daylilies and low-growing junipers, and also set the rhythm of the composition.
Magnificent Brettschneider hydrangea. Amazing and now almost inaccessible to mass gardeners and amateurs. The most frost-resistant, drought-resistant and the tallest - up to 4 meters. IN Soviet time it was widely used in landscaping parks and squares from Crimea to Arkhangelsk and Yekaterinburg. And now this hydrangea would be in great demand: both as a flowering background plant, and in groups on lawns, and in hedges, and on the edges. With the help of pruning, you can form picturesque trees with a varied crown shape from it. But, unfortunately, we pay more attention to unreliable species and varieties of hydrangeas. Petiolate hydrangea has all the advantages of a spectacular flowering vine and ground cover plant. There is only one drawback - it grows slowly.
In a very small garden it may be one bush, but Hydrangeas are especially good when used in large masses, then the texture of the inflorescences is visible. Before planting a plant, you need to assess its habit. If the variety tends to form a rounded bush, evenly covered with inflorescences, then it can be used on the lawn and on slopes. If the bottom of the bush is bare, and the shoots are strong and hold the inflorescences well and high, then this variety is best included in more complex combinations with other shrubs and conifers, as well as in flower beds. They can be surrounded by borders of cotoneasters, spireas and other shrubs - deciduous or coniferous. Changing color, more intense shades of crimson will greatly benefit from purple-foliaged bladdercarp or Ottawa barberry. In the foreground of the flower garden, Hydrangeas will look bad, as they will begin to outweigh the plants that are in the background in terms of volume, style and significance. And of course, the garden does not need varieties that droop and fall apart.
You can experiment with hydrangeas, but they definitely cannot be combined with yellow, orange and red flowers. It is better to take plants with blue flowers, blue needles or foliage - clematis, hostas, grasses, low junipers. A successful combination of pinkish paniculata hydrangea with blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica). You can use the technique of repeating color and combine types and varieties of hydrangea with white inflorescences with variegated perennials or shrubs - white dogwood 'Elegantissima', variegated phloxes like 'Nora Leigh', hosta of white-edged varieties. A classic is the combination of hydrangeas with phlox of pink shades of different saturations with a rounded inflorescence, mock oranges that bloom at an earlier date, variegated ones, thujas, red-leaved shrubs for pinking varieties, microbiota. There are a lot of successful combinations.
I am against mixing different types of hydrangeas, for example paniculate and tree-like, in one flower garden, since they have different images. You can combine varieties of the same species that differ in height and shades of inflorescences, for example, Anabelle and Grandiflora tree hydrangea. You can mix taller varieties with shorter ones or make the groups separate, but from the same varieties you can create a flower garden of hydrangeas of the same type and here and there be sure to add other plants, according to the same principles of creating a mixborder.
A bouquet of hydrangeas is a fantastic sight. Unfortunately, the life of cut inflorescences is short - only 5-10 days, and only if you use some special techniques. The simplest of them is to remove as much as possible more leaves, update the cut and split the ends of the shoots. And then put the bouquet in a vase, preferably a glass one. Metal containers are strictly contraindicated. If you want to admire hydrangea longer, buy a plant in a pot. It can be placed on the windowsill or taken out to the balcony by burying the pot in a box of soil. In order for tensia to please you for two or even three months, do not forget to protect it from midday sunlight, constantly water it and spray it with settled water.
After flowering, the hydrangea can be planted in the garden without delay and in October, carefully tearing off the leaves, move it to a dark room, where the temperature remains at 4-6 degrees Celsius throughout the winter. From late February to early March, the plant is usually returned to a bright, warm room.
Hydrangea Bretschneider(Hydrangea bretschneideri)
Hydrangea(N. arborescens)
Provided that a person has never grown plants before, it is impossible to pass by a blooming hydrangea. Lush, colorful inflorescences attract numerous glances from passers-by, giving a wonderful mood. Using hydrangea you can decorate any alpine slide or a small front garden. In our climate, garden and paniculate varieties of hydrangea feel good. Selection has made it possible to develop new types of hydrangeas that have taken root in the flower beds of our country. In the garden next to the hydrangea, you can plant various flowers and shrubs to create a specific landscape composition.
