outdoors

y

I pruned my lacecap

• hydrangea last fall,

ere were no blooms

this summer. Was it because

of the pruning?

Most hydrangeas hold onto their

flowers until late fall, fading into

warm pink tones that segue into tan.

They typically have yellow or gold

fall foliage. But oakleaf hydrangea

(H. quercifolia), below,

is known for

its rich burgundy leaves—it’s a

showstopper in autumn landscapes.

Its creamy white flowers dry to

pink-beige in late fall and persist

during winter.

Gift hydrangeas from the florist are grown in greenhouses for a short,

intense period of indoor bloom and usually do not adapt well to

growing outdoors. For outdoor pots,

above,

choose compact

reblooming bigleaf types, such as ‘Endless Summer’, ‘Let’s Dance’, or

‘Forever & Ever’. Plant them in

-inch-diameter or larger containers.

Potted hydrangeas can dry out quickly, so protect them from

afternoon sun. Water regularly with diluted liquid fertilizer to keep

them blooming all summer. In Zones

-

, protect potted hydrangeas

in winter by moving the containers to an unheated shed or garage. ®

Lacecape,

below

, and mophead

hydrangeas are

H. macrophylla,

which produce flower buds in fall.

Prune this type of hydrangea in July

so you don’t cut off next year’s buds.

y

What types of

• hydrangeas look

n fall gardens?

P LA N T IN G S

y

I see potted hydrangeas at the florist all the time.

• Can I plant those hydrangeas in the outdoor

ners on my patio? If so, what about winter care?

122

JUNE 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS

For buying information seepage 253.

PHOTO (LACECAP HYDRANGEA) EMILY J. FOLLOWILL; (OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA) PETE KRUMHARDT; (CONTAINER HYDRANGEA) ED GOHLICH