White hydrangeas are cool flowers for hot summer days. Hydrangeas have been favourites with generations of gardeners and in recent times have become especially popular because they are such fuss-free, easy-care and free-flowering shrubs, perfect for the modern, busy lifestyle.

Another reason for the increased popularity of hydrangeas is that new varieties, such as the stunning ‘Bridal Bouquet’, have been bred so they remain compact and low growing, yet have all the abundant flowering characteristics of the older, taller growing varieties.

‘Bridal Bouquet’s white flowers last for ages in summer and even as they age their beauty merely takes on a new look, with intriguing greenish tints, making them quite a talking point in the garden or the vase. As with other hydrangeas, ‘Bridal Bouquet’ is happiest where there’s a bit of shade from afternoon sun or there is dappled all-day shade. Add plenty of compost at planting time and water during summer and you will be rewarded with magnificent flowers. The big heads of creamy white light up low light areas and of course they look superb with other hydrangeas, especially blue colours. White impatiens are a pretty summer accompaniment as is the sky blue, evergreen hydrangea relative Dichroa ‘Blue Sapphires’. Other luscious plants to mingle with Hydrangea ‘Bridal Bouquet’ can include Hostas, the deep chocolate-bronze leafed Ligularia ‘Britt Marie Crawford’, Pulmonarias, Tiarella ‘Pink Skyrocket’, low growing ferns such as the silvery-green (with hints of red) Athyrium ‘Ursula’s Red’ and Polemonium ‘Bris d’Anjou’ which has cream and green variegated foliage and pretty blue flowers. For colour and fragrance in winter, when Hydrangeas are resting, include Daphne ‘Alba’ with stunning white flowers, and pink flowered Daphne ‘Rubra’.