Lush and bright inflorescences are able to attract the attention of a passerby who had not paid any attention to the flower beds before. For gardeners, hydrangea can become the pride of a collection or a lush flower bed. The bush is able to bloom until late autumn, which makes planting even more attractive. Tree and paniculate hydrangeas are considered the most unpretentious. They tolerate frost well and do not require much sun. They look impressive when growing alone or in a flower bed.
Paniculata hydrangea feels good in partial shade; the inflorescences are snow-white in color and begin to bloom in mid-summer. By autumn, the flowers will turn pinkish or bright pink. Tree hydrangea is no less popular. Also belongs to the category of unpretentious. The color of the inflorescences is white. A varied combination of varieties and plants will help make the front garden a gardener’s pride.
When planting a young seedling that was grown from a rooted cutting, flowering in the first year of life should be excluded. Young inflorescences can be plucked, thereby giving the root system the opportunity to grow and gain strength before the first winter. In this case, the flower buds will be more complete in the case.
Drip irrigation is preferable for hydrangeas, since the plant is a vessel with water accumulated inside. Over the course of a week, a large bush consumes 20 liters of water, settled or filtered, but not running. It is preferable to use rainwater. The tree trunk circle is regularly mulched to avoid drying out of the upper fertile layer. For this purpose, the remains of tree bark, pine needles, and peat are used.
During the period of active flowering, dried and faded inflorescences should be actively removed, which will make it possible to extend the life of other flowers. Sanitary pruning carried out with the onset of spring (before the start of sap flow). Three-year-old branches and those that are frozen are pruned. After the buds have begun to bloom, the branches on which the buds have not bloomed are pruned again. In order to make the bush more magnificent, you should trim the shoots beyond the fifth bud. To completely rejuvenate an adult hydrangea bush, all branches except a small stump are pruned. A lush crown will appear on its own immediately after the onset of spring.
For active and abundant flowering, fertilizers (manure or humus) dissolved in water are applied under the bush three times a month. Excess mineral fertilizers can lead to the inability of the bush to survive frosts. Ash should not be used as a fertilizer.
There are several dozen varieties of hydrangeas, and it is almost impossible to name the exact number, since there are more varieties every year. The bushes are decorated with corymbose or paniculate inflorescences, which are located at the tips of the shoots. Along the edges there are sterile flowers, while fruit-bearing ones are located in the center. It is worth noting that there are several varieties in which all the inflorescences are fruit-bearing, forming fancy balls. The color of the flowers is varied. There are buds of blue, violet, red, light blue, pink and white. The variety of shades can please every gardener and passerby who stops to look at the blooming hydrangea.
The foliage of the plant is also attractive. If you follow the basic rules for caring for shrubs, the foliage will be bright, juicy and large. The attractive spring appearance of the plant leads to various experiments by breeders who are continuously working to increase the duration of flowering and increased resistance to harsh Russian winters.
| The most popular plants in our country |
||
|---|---|---|
| № | Variety | Description |
| 1 | "Weems Red" | Characteristic feature variety is the fact that during the season the color of the inflorescences changes three times. From June the flowers are white, then turn pink, and with the onset of autumn they become red and burgundy. |
| 2 | "White Lady" | Vaguely reminiscent of jasmine inflorescences. On high bush snow-white flowers resemble flying butterflies |
| 3 | "Great Star" | The petals of representatives of the variety are large, and are collected in small propellers that rise above the small ones. The bush grows up to 2 meters |
| 4 | "Diamont Rouge" | The height of the bush reaches 1.8 m, the inflorescences have red petals. |
| 5 | "Vanilla Fraze" | Outwardly they resemble strawberry ice cream cones that grow on a 2-meter bush. "Sunday Fres" is a smaller copy of the variety. |
| 6 | "Phantom". | The height of hydrangea of this variety reaches 2.5 m in height. The crown is spreading, so growing will require a lot of free space. At first the panicles are creamy, but towards autumn they turn pink. |
| 7 | "Pinky Winky" | The height of the bush is 1.8 m; the openwork inflorescences have large flowers, which over time acquire a pinkish or purple color. |
| 8 | "Limelight" | The height of the plant is 1.5 m, and a smaller copy of the “Little Lime” variety reaches a height of 1 m. Initially, the panicles are greenish, but by autumn they acquire a pinkish color. |
| 9 | "Grandiflora". | Feels great in old gardens. All inflorescences are styrile. |
Hydrangeas are in demand and loved by many. Shrubs are used for landscaping and decoration not only in urban areas, but also in private gardens. Gardeners prefer to use hydrangeas due to their stable flowering, unusual color and bright foliage. It is possible to plant both individual hydrangea bushes and a huge flower bed consisting of similar multi-colored splendor. The ability to create unusual and stylish combinations speaks in favor of hydrangeas. They come in a variety of colors that can be combined if desired.
