CHOOSING THE RIGHT TYPE OF HYDRANGEA
At Knippel garden centre, we have 4 types of hydrangeas available to gardeners, but each have very different characteristics and landscape needs. When choosing hydrangeas it is important to consider the three following questions:
- What light and soil types does this garden have?
- What is this hydrangeas' job in the landscape?
- What mood is this garden creating?
Meeting the sunlight and temperature requirements of your hydrangeas are important steps in creating a healthy garden. In the right space, hydrangeas are incredibly low maintenance.
| Shade Tolerant hydrangeas | Sun-Loving Hydrangeas | Heat Tolerant Hydrangeas |
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Hydrangeas that prefer shade still need some sunlight. The best light would be morning sun or dappled sun throughout the day. These hydrangeas perform better in cooler environments that are protected from harsh heat, their petals are more sensitive to being burnt in the sunlight than other hydrangea varieties. Check out these hydrangeas for your shade garden: |
Most hydrangeas love the sunlight. Sun helps hydrangea blooms reach a deeper shade of pink or red in the fall. If your garden gets too hot, you may notice that your hydrangeas need more water, or may get brown spots on their leaves from sunburns. Check out these hydrangeas for a sunny garden: |
These are hydrangeas that can perform in hot, sunny spots with little to no shade. Heat can be caused from direct sun exposure, reflections off of windows or cars, or even through garden materials like riverstone mulching or gravel gardens. Check out these heat-tolerant hydrangeas: |
Hydrangeas are naturally a floral focal point in the garden. Their colourful, robust blooms draw attention towards them. Hydrangeas can be used to add height to a landscape, they can be used to illustrate a more structured garden through creating density, or they can be used to layer and edge along gardenscapes. It is always important to ask what the purpose of your hydrangea is. See the gardens below...
Purpose: To create vertical space
By using a standard hydrangea (or hydrangea tree), this garden appears to take up more vertical space and emphasize the contrast between the dense evergreen foliage and the wispy grass texture. The hydrangeas purpose in this garden is more likely to be a focal point in the garden as it's height draws attention away from the dense textures around it.
Purpose: to establish the garden's horizon
In the same garden as above, this hydrangea shrub lowers the garden space and transitions the contrast between dense evergreens and soft grasses. This garden layout allows the hydrangea to draw focus towards the dense evergreens and sprawling shape of the groundcover. This garden design is more likely to be used when framing other parts of the landscape since the hydrangea's structure is compact enough as to not interfere with structures like windows, porch railings, or landscape ornaments.
Purpose: To draw attention to the hydrangea
While this garden has a different mood than the last two, it is clear that the hydrangea's purpose is to be the star of the show. The colours and textures surrounding the hydrangea have been balanced while not being too overpowering to distract from the brightly contrasted blooms. Using larger hydrangea varieties like the Limelight (as photographed), your garden can meet different layers between groundcover and evergreen peaks.
The final step towards creating a unique hydrangea garden is to establish the mood. A lot of gardeners say they don't like hydrangeas because everyone has one, or that their garden doesn't feel unique with such a popular shrub. By taking a look at the images below, you can see that even with the same hydrangeas and framing plants, the two gardens have completely different personalities.
START WITH A BASE.
At first glance, there is not much to write about this garden. It is a lot of dense foliage, there is some contrast in colour but not in a way that depicts a mood. This garden, as is, appears to be unfinished.
MOOD: GOTHIC GLAMOUR
Characterized the the deep, cool, purple tones, rich scarlet jewel colours and excellent contrast of sharp and soft textures, this garden has a unique, dark, moody attitude.
In this garden, the hydrangeas are used to contrast the deep purple foliage that would otherwise blend into one another. The Hydrangea tree compliments the height of the juniper tree through creating a top-heavy texture that contrasts the density of the lower gardenscape.
Note, that as summer turns to fall, the Little Lime Punch hydrangeas, used to initially create white contrast, will mature into deep pinks and rich red flower heads. Their foliage turns chartreuse to continue to contrast the deep purple and green tones of it's companion plants.
MOOD: HAPPY GO LUCKY
Believe it or not, this garden still has the same structural elements as the base plan and Gothic Glamour.
The chartreuse foliage and warm yellow blooms create a prairie-like garden atmosphere with light, calm textures. The low-lying Little Lime Punch hydrangeas establish a horizon for the lower gardenscape while the standard hydrangea tree softens the transition in heights between the shed, the juniper, and the lower garden scape. The dense hydrangea blooms contrast the wispy Porcupine Grass and billowing helianthus which soften the gardenscape.
In these gardens, the hydrangeas have similar purposes but each garden has its' own mood to reflect that of their gardener. The only question left to ask is what mood will your hydrangea garden have?