Fun Facts about Hydrangeas

My son and daughter in law have a Bernedoodle.  I know nothing about dogs, but I have learned that Bernedoodles have no purpose in life except to please.  They please their owners, yes, but also please anyone that comes across their paths.  Bernedoodles don’t herd, don’t guard, don’t hunt and don’t chase.  They just exist to please.

Much like Hydrangeas. 

Hydrangeas don’t feed the birds, don’t provide shade, don’t bear fruit, don’t have fall colour, and don’t give off fragrance.  They just exist to please.  Hydrangeas are the gardener’s finest eye candy. 

Even Hydrangeas’ names are a hoot.  Aside from their enjoying their flowers, who would not want to plant a ‘Wee bit Grumpy’, ‘Wee bit Giddy’, ‘Bobo’, ‘Litte Lime Punch’, ‘Incrediball’, or ‘Let’s Dance’ in their garden.

The original roots of Hydrangeas date back to Japan, and were introduced to Europe a few hundred years ago.  The Dutch, always famous for horticulture, led the quest for more varieties with more colours.  When the Europeans immigrated to North America they took their love of Hydrangeas with them. 

It was just before the turn of the last century that nursery growers and horticulturists began to recognize the vast potential of Hydrangeas.  As a result of their efforts, we now enjoy a proliferation of Hydrangeas with new varieties too numerous to count.  The standard white Hydrangeas still exist, but are now outvoted with types that bloom louder, longer, and littler. 

White continues to be the dominant colour of Hydrangeas, and for good reason.  White is the colour of purity and grace, and second to green, is nature’s neutral.  In the Hydrangea world, blue signifies gratitude and understanding, purple exudes royalty and pride, while pink evokes feelings of romance, warmth, and positive emotions. 

Colours of Hydrangeas are determined by soil acidity or pH levels.  While some Hydrangeas will always remain solidly white, the Big Leaf or Mophead varieties will often sway depending on soil acidity. Lowest pH will be blue, and as acidity decreases, will turn purple, white and pink as pH reaches the neutral zone. 

Hydrangeas love to drink, as is evidenced by the summer of 2023, one of Southwestern Ontario’s wettest on record.  They don’t want to be waterlogged in soggy clay soil, but like gardens that are rich and well drained.  A layer of shredded wood mulch over their root zone will keep Hydrangeas happy.

Hydrangeas typically boom in June, July and August, making them winners in the landscape.  While most flowering shrubs bloom for a few weeks in spring, Hydrangeas will flower for a few months in summer, when folks are enjoying the great outdoors. 

Eastern Canada is more in love with Hydrangeas than Western Canada.  My son, who works horticulture for the City of Richmond tells me that the Vancouver area is too dry for Hydrangeas to thrive. 

In the past, Hydrangeas were large growing white shrubs destined for the shade garden.  Today’s Hydrangeas are smaller, brighter, more versatile and longer lasting than ever before.  They run the full gamut of colour from white to blue, and range in size from 18 inches for small gardens to 8 feet for the rear of large shrub borders. 

Hydrangeas will easily grow with little guidance from their gardening guardians.  But they will do better with moisture, mulch, food, and an annual pruning.  Knowing when and how to prune is a bit confusing, but if you know your Hydrangea’s variety, a quick internet search will give you the answer.