They are also used to create lush and eye-catching flower beds, gradually displacing the practical and previously applicable trends in planting plants exclusively in groups. At proper care even one bush will help set the right atmosphere in a small but neat flower bed. With the help of shrubs you can create hedges, but subsequent care of the green hedge requires free time and regular care. Hydrangeas are often used when landscaping areas near lawns, undergrowth, edges, and hedges. The ability to combine with low-growing trees, shrubs and conifers has made hydrangea in demand in this area.
Hydrangeas will also become a decoration for a plot or garden when arranging shrubs with other skeletal plants and giants. You should not be afraid of small plants whose flowering period does not coincide with hydrangea. The plant combines with herbaceous flora. Perennials are often planted in close proximity to hydrangeas. A skillful combination of shrubs and other plants will help cope with the following primary tasks:
Hydrangeas appear special with blue, purple, pink, lime, cream and white blooms that are adorned with vibrant, rich green foliage. In terms of texture, light inflorescences are unique and cannot be compared. It is difficult to choose such a wonderful partner among herbaceous partners for the garden, given the leafy shrubs and dark branches of pine needles. Hydrangea leaves are also diverse. There are such foliage colors as dark emerald, bright, glossy. Also, the leaves can be pubescent, variegated, purple, bronze, golden and silver. The leaves also differ in size, structure, and shape.
With the help of unusual varieties of hydrangeas you can play on contrast and nuances herbaceous plants. This will help give the garden a different color scheme, visual effects, thematic design, and optical illusions. Watercolor, pastel, clean, bright and dazzling herbaceous partners can become partners for plants. The shrub is a somewhat English, intelligent and prim look that will always be relevant in the garden. The plant will fit both in a flowerbed decorated in an antique style, as well as in more modern gardens, the design of which adhered to a country or classic design style.
She is able to bring her own flavor and a little sophistication, diluting boring flower beds with plants that bloom at different times. Hydrangea will fit organically into any space, regardless of the lighting of the existing area. The bush will not block other plants, and the flowering will be a decoration for the garden until the first cold weather. It is not customary to use hydrangeas in English gardens and this is the only exception to the possible rules. For expressiveness, several plants should be used at the same time, as hydrangea loves partnership.
When choosing partners for a plant such as hydrangea, one should also take into account the existing restrictions that are associated with the characteristics of the species. Shrubs belong to the category of moisture-loving plants that prefer slightly acidic and acidic soil. It is preferable to choose dimly lit areas and light partial shade. Such conditions are not suitable for every plant, including perennial ones. When choosing partners, you should also take into account the fact that each species has certain varieties, each of which prefers different conditions. First of all, gardeners use evergreen ferns as neighbors for hydrangeas, which complement each other.
You should also not ignore hostas, whose leaves are large, but have a unique pattern, and will look advantageous even against the backdrop of larger hydrangeas. The original and variegated color allows you to dilute the front garden with a variegated and unusual color, emphasizing the advantages of the neighbors. Plants that prefer moist soil - ground covers and other low-growing crops - can be used as a frame. These include ivies and periwinkles. Pachysandra apex will also fit into the resulting ensemble.
Soft cuff is considered a favorite among perennial and low-growing crops. Framed with colorful foliage, helping to enhance the existing arrangement. The inflorescences resemble clouds, and the bushes themselves grow lush, framed by bright greenery. They help eliminate such a factor as heaviness, which is characteristic of hydrangeas. Melissa and mint are also low-maintenance plants that will grow among hydrangea bushes. An unexpected, but no less attractive neighbor is bergenia. Able to enhance the noble qualities of hydrangeas thanks to delicate flowers and large, wide leaves. In this way, late flowering is compensated.
