Fredericksburg, VA on Jun 20, 2012

MY HYDRANGEAS

I have 3 different Hydrangea bushes. The first one is by our deck steps - it's probably 6 years old now and this is the first year it's really had prolific blooms. This was also a "potted plant" that my late mother-in-law received as a gift when she was in a nursing home. I believe I read somewhere in a post by Doug Hunt that usually these don't do very well as a garden plant. I guess I lucked out with this one and I have something special from my husband's Mother. The blooms are HUGE and a very deep blue.

20 Comments

Steve G Fort Collins, CO

Your cat looks hypnotized. Did the owls put a curse on her?

on Jun 21, 2012 · Like 0
Susan S Fredericksburg, VA

LOLLLLLL!!! I think maybe she's trying to hypnotize SOMETHING!! Look deep into my
eyes . . . . . ;~)

on Jun 21, 2012 · Like 0
Douglas Hunt New Smyrna Beach, FL

Susan, this is one time I am happy to be wrong!

on Jun 21, 2012 · Like 2
Erica Glasener Atlanta, GA

Keep up whatever you are doing, they look great!

on Jun 21, 2012 · Like 2
Nancy Q Powhatan, VA

I have two hydrangeas and they are now huge. I cut them back this year but they are falling over with blooms. One was a transplant and the other was a potted gift from my husband years ago during a stay in the hospital. I was told the same thing about the potted one but it lived and we have terrible dirt (can't call it soil!)

on Jun 21, 2012 · Like 1
Susan S Fredericksburg, VA

@Nancy Q - oh yeah, isn't our Virginia soil just THE pits?? Also, when our community was built, all the contractors just graded all the top soil off so it has been a major challenge to get grass to grow and of course any flower beds have to have tons of soil amendments added!! Geez :~ (
Thank you Doug & Erica. Doug, I think I just got lucky and this is the first year it's really produced large luxurious blooms. I was thinking I might need to move it as it's tucked in beside ...»
our deck steps and get's a lot of shade but now. . . .thinki I'll just leave it alone. IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT, right???

on Jun 21, 2012 · Like 1
Dee W Rock Creek, OH

They are beautiful Susan. My favorite plants were either given as gifts, cast-offs from friends garden divisions or memorial plants.

on Jun 21, 2012 · Like 1
Erica F Lynchburg, VA

Very beautiful, I love hydrangeas. My parents recently extended their deck and had to relocate their hydrangeas and gave me a large division off of one of their existing plants during that process.
It's currently potted and doing well, but I am only leaving it in there until I can figure out where to put it in our yard.
I hope one day mine will look as lovely as yours.

on Jun 21, 2012 · Like 1
Diane B Dublin, GA

What ever the soil is giving them and what ever you are doing is spot on. Beware...hydrangeas can be addictive and captivating. They are soooooo beautiful! (love the cat too)

on Jun 22, 2012 · Like 1
Becky H Tampa, FL

Your hydrangeas are vigorous and gorgeous! While in Lowe's yesterday, I passed by a stand of "fertilizer for acid loving plants" and the picture they had on the package was blue hydrangeas. I had to chuckle to myself, recalling all the discussions on HT about them. Susan, if you feel you have poor growing soil, you should see what Naples, Fla. has to offer. We lived there for a few years, and of course, the first thing I began doing once there was landscaping. That entire area was ...»
built on coral rock; every where I'd dig, I had to pull large rocks out of the sand. Thank goodness I had bags Black Cow and top soil to bring the soil level up, filling each hole. But, those aides also translated to vigorous plant growth. My plants there grew to mature sizes within one year, and my neighbors marveled..........to the point, they inquired of me what I did to accomplish that. Our home sat on a large boulder stretching completely below the expanse of the foundation. Was I ever glad when we moved to Tampa; it was the first time in years I'd seen black soil and earthworms.

on Jun 22, 2012 · Like 2
Jeanette S Atlanta, GA

The same thing happened to me...one my daughter gave me for Mother's Day was kept in a pot for years and after being put in the ground this spring, it has really strutted its stuff! They grow beautifully in Atlanta and from the comments here, the obviously do in VA too! Good luck!

on Jun 22, 2012 · Like 1
Susan S Fredericksburg, VA

Oh I just feel sooo warm 'n fuzzy ALL OVER!!! I swear I cannot claim any responsibility for how the Hydrangeas turned out this year. Didn't really do nuthin'. I did dump a bunch of coffee grounds (acidity) around them last night but since they're already well into doing their thing I don't know if that will have any effect whatsoever. Maybe on some of the blooms that haven't opened yet. It's an ongoing process of trial & error. ...»

Thanks everyone for your encouragement & compliments!! ;~)
@Becky - OH - you didn't know I gave the fertilizer co. permission to use my Hydrangea pic??? Oh yeah, I WISH - I'd probably have a few extra $$$ for royalties or something!!

on Jun 22, 2012 · Like 1
Sherrie S Debary, FL

Susan S, I am so impressed with your beautiful hydrangeas. You shouldn't complain about your soil. How would you like to plant in a sandbox?

on Jun 22, 2012 · Like 1
Susan S Fredericksburg, VA

Well, I wouldn't but I'll bet Miss Cleo would love it!!! The major problem we have is brick hard red clay and grass simply refuses to grow but weeds proliferate!! Oh yeah - and voles have eaten all our azaela's so I'm gonna have to get an Owl too. Cleo tries but it's more sport to her!!

on Jun 22, 2012 · Like 1
Sherrie S Debary, FL

Susan, has your mail been delivered today? You are so busy on Hometalk you cannot be standing at your mailbox as agreed.

on Jun 22, 2012 · Like 1
Susan S Fredericksburg, VA

Sherrie - FYI - I practically got whiplash from checking to see if it was the mail truck every time I heard a vehicle today. I have a clear view and I was out there before our delivery person got to the next house!! Yes, the package in question arrived (GO CHECK YOUR EMAIL DEAR) . My g'daughter had custody of the computer this afternoon, then a friend stopped by, then it was dinner time yadda yadda yadda!!!!!

on Jun 22, 2012 · Like 0
Renee Lufkin, TX

Your hydrangeas are beautiful!..I have never had any luck with them, but yours are gorgeous!

on Aug 05, 2012 · Like 1
Susan S Fredericksburg, VA

Thank you Renee! Sadly, by now they're pretty much done for the summer. As I said earlier, I can't claim any responsibility for them looking so good - I guess it was just their time and I'm not complaining. It does sorta seem like they have to be very well established and have some age before they really do their thing. We'll see what happens next year!!

on Aug 05, 2012 · Like 0
Sharron W Memphis, TN

My Hydrangeas are about 15 years old and have been moved three times...LOL I think they may be where they are going to stay...since they have just thrived in the new location, but I can't swear I'll leave them there because in the hottest part of summer they start getting too much sun and it burns the leaves..."sigh" I just can't seem to find a place with the proper sun/shade mix...and of course when the storms take out trees and shubs, that changes the landscape....I'm going to try to ...»
keep them where they are at...and offer extra Screening using my old patio umbrellas for now...I keep hoping the little tree I planted nearby will thrive and give them shade, but the voles keep eating the roots and it is stunted...

on Nov 03, 2012 · Like 1
Sharon B Green Bay, WI

Look at kitty watching over them for u, so pretty

on Nov 11, 2012 · Like 1

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