Isn’t it funny how fashions often go around in a full circle? For a time Hydrangeas were considered a bit fuddy duddy, then a busy generation of gardeners realised these summer flowering shrubs could make their lives easier with their easy care nature and full on flowering performances. So Hydrangeas, after being rather overlooked for a generation, have made a reappearance in our gardens, their new found popularity helped along by some exciting, new, compact growing varieties.
One of these smart new Hydrangeas is the variety ‘Masja’, which is smothered in rounded, light red blooms in summer. The flowers have cream highlights, which lifts their appeal considerably. Sometimes, when the soil is quite acid, the flowers of ‘Masja’ will turn to a blue colour. This can be corrected for the following season by applying a dressing of lime in winter. A little gardening magic. Or if you prefer the blue colour, which is attractive too, you can simply let things be.
Hydrangeas are amazingly adaptable, but their most favoured conditions are dappled shade and a soil which doesn’t dry out. They will grow successfully beneath tall deciduous trees but in such spots need regular mulching with compost or similar organic material and thorough watering during dry spells.
One of the most enchanting ways of using Hydrangea ‘Masja’ is as part of a mixed group of other Hydrangeas. It’s hard to go wrong with such a planting - just make sure the compact growing kinds such as ‘Masja’ are towards the front and taller ones are at the rear. The reward is a joyful display all summer long, even into autumn when the fading flowers take on intriguing hues. The flowers are good for picking, even at the late autumn stage when adventurous floral artists delight in their antique shades.
Remember to place a comfy outdoor chair or hammock right next to or among the Hydrangeas, then you can sit back on hot days with a cool drink and good book close at hand and the big flowers all around you. It’s one of the easiest of fantasies to turn into reality.
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Schemes & Themes
using Liddle Wonder Plants