The proximity to cereal crops will undoubtedly decorate the overall picture. Among the spreading hydrangeas, falaris, miscanthus, millet, hakonechloa and Co. will look interesting. An unusual ensemble will attract numerous glances from passersby and sow the desire to recreate something similar in your own front garden. White-flowered partners deserve special attention. Among these, attention should be paid to phloxes, physiostegia, anemones, and astilbes. Each species will thrive in partial shade. Need additional protection from sharp gusts of wind. You should not limit yourself only to species that are characterized by the presence of white inflorescences.
Brighter colors are welcome, but the overall picture may turn out to be too bright and unusual, for which you should prepare in advance. In some cases, contrast is beneficial. Examples include daffodils, primroses, hellebores, wormwood, daylilies, and iris. Aconite can enhance the natural blue of hydrangea. Volzhanka, buzulniki, crocuses, and Rogers will also be excellent partners.
For those who are just planning to decorate the garden with several hydrangea bushes, you should take a little break from choosing varieties, since first you should draw out a detailed plan of what will grow in the allocated area. It is possible to replant hydrangeas over time, but the process is complex and painstaking. Large plants remain, but smaller ones are put on the plan. Each plant should be signed, which will allow you to create the most detailed list possible. Separate places are being prepared for new products. Some species may not fit into the resulting ensemble at all. Ready-made compositions that can be placed both among massive flower beds and near coniferous trees will help make the choice easier.
A little more information about where and how to plant hydrangea is in the video:
How to grow jasmine from seeds or cuttings: planting and care 
How to grow geranium from seeds at home for seedlings - planting and care
20.09.2018
199 877
Hydrangea, planting and care - a beautiful shrub in the garden in 4 steps
Hydrangea, planting and care are of no small importance when growing, since an unsuccessfully chosen location and soil composition of the soil can lead to disease and poor development, in some cases, death. In addition, you need to properly care for the shrub after planting in order to achieve lush flowering and healthy growth...
When to plant hydrangea? Best time for landing– spring, the moment when the earth thaws, the buds have not yet bloomed, and autumn – in the month of September. When choosing a place for an ornamental foliage plant, keep in mind that it is better to plant hydrangea in the shade or partial shade, since bright sun causes slow growth, as a result of which the inflorescences become smaller. 
Some types of hydrangea can be grown in open, sunny areas, but require plenty of watering. It is advisable to protect young shrubs from bright sun And big winds. It is not recommended to place under trees that absorb water heavily.
The soil for hydrangea should be well-drained and moist, consist of a balanced mixture of humus, leaf soil, peat chips, river sand (2:2:1:1). Regardless of the type and variety of hydrangea, remember that lime in the soil negatively affects development. The soil must be level Ph approximately 5,0 .
In the northern regions of the country, it is preferable to plant hydrangea in open ground in the spring; in the southern regions, including Kuban, the procedure is carried out in the fall. It is recommended to arrange a planting hole for a beautiful shrub, the dimensions of which are 0.4 m in diameter and 0.4-0.5 m in depth. When planting, be guided by the size of the root system; if it is too large, increase the volume of the hole. It is worth noting that the roots of hydrangea are quite branched.
choosing a location and planting hydrangeas with a closed root system - in the photo
It is necessary to add the prepared soil mixture into the hole and make a small mound, on which the seedling is then carefully placed and the roots are straightened, backfilled without deepening the root collar, which should be flush with the soil. A slight deepening is acceptable, but not more than 20-30 mm; too deep a planting can subsequently lead to rotting of the neck.
The soil in the tree trunk area must be compacted well. Watering hydrangeas after planting is mandatory; it is necessary that the water penetrates well to a root depth of 30-40 cm. It is better to water in a hole next to the plant.
To retain moisture after planting in a permanent place, the hydrangea is mulched in a circle around the trunk. Mulch also inhibits the growth of weeds and protects the roots from overheating. Peat chips, wood chips or bark are used as mulching material in a uniform layer of 8-10 cm.
The mulch will decompose over time and become part of the soil, slightly acidifying it. It is best to lay mulch in late spring, at a time when the ground has already warmed up well, but is still moist.
watering hydrangeas - pictured
So that the bush grows well and pleases abundant flowering, garden hydrangea is fertilized when planting, then in the spring in the third decade of May or in early summer - early June. Use a solution of mullein or chicken manure diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. Don’t forget to fertilize with a complex of mineral fertilizers or add at least the most basic components - 20 grams of superphosphate, 10 grams of potassium nitrate and urea. Subsequent feeding of hydrangea is carried out at intervals of 17-20 days and ends at the end of July, so that the young shoots have time to become lignified by the winter period.
