A Summertime Favorite
ENDLESS SUMMER ORIGINAL & NANTUCKET BLUE HYDRANGEAS
Hydrangeas are the perfect hues of summer. Cool and refreshing like the water, these shade loving bloomers will give you repeat flowers all summer long. These two traditional reblooming Hydrangeas perform well in Hampton Roads.
Endless Summer Original. It’s a mop-head variety with the unique ability to bloom consistently on both old and new wood. The result is a plant that provides beautiful flowers all summer long. The flowers grow up to 8′ in diameter, with PINK blooms in alkaline soils or BLUE blooms in acidic soil. The green foliage is a beautiful contrast to the lacy bloom. And, who doesn’t want an Endless Summer?
Nantucket Blue. A repeat blooming selection with dense leathery green foliage. This shrub will produce an abundance of summertime flower clusters that last until frost. Sweeten the soil with lime to turn the blooms pink, acidify the soil and it should intensify the blue color. This fast growing shrub will get to be 4 to 6 feet, so be sure to give it plenty of room. Blooms on both old and new wood.
How-to Plant:
- Dig a hole one and a half times wider than the plant’s container.
- Place plant in the hole, keeping the top of the root ball at ground level; and back fill the hole with dirt.
- Water thoroughly and then mulch around the base to conserve moisture and reduce weeds.
- Remember, new plantings require more frequent watering than established plants especially during the summer.
How-to Prune:
- We suggest pruning these hydrangeas in the fall once it they have finished blooming.
- In this fall pruning, cut the canes back about half way. This encourages stronger, thicker plants.
- After winter, trim back the dead canes to the ground.
- As the blooms begin to wilt, be sure to dead head the old blooms off of the plant to encourage reblooming.
