Hydrangea Flower
Blue Hydrangeas by the Laundry
On the way to the washing line from the back door you'll pass through the Laundry Garden. A blue hydrangea was well established here in this dry spot when I first came to Mooseys. Plants, like gardeners, have to be tough in the country...
Sneaky Watering
The Laundry Garden was built up with small stone retaining walls - I suspect there would have been a lot of sneaky watering in those early days.
This shrub has had a rather nice life, being at the edge of a thoroughfare. It's always admired and appreciated, and beautiful blue summer flowers are picked for the house.
'Doing' the Hydrangeas...
Unlike some of my other hydrangeas it's not crowded out by competitors, and has the room to flower brilliantly. And as for pruning - I won't prune until early spring, hoping that the big frosts are over.
It's always a topic of serious discussion amongst the Garden Club ladies - when exactly to 'do' the hydrangeas! I remember reading local pruning advice in a newspaper years ago. It makes sense to me - local wisdom works.
hydrangea flower close-up
I love the range of colours on these hydrangeas in the Autumn - from blue through wine reds to purples - and finally brown. What a generous shrub to feature for so many months.
Autumn Hydrangea Flowers