For strong and flexible shoots ornamental shrub water with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. In addition, garden stores sell special fertilizers for hydrangea, which contain magnesium and iron, which the plant needs.
mulching hydrangea with wood chips - pictured
Paniculate hydrangea, large-leaved and ground cover mostly have pinkish, cream colors, which can be changed if desired. The color of hydrangea is directly determined by the acidity of the soil. If the soil has a slightly alkaline reaction, the flowering will be pink and crimson; on acidic soils, hydrangea blooms with blue flowers.
To obtain blue flowers in alkaline soil, the bush is watered with solutions of iron salts. To get a more intense blue color under the hydrangea, you should bury rusty metal cans.
Pruning hydrangea - continue to care
Do I need to prune hydrangeas and how to do it? In order for the care to be correct, it is necessary to remember that pruning of large-leaved, serrated, prickly, Sargent, liana-shaped, oak-leaved hydrangeas is carried out taking into account the fact that flowers appear on the shoots of the second year, which means that you need to cut off old branches and weak ones to strong buds.
Pruning paniculata and tree hydrangea involves removing old and faded shoots, which are also weak. At the same time, experienced gardeners do not recommend removing a large number of shoots at the same time; it is better to spread out the procedure for a year or two so that the plant does not lose strength and does not die from excessive cutting operations. As a rule, the main branches are not touched; only those that are bad and grow inside the bush are cut off.
autumn pruning of hydrangea - in the photo
You can prune hydrangeas in spring and autumn, but it is preferable in autumn, since sap flow slows down, and pruning will promote lush flowering in the spring. During the spring months, improper pruning can slow down growth and delay flowering. In addition, in the spring, processes in the bush begin to actively start; juice is released when pruned, so be careful not to harm the plant. In spring, pruning is best done as early as possible, before the buds swell and constant warmth sets in.
For the winter, it is carried out as usual, with only one difference - it is better not to touch young shrubs and let them overwinter without surgical intervention, otherwise you risk ruining the plant. Hydrangea, planting and caring for which is not at all difficult, will certainly delight you with its lush flowering if you suddenly decide to grow an unpretentious plant in your garden.
Gotensias: photos on the topic
The shrub owes its name to its small inflorescence. Native places - Far East. In the wild it is found in Japan, China, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. Garden form is resistant to negative influences environment. The height of the bush rarely reaches 150 cm. The main decoration of paniculata hydrangea is the lush inflorescence. Its dimensions vary from 25 to 30 cm. Flowers are presented in two types - bisexual and sterile. The latter remain on the branches for a long time, and the former fall off after pollination.
Color shades during the flowering period range from white to cream, the intermediate color is greenish. Velvety soft leaves serve an aesthetic function after all the flowers have fallen. Their bright color and sharp ends attract attention and give the area original look. The plant can be used for decorative purposes within a year; all that is required of the gardener is to create favorable conditions. In 12 months it grows up to 20 cm. The plant is unpretentious and frost-resistant. Designers and gardeners use it to decorate and transform country houses and summer cottages.
The beauty and unpretentiousness of the plant makes it in demand and popular among designers and gardeners. The shrub perfectly plays the role of a single planting plant and a hedge in a group planting. Considering the need to constantly replant the plant for up to 5 years, it decorates various parts of the garden. An adult tree gives the site a festive look and leaves no one indifferent. The plant lends itself well to cutting and modeling. Its appearance depends on the chosen ensemble.
Primarily used in Russian style. When planting hydrangea with various shrubs and trees, the composition of the soil is taken into account. The plant is its indicator and changes color in response to its composition. Slightly alkaline earth gives pink color, from pale to rich. Acidic soil turns the inflorescences deep blue. This happens due to the lack of iron, which is so necessary for the bush. By experimenting with the addition of iron salts, gardeners obtain the desired shade of shrub flowers. A rare exception is the combination of pink and blue flowers on the branches of one hydrangea.
Making the garden more picturesque, shrubs are planted on the banks of natural and artificial reservoirs. Reflected in the water during flowering, bright colors give the landscape a vibrant and relief look. The landscape seemed to have stepped out of a painting. A large number of hydrangeas will turn any area into Garden of Eden. Flowering occurs later than all popular plants - at the end of summer. This is another reason to plant this miracle. After flowering, the water reflection is decorated with unusual leaves, giving a mysterious and even mystical look to this area of the garden.
