Fancy a summer garden full of flowers and cheerfulness? Then consider hydrangeas. They fit in both large and small (urban) gardens. You can easily brighten up both dark shadow corners and sunny spots with these gigantic bloomers. Keep in mind the number of hours of sunshine per day. The Annabelle hydrangea provides a good portion of summer in a spot in the (semi) shade. Do you have a sun-filled garden? Then there are alternatives such as panicle hydrangeas. And once you have them in your garden, you will bloom into summer every year! Garden hydrangeas in all kinds of colors and shapes will be widely available from May at garden centers, florists and online.
Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'
Annabelle:it will be nothing without you….
Singer Hans de Booij scored a big hit with it in the summer of 1983 and in 2021 'Annabelle' will again be a summer hit… in the garden! Indeed, it would be nothing without this hydrangea in the garden. The Annabelle ensures that dark shadow corners are greatly brightened up. You can recognize Annabelle (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle') by the umbels with more than a hundred small, white flowers. Because this hydrangea easily produces dozens of flower heads, there is a real snowball effect in the summer. The Annabelle produces flower umbels on every branch. This means that you can easily prune this hydrangea to the desired height in the spring. Annabelle prefers a spot with some shade. A whole day in the bright sun can cause the flowers to turn brown. Then cut away the flower heads and there is a good chance that a second bloom will follow! There are now also pink Annabells.
Hydrangea paniculata
Sheep's head
Do you have a garden in full sun? Then the panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) is ideal. The plant is also popularly referred to as sheep's head in reference to the pointed flower heads. Of all hydrangeas, the panicle hydrangeas are most popular with butterflies, honeybees and other pollinators. Plume hydrangeas can withstand somewhat drier conditions. That is why they are also very suitable for use in pots and planters. Ideal for the city garden, patio, balcony or terrace. The first flowers appear from the end of June. Like Annabelle, the panicle hydrangea blooms on every branch. In the spring you can prune it to the desired shape. There are varieties with white, pink or lime-colored flowers.
Color
For those who want to enjoy color in the summer… there are many different hydrangeas. How about bright pink, bright blue, deep purple, fire red or apple green varieties? You can plant these, as well as hydrangeas in pastel shades, in the garden in May and June. Or put them in pots for the balcony or terrace and combine them with herbal plants:color and scent!
Tips
The plant label contains various symbols, including a black (shadow), black and white (partial shade) or white sun (full sun). This way you know exactly which hydrangea is suitable for your garden. Annabelle, panicle hydrangea and all other hydrangeas like a good sip of water. Is the plant thirsty? The hydrangea will then look a bit limp. After swallowing a bucket of water, she is soon beaming again. Use special hydrangea soil when planting and provide nutrients during the summer months. This way you have a strong plant that continues to bloom for an extra long time and exuberantly.
Photo credit:Hydrangeaworld
