The Hydrangea Plant
Five Favorites For Lots of Flowers

I love the hydrangea plant and here are some that I have grown and absolutely love. They will make you smile with flowers throughout the season...they have an extremely long period of bloom!

Choose from blue, pink or white Hydrangea flowers and plants that are definitely winners.

Just one note before I get to the good stuff. The most foolproof Hydrangea are those that bloom on new wood, or old and new wood both. That way if there is a frost and the old wood is damaged, you will still be sure to have flowers that coming summer.

Which one is the best Hydrangea plant? I don't know...they are all great and you won't be disappointed with any of them.

Forever and Ever Hydrangea 'Blue Heaven'

Forever and Ever Hydrangea - Magnificent Blue Flowers

I was looking for some Hydrangea to really spark up my planting bed along my fence, which gets quite a bit of shade. The Hydrangea flower is so enchanting due to its color and size...some get huge! The nursery I went to had lots of different kinds, but when I saw these, I fell in love...if you can fall in love with a plant.

They were in flower and they were so blue...absolutely beautiful! I bought three of them and planted them in my garden.

Well, I have to tell you this Hydrangea plant bloomed from mid summer to mid to late fall. The blue color stayed for quite awhile and eventually they started turning into a blue-pink color...also very pretty. Actually another color range was a nice change and a nice surprise.

As a new plant they needed some extra water, but if they looked thirsty, after a drink they perked right up. I love these plants. I want to get more, but by the time I decided they were sold out. This coming year I will get more for sure.

Forever and Ever Hydrangea plant gets to be about 3 to 4 feet tall and wide.

Plant Zone: 5-9
Flowering Period: Early to midsummer until frost
Plant Size: Up to 4 feet wide by 3 feet high
Light Needs: Does best in partial shade (morning sun, afternoon shade)
General Fertilizer (without concern of changing flower color): Controlled release fertilizer (10-10-10) is recommended in spring
Pest Issues: Generally pest free

Endless Summer Hydrangea

Endless Summer Hydrangea flowers can be blue or pink.

I don't have these but my Mom does so I get to see them a lot. Also a great and long blooming Hydrangea, very similar to Forever and Ever. They also get to be about 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. As with most Hydrangea, you can get them to bloom pink or blue depending on the acidity of the soil. I always forget how to do this so I finally made a note of it.

For blue Hydrangea do the following:

Add aluminum sulphate - 1/2 oz or one tablespoon per gallon of water.
Water the plants well before you apply so that you do not burn the roots.
Apply when you first start to see the flower buds.
Apply throughout the growing season.

Plant Zone: 4-9
Flowering Period: Early to midsummer until frost
Plant Size: 3 to 4 feet high and wide
Light Needs: Partial sun
General Fertilizer (without concern of changing flower color): Controlled release fertilizer (10-10-10) is recommended in spring
Pest Issues: Generally pest free

Limelight Hydrangea

Limelight Hydrangea at the start of the season.

I needed a taller Hydrangea plant because I wanted to block out a view. Of course I could have used some privacy shrubs, but I loved flowers in the summer and really didn't need the screening in the winter. It was my choice of a trade off and sometimes this is the best thing to do to really get great color in the spring, summer and fall. I knew about Limelight and happily discovered it at the same garden center. As you can tell they have great plants there.

Limelight Hydrangea as seen taller than Forever and Ever.

I bought a few of these and they also made me smile all summer long. The flowers of this Hydrangea plant start off as white with a hint of green. As time goes on they turn all white and then at the end of the summer they turn a beautiful coppery pink! If you need some plants taller than Endless Summer or Forever and Ever Hydrangea, Little Lamb is a great choice.

Plant Zone: 3-8
Flowering Period: Early to midsummer until frost
Plant Size: 6 to 10 feet high and up to 6 feet wide (can space closer)
Light Needs: Partial sun

Annabelle Hydrangea

Annabelle Hydrangea in full bloom.

I grew this Hydrangea a few years ago in another house. It has white flowers, blooms on new wood and provides very pretty flowers a good part of the season. One of the advantages of this Hydrangea is that it will take more sun than the others.

Be careful with any of these plants as the deer love them. I forgot to use a deer spray on my Annabelle once. I went away for a few days and when I returned I was horrified! All the flowers of my Annabelle Hydrangea plant had been eaten. If you have a deer problem, use one of the deer sprays in the right way.

Plant Zone: 4A-9A
Flowering Period: Early to midsummer until frost
Plant Size: 3 to 5 feet high and wide
Light Needs: Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Climbing Hydrangea

Beautiful Climbing Hydrangea creates a beautiful vine. Foliage is almost heart shaped. It does lose its leaves in the winter, but a pretty rusty vining bark remains adding interest.

Flowers are not as showy as othe Hydrangea, but till attractive!