Long-lasting bush branches are easy to model. The plant can be freely turned into a flowering ball or a bright hedge. It can be created from several varieties of hydrangea, depending on climatic conditions. The shrub is quite large and looks harmonious and holistic as a single plant. Planted on a well-kept lawn. No less impressive is the combination of hydrangea with other flowering shrubs: bulldonezh, spirea and others. If desired, you can create a flowering meadow or front garden.
When dividing the territory into certain zones, you can safely use flowering shrubs. Doing your thing functional purpose Hydrangea forms impenetrable hedges and fences. With skillful planting and pruning of the bush, the plant acquires the desired size and shape. Decorating a garden or area with hydrangea creates a romantic and cozy atmosphere. Blooming hydrangeas near the gazebo have a relaxing and peaceful look.
Creating a monochrome English flower garden with hydrangea is as easy as shelling pears. All plants from the composition are selected to be of the same shade when flowering. The distance between the objects of the ensemble is the same. Another option for an English garden using hydrangea is a geranium flower bed, ornamental grasses and plants, place hydrangea closer to the center of the composition.
French charm - planting hydrangeas at the entrance area, when bright colors and ease of transitions open to the eye. The plant captivates with its late flowering, when most of the plants have already faded.
In the Russian style, hydrangea is combined with birch, maple, willow, and lilac. An ensemble of different crown shapes, colors and plant sizes gives the composition versatility. Plants combine well from an aesthetic and biological point of view.
The combination with represents a bright bloom against a background of noble greenery or steel blue. Juicy graceful flowers in the “neighborhood” with give the site the appearance of a garden. The needles prevent the development of diseases in hydrangeas and prevent the appearance of insect pests.
A garden plot in an oriental style assigns hydrangeas a role in flower beds. The plasticity and unpretentiousness of the culture allows it to be mixed with all kinds of low shrubs and flower representatives. Evergreen azalea, deciduous, dahlias and roses combine well with hydrangea in one composition.
Darkleaf and hydrangea, regardless of loose or clear form, in combination with sakura represent a smooth transition from one crop to another. Hydrangea helps bring many bold design solutions and ideas to life.
To decide on the choice of shrub, you need to study all known and popular species. The plant has more than a dozen of them. The most spectacular in landscape design:
Hydrangea paniculata. The height of an adult bush is 200 cm. The flowering period is 4 weeks. Slightly acidic soil is preferred. The inflorescences are cone-shaped.
Hydrangea. The most unpretentious and frost-resistant variety. The inflorescence is spherical. An adult representative is 250 cm in height.
Hydrangea largeleaf. Picky and whimsical appearance. Does not like frost, clay soil, or direct sunlight. Height reaches 250 cm.
Hydrangea climbing. A slow-growing vine takes on the structure of a tree over time. Popular when arranging hedges.
Hydrangea oakleaf. Grows in a place protected from low temperatures. The leaves are similar to oak leaves, hence the name.
Paniculata hydrangea has many varieties, here are some of them:
The plant needs access to the sun and protection from drafts. The perfect solution- planting behind a building or fence. There must be a source of moisture, no more than one and a half meters away. Only by following all the rules for caring for the plant can you grow a strong and beautiful hydrangea bush. In cold climates, after planting, a small canopy is immediately arranged. It will protect the plant from aggressive environmental influences (wind, frost). The size of the planting hole should be 20 cm larger than the root node. When planting, the plant is fertilized with manure, peat or compost. The soil is compacted and the bushes are watered abundantly.
Abundant watering is an important component of healthy hydrangea development. In early spring and throughout the dry summer, the bush is watered abundantly and often. The most suitable soil is acidified. You can create it yourself using iron sulfate or ammonium sulfate. The plant is susceptible to low temperatures. The near-trunk part is covered with coniferous litter or peat. Pruning is carried out in early spring. Recovering after winter, it has sufficient recovery abilities. Late pruning leads to weakening and disease. Necessary frequent and timely feeding with minerals.
Of course, like all shrubs, hydrangea has a tendency to disease and susceptibility to insect pests. Fungal diseases and spider mites can cause serious trouble.
