Our Favorite Flower

Southern Living, Spring 2004 by Bussell, Gene B

The South's most beautiful blossom just got better. This hydrangea blooms all summer.

If you've often wished for big blue hydrangeas that keep blooming for months, your dream has finally come true. With the introduction of 'Endless Summer' French hydrangea, you can enjoy handfuls of flowers well into autumn.

Keeps on Blooming

So how does it continue to flower? What makes it different? Well, it's still the same French hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) you grew up with and love, but with an important twist. You no longer need to worry about when is the right or wrong time to prune. It blooms on both old (last year's growth) and new wood. As a bonus, you don't need to be concerned about hard freezes. It's very tolerant of cold weather, so you can grow this selection in the Upper South, and it will still bloom.

What Color?

Have you ever noticed that French hydrangeas can be pink, blue, or sometimes a little of both? Your hydrangeas are broadcasting a message about your soil. Blue flowers mean your soil is acid, and pink ones mean it's alkaline.

To make pink hydrangeas turn blue, mix 4 tablespoons of aluminum sulfate into a gallon of water, and pour the mixture around the base of established plants. Repeat this process again in three weeks. Now you just have to wait a year. It's not easy turning blue.

Gardeners who already have blue hydrangeas but crave pink can add 3 to 4 cups of lime around the base of each plant. Repeat this process again in several months. With just a little patience, you will soon be in the pink.

For the few souls who do not want pink or blue hydrangeas, 'Madame Emile Mouillere' and 'SisterTheresa' flowers remain white.

Easy Arrangements

Hydrangeas make great cut flowers. Use blossoms of the same color together for simple bouquets. You can add foliage from your garden to complement them. Good choices include fern fronds, hosta leaves, or Solomon's seal (Polygonatum biflorum) stems. just remember to pick only one plant to mix with your flowers to avoid overpowering the blooms.

So your dreams of bountiful blossoms can come true. Head to the garden center, and pick up an 'Endless Summer' French hydrangea for a season full of flowers. GENE B. BUSSELL

'ENDLESS SUMMER' FRENCH HYDRANGEA

At a Glance

Flowers: large globe-shaped blooms that can be shades of blue or pink, depending on the soil pH

Light: Grows best in partial shade to full sun. In the Upper South, it can take more sun.

Foliage: deciduous

Soil: Rich, well drained. Add organic matter, such as peat, chopped leaves, or composted manure at planting. Mulch to keep roots cool.