How To Grow Hydrangeas – Creating a Hydrangea Hedge

http://picketfencebaking.com/online-cake-decorating-classes/.png

You may or may not have seen an abundance of hydrangeas in your local garden centre or nursery at this time of year. And you may or may not have noticed that they are going for an absolute STEAL!

They may look a little on the battered side or a wee bit faded but I have noticed that many places are selling them off for a price that is remarkably lower than the one they wore in the summertime.

Why is this a good thing?

This is a good thing for two reasons -

Because it means that you get a great flowering plant for a knockdown price.
The second reason that this is a good thing is because NOW is the perfect time to plant them if you would like an established hydrangea bush or, in my case, hedge for next summer.

Let’s begin at the beginning -

I have a thing about hedges. Not box hedges or privet hedges. Not even yew or beech hedges.
No.
Hedges that are made out of things that you wouldn’t normally think of as a hedge. THAT is what I like my hedges to be made from. Hydrangeas, roses, rosemary, lavender, salvia, clary sage et al….

With this obsession in mind I set about creating a hedge of hydrangeas along the fence you see above. I used two varieties - King George and Madame Emile Mouillere, white and pink flowers respectively.

I prepared the soil by weeding it, digging it over to aerate, adding some compost and giving it a good soaking.

I then placed the plants, still in their pots, into the position I wanted to plant them. One white, one pink etc….

I dug a hole roughly twice the size of the pot. When the hole was big enough I teased the plant from its pot and set it down gently in its new place.

I gave the plant’s rootball a good soaking as it had gotten a bit dry since I’d bought it home from the local village nursery.

I filled the space around the plant with the soil and compost that I had used to make the hole and filled in all around the plant and the root ball. Pressing firmly but GENTLY, ensuring it was packed in and safe.

And there is the start of my hedge.

These plants are approximately one year old, leggy but not falling over and they all still have flowers on them. If you decide to create a hedge or even just plant a hydrangea at this time of year then for goodness sake LEAVE THE FLOWERS ON.

Why?

Well you’ll notice that the plant has some new buds peeking through on some of the stems and the flowers that are in place will give extra protection to the little ones as the winter and frosts set in. Next year you can whip the flowers off and dry them, I promise!!

Planting them at this time of year means that you’ll be able to enjoy some delicious colours at the leaves turn.

And if the weather holds out the way it has, the flowers won’t be going anywhere in a hurry.

The chances are these plants may just grow too big for the space that I have allowed for them. If they do get too big for this spot I’ll take you through how I transplant them. But if you’re looking to transplant at the moment then WAIT! Do it when the plant is dormant in the Winter and early Spring.

See you a bit later!

I’m off to have my photo taken.

Cherry x

Feel free to add me to your links list. Here it is ! - http://www.cherrymenlove.com/