Their influence leads to the falling of leaves, rotting of the root system and the death of the bush is not excluded. The plant must be regularly subjected to preventive measures. Bushes are sprayed with a special solution in early spring. If disease occurs, the plant may require a long period of treatment.
It is not for nothing that paniculata hydrangea is popular in landscape design: its lush inflorescences have won the hearts of many flower growers, not only in Russia. Other varieties of these are known in culture. flowering bushes. A feature of the plant is the ability to change the color of the flower from greenish to pink, cream, white. It depends on the species, but in any case, you can often see differently colored flowers on one bush. In some varieties, the top of the inflorescence may be colored differently than the base. The flowering bush in this case looks truly charming.
In the conditions of central Russia, you can most often find 2 types of hydrangeas: paniculate and tree-like. They tolerate winter cold best and practically do not freeze even without shelter. Other species, no less decorative, are much less common due to the need to provide shelter for these heat-loving plants for the winter.
In Russian gardens, paniculata hydrangea grows up to 2–3 m in height, although in its homeland - in China and Japan, in the south of Sakhalin Island - it can reach 10 meters in height. During flowering, the bushes are covered with lush panicles of pyramidal-shaped inflorescences. Each inflorescence reaches 25 cm in length. The color of panicle hydrangeas includes a wide range of shades of pink, cream and white, as well as greenish in newly opened flowers.
Hydrangea paniculata is usually formed in two ways:
Both forms are appreciated by designers and are used in the design of plots, gardens and park areas with equal success.
Unlike the first species, tree hydrangea does not grow higher than 1.5 m and is a widely spreading bush with rounded inflorescences reminiscent of boule de neige viburnum. Varieties with cream or white color predominate, but pink inflorescences are also found (for example, the “Invisible” variety).
Less known in Russian gardens are such species as petiolate, serrate, bigleaf hydrangea. But in recent years, they are increasingly finding their admirers. Particularly interesting for designers is the Far Eastern species - petiole hydrangea. Among related plants, it is the only one that is also suitable for vertical gardening. This hydrangea has the ability to climb up supports like a vine.
Experienced flower growers know how to make varieties with pink flowers change their color to blue. The secret is simple: to do this you need to plant the bush in an area with acidic soil. On alkaline soils, hydrangea flowers will be pink. This method is not suitable for white or cream varieties - their inflorescences are not colored.
The possibilities of using hydrangea in landscape design are appreciated not only in Russia. Many foreign exhibitions and flower festivals include compositions using flowering bushes of different varieties and types. In the conditions of our middle zone, flowering begins in mid-June (paniculate) or July (tree-like, large-leaved), continuing until October frosts.
Large bushes can be used as solo specimens on Moorish or English lawns. In this case, hydrangea is self-sufficient and does not need supplements from other plants. But with group plantings, the decorative capabilities of the shrub are revealed more fully.
One common use for hydrangeas is as a hedge. Separating the recreation area and accompanying the path, the green wall, constantly blooming from mid-summer, looks very impressive. The shrub can also be placed on the border with a neighboring area, partially covering the fences with it. The plant tolerates pruning well and grows easily, creating virtually no problems for its owners.
When planting along paths, remember that hydrangea wood is very fragile. Snow cleared from paths in winter should not be dumped on plantings. Under its weight, the bushes can break, and in the spring it will take a lot of time to restore the fence.
Mixed plantings of hydrangea and related plants can be very diverse. Much depends on the taste of the owners or designer. It is advisable to combine blooming in summer shrub with large species such as lilac and spirea decorating the area before the hydrangeas bloom. This makes it possible to have a corner on the site that blooms almost the entire season.
White and pink clusters of flowers also combine effectively with the dark greenery of conifers: juniper, decorative spruce, thuja and cypress. Against the background of large spreading bushes, the red-leaved forms of barberry, cotoneaster and others will look beautiful.
The plants accompanying them help to reveal the natural beauty of flowering bushes. It is important to correctly compose the composition so that it does not turn into a jumble of shapes and shades. Using simple compositions with hydrangeas as an example, you can imagine the possibilities of combining them with plants on your own site.
The path's decoration includes a bush of pink tree hydrangea (right) supported by brighter colored phlox (left). The foreground is lined with hostas with variegated leaves and creeping ground cover. The stems of tall phlox are very successfully hidden by gladioli, which will bloom later, replacing faded summer crops.
