Few shrubs have the same dramatic impact as hydrangeas in the garden. Their spectacular flowers can change a garden from ordinary to something magnificent, giving you colours throughout summer and into fall.
When selecting your plant, it is wise to source from knowledgeable specialists. The Plant Company has a lot of information on the plants and how to take care of them. They give nice growing advice and point out the most popular choices so that gardeners can refer to the right hydrangea that will grow in their conditions. Their skills transform the dream of a beautiful garden into a reality.
Bigleaf Hydrangeas: The Classic Choice
Also referred to as mopheads or French hydrangeas, they are the most familiar ones. They are famous for their large, rounded flower clusters that can shift in colour from pink to blue based on your soil’s acidity.
- Blooms on: Primarily old wood, but newer kinds bloom on old and new wood.
- Best for: Gardeners in milder climates who want that classic, dramatic summer colour.
- Popular Picks: Endless Summer, ‘Nikko Blue’.
- Panicle Hydrangeas: The Sun-Loving Hardy Ones
Panicle hydrangeas are tough plants that take a sunny location. These are the hardiest kind of all, and their flower is beautiful, white or blushed pink, in the shape of a cone.
- Blooms on: New wood, making them incredibly forgiving when it comes to pruning.
- Best for: Cold climates and consistent flowers under full sunlight.
- Popular Picks: ‘Limelight’, ‘Pinky Winky’, and the compact ‘Bobo’.
- Smooth Hydrangeas: The Cold-Climate Native.
They are native to eastern North America and are extremely cold-hardy, with huge snowball-like flowers. A low-maintenance selection for summer colour.
- Blooms on: New wood, to allow it to be cut fairly hard in late winter.
- Best for: Making a great impression in colder areas with little effort.
- Popular Picks: The giant-flowered ‘Incrediball’ and the classic, beloved ‘Annabelle’.
Oakleaf Hydrangeas: For Four-Season Interest
This type is an all-time favourite due to spectacular oak-shaped leaves, which become a fantastic display of orange, red, and burgundy in the fall. Its white flower cones turn to a light pink or rose.
- Blooms on: Maturing wood, so prune sparingly after flowering.
- Best for: Bringing multi-season beauty to woodland gardens or naturalized areas.
- Popular Picks: ‘Ruby Slippers, Gatsby Moon about, the smaller Pee Wee.
Climbing Hydrangeas: The Shady Vertical Cover
This vigorous vine is a fantastic solution for a shady wall or fence. It clings to surfaces and produces elegant, lacy white flowers. It is slow to establish but worth the wait.
- Blooms on: Old wood.
- Best for: Adding beautiful height and coverage to deeply shaded vertical spaces.
- Popular Picks: The species itself is a great choice, along with the variegated ‘Miranda’.
- Mountain Hydrangeas: The Compact Cousin.
Like a bigleaf hydrangea, yet usually smaller and a little more resilient, mountain hydrangeas are suited to small gardens or planting in containers. They feature delicate lacecap flowers.
- Blooms on: Old wood.
- Best for: Gardeners who love the bigleaf look but need a smaller, tougher plant.
- Popular Picks: The reblooming ‘Tuff Stuff™’ and the lovely ‘Blue Billow’.
Armed with this guide on the main differences between hydrangea varieties, you should have a good idea of the type to pick that will give you pleasure several years down the road.
