Hydrangea macrophylla can be persuaded to change to pink if you apply dolmitic lime and blue if you add aluminum sulfate. Right: ‘Endless Summer’ can be grown fairly reliably in zone 3 as it blooms on both old and new wood.


in the traditional pink and blue forms that can be affected by changes to soil composition. Add aluminum sulfate for blue flowers and dolomitic lime for pink. You cannot change the colour of the white flowers. One way to tell if your hydrangea is a


macrophylla is to look at the leaves: H. macrophylla has big leafs on short peti- oles (stems) holding them closely to the main stem or branch, and the leaves are toothy, somewhat shiny, heart-shaped and rough to the touch. Gardeners in higher zones will be


familiar with many other varieties of macrophylla which fade to an amazing variety of colours.


Hydrangea paniculata Hydrangea paniculata is blessed with


small leaves and cone-shaped flowers. It can come in white, pink or green, as in 'Limelight'. The pinks can be mixed with white


and can occur in the palest shades to almost red, as in 'Pinky Winky'. 'Vanilla Strawberry' (zones 4 to 8) is stunning. Another


very large www.localgardener.net plant, these


hydrangeas can grow eight to 10 feet tall. They can tolerate heat and drought better than their big-leaf cousins.


Hydrangea quercifolia The oak-leaf hydrangea, H. quercifo-


lia, is renowned for its spectacular oak- shaped leaves that turn orange, deep red and burgundy in the fall. It is another native to the United States and appreci- ates a sandy, well-drained soil. It is not as big as its cousins, but it


makes a definite statement. The flowers are often white, but can flare into pink.


Schizofragma hydrangeoides, a so-called climbing hydrangea,


Climbing hydrangea is


not a real


hydrangea. Schizofragma is from Japan and climbs to about 12 metres in its native habitat but will reach about six metres out of its element. It has pretty flat-topped, lace cap-type flowers bear- ing a honey scent. Hydrangea petiolaris is the true climb-


ing hydrangea, H. petiolaris, is hardy in zones 4 to 8 and enjoys part to full shade. It creates a wonderful wall of flower and scent. V


but beautiful Bone dry Cut hydrangeas for drying when


they are slightly past their prime and put them in a vase containing water. Leave them to dry out naturally. It is said that they will hold their


colour and shape better if dried in this way. If you are a real fuss budget, you


can dry them in silicone gel, a pains- taking but effective procedure.


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