The background of the composition consists of a white-edged tree lined with ferns and white blooming hydrangea paniculata. White flowers harmoniously echo the white-green variegation decorative leaves in the background and foreground. The narrow path is lost among the abundance of flowers, inviting you for a romantic walk.
Another example where hydrangea is used in landscape design is the mixborder at the entrance. The flower garden consists of a white paniculate variety of Grandiflora, next to which is planted bright pink astilbe. The shape of the inflorescences of both plants is almost the same, and the colors shade each other. A liner of pink impatiens and a border of variegated hostas tie the two bushes together into a harmonious composition, supporting color transitions.
A good example of a contrasting combination of white with the brightness of summer flowers is a mixborder with paniculate hydrangea of the Lime Light variety. The white color of the building and the fence is emphasized by the greenish-white tassels of flowers, and the shade of the unopened petals at the top of the tassel echoes the green of the grass and is in surprising harmony with the red-orange colors of daylilies and echinacea. Rare splashes of blue bells enliven the border, adding variety to the sunny summer color of the flower bed.
To make hydrangeas look chic and bloom profusely, you need to follow some rules for caring for them. Undemanding in general, the beautiful hydrangea has its own preferences. Without suitable conditions, even the most beautiful flower eventually turns into a stunted plant that does not decorate the site in any way.
It is not advisable to plant bushes in full sun. Trying to provide the plant with maximum light, gardeners make a serious mistake, because in natural conditions hydrangeas grow under the canopy of trees, in the forest. The ideal place for the shrub would be a shady corner of the garden, where the sun appears in the morning or evening hours.
In a sunny area, hydrangea can feel good if it is watered intensively, not allowing the soil at the roots to dry out and using mulching materials. But even with such care, its brushes will be much smaller than those of a bush growing in the shade.
When planting hydrangeas in group plantings and as a tapeworm, it should be taken into account that the fragile plant can break in strong winds. Therefore, it is advisable to choose the most protected places to create compositions using hydrangea. IN winter time A strong draft in the area can also contribute to freezing of the bushes if the snow cover is constantly blown away by the wind.
For irrigation, it is better to use warm, settled water. If there is little natural precipitation, then it is necessary to water as the soil under the bush dries slightly. To retain moisture in the soil after watering, the soil is loosened and mulched with tree bark, sawdust, and peat.
To achieve lush flowering, hydrangeas need to be pruned correctly. Tree and paniculata require very heavy pruning, but large-leaved (garden) plants require minimal pruning. In spring, pruning involves removing frozen branches to healthy tissue. Varieties of tree and paniculate hydrangeas are best cut so that 3–5 pairs of buds remain on each shoot from last year.
Flowering of these species begins on young branches that will develop from the remaining buds. Therefore, it is important to cut off excess early in the spring, before sap flows and leaves bloom. If such pruning is not carried out, paniculata and tree hydrangeas may not bloom at all. Gardeners' complaints that the bush has stopped blooming most likely indicate its thickening and aging. In this case, you can prune “to the stump”, removing branches that are several years old. The bush recovers quickly and can bloom within 2 years.
Fertilizing will also help you get large decorative inflorescences. It is best to buy fertilizers labeled “for flowering plants” or specifically designed for hydrangeas at a flower shop. Sometimes they contain substances that change the acidity of the soil, turning the inflorescences blue and its shades. The solution for feeding bushes must be prepared strictly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Fertilizer is applied at the end of May, and subsequently fed every 15 days. In August, feeding should be stopped so that the plants have time to prepare for winter.
If frosts in a given area are not stronger than -25 ° C, then shelters for paniculate and tree hydrangeas are not necessary. Even when severely frozen during an unexpected cold snap, these species easily recover. Other hydrangeas (serrate, oakleaf, garden) require a light cover of straw or spruce branches. If the bush is very tall, and it is impossible to bend it to the ground in preparation for winter, then the branches should be pulled together, wrapped with covering material around the bush and tied to stakes driven in nearby so that it is not broken by a strong wind.
When summer comes again, the bushes, preserved from frost and properly pruned, will bloom, filling the garden with cream, pink, and white flowers. Winter-hardy, unpretentious species require virtually no care if planted in suitable place. The value of perennial flowering plants lies in their constant decorativeness and the absence of annual hassle when planting. Compositions using them can solve the problem of designing a site for many years.
