Monday, June 1, 2015

Hydrangea Explosion

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These are not Limelight hydrangeas, the variety I planted this year. My two bushes were just bare sticks with not much greenery when I planted them almost a month ago but now they are covered with lots of vigorous new growth and are thriving in the front and the back yards. I don't know if mine will bloom this year but they are on their way to becoming large bushes and I am thrilled. I have watered them daily and really babied them while they were in shock after being potbound. My plants were last year's stock and their roots were really packed. I untangled them and fed them lots of blue water almost daily. I followed my grandmother's advice too. She always said to plant a 50 cent plant in a $5.00 hole. The holes I dug were wide and deep and full of big rocks that I had to remove with my pickaxe. If you put in the effort when you plant something you will almost be guaranteed that you will have a successful growth. I mulched my plants too with wood chips to hold in the moisture. These plants are supposed to bloom on new growth so I am hopeful mine will too. Fingers crossed. I'm sure they are enjoying the rainy weather we had yesterday and last night with more on the way. Here is a very exciting HGTV article about Limelight Hydrangeas. Now I have high hopes that mine will bloom this year. I'm so glad I have them.

10 comments:

lindaroo said...

I loved the varieties and generosities of hydrangeas on Cape Cod when we visited two years ago. I can imagine how lovely these will be around your home!

debra @ 5th and state said...

think these are hydrangea arborescens annabelle or incredible. limelights are paniculata's which means pointed cone flower heads. wonder which you planted?
thanks for the daily loveliness!
debra

Content in a Cottage said...

Debra...I definitely planted Limelight. I saved the tag. Smile. Thanks for the botany lesson. I didn't realize my future blooms will be pointed but that pleases me immensely. Now I really can't wait. I actually went shopping for Snowflake but the nursery didn't have any. That is my next planned purchase!
xo, Rosemary

Catherine said...

They look like they are screaming...Let me out!!! Mean old fence.

Lady Jane said...

I love the white hydrangeas. So picture perfect.

Karen said...

I didn't realize limelight is pointy...the annebelle is beautiful too. Hydrangea don't thrive in our soil. I still plant them with optimism that somehow they will be different in my yard! :-)
xo,
Karen

Content in a Cottage said...

Karen....You should dig some decayed leaves, sand, and other organic matter into the soil before planting, They like loamy soil. I figured the wood chips would be good for mine as they rot. I do not have loamy soil but the Lacecap I have is doing wonderfully well and the 2 new Limelights seem to be thriving too. The daily dose of blue water (Miracle Gro Plant Food) when they are getting established helps also. The tag said to put time release fertilizer in the soil when planting but I didn't have any.
Good Luck.
xo, Rosemary

The Queen Vee said...

I love all varieties of hydrangeas. I will miss them greatly when we move West next summer as they will not grow where we will be living. :-(

Anonymous said...

I, too, love hydrangeas, with my favorites being the oak leaf versions. Our current house has a dwarf with white flowers. For our new, in-progress Dutch colonial, I hope to plant dwarf hydrangeas with pink/red flowers! They would complement the color of our stone foundation.

Content in a Cottage said...

redbirdv...
The snowflake hydrangea I went looking for is the oakleaf with double blooms. I still want one but all in all from what I've read, I think I am going to be very happy with Limelight. It comes in a dwarf version too. You should look it up. In the summer the upright pointed blooms are light green and then they turn to cream. In the fall they turn to shades of pink to red. They sound perfect for your new Dutch colonial that sounds wonderful.
xo, Rosemary