Here's an early Sunday morning photo of the whole bush that was only sticks less than 12 inches tall when I planted it in early May this year. The pot I purchased at a local nursery turned out to be two bushes so I divided them, one for the front and one for the back. The one in the back shown here got less deer damage and that surprises me. The one in the front is close to the road and I have never seen deer in that area. Who knows what happens when you are sleeping, right?
A friend sent me a photo of hers at her vacation home in Stockbridge, MA. It's at least 10 years old and it's huge.
Her photo makes me reconsider the placement of my shrub. If they like where they are planted they can reach for the sky. Of course, you can control the size by pruning in late fall or early spring.
3 comments:
Do you know what kind of root structure this hydrangea variety has? A neighbor once told me that she had tried to dig up a hydrangea that had been planted very close to a patio fence and had found the roots to go very deep (hence, very difficult to dig up). Since you are having second thoughts about the placement of yours, now might be a good time to make a move, rather than trying it years down the road. I like the one which appears rather large but you might not want that one too close to a brick wall or your house structure. Groups of three are always nice. Bear in mind that these comments are coming from someone who is definitely not a Master Gardener. :-) I rely on a best friend who is a MG when I need gardening tips (and she enjoys your blog also).
JudyMac....Thanks for your suggestion. I might plant two more, one on either side of this one. I will keep them on the low side with pruning. This brick wall was always a hard place to mow because there is a low wooden deck next to it that projects farther than the wall. There is a flagstone on the top of the wall that is discolored and broken. I was trying to hide that flaw with the placement of this shrub and it's working. I will let the one in the front near the road get as tall as it wants. The flowers will turn to shades of pink and burgundy in the fall and they will be beautiful. I hope some new blossoms will appear so I can have some cut flowers in the house. Enjoy your Sunday. xo, Rosemary
Yes, definitely move it!! It's way too close to the wall. When planting anything be sure to take into consideration the mature size and draw a visual line (or with a hose) to allow it room to grow...and they spread with new stalks, too. Also double check the one by the road to be sure it won't impede traffic. I thought I'd allowed plenty of room for my lilacs alongside the garage but when they finally got adjusted after a few years took off and are too big for the area now...and too big to move...and I don't have the heart to prune them, especially as that will promote more stems...so I may need to remove the brick walk and let them run rampant. So be sure to calculate the mature size and spreading size when selecting a site for your hydrangeas.
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