Sunday, September 1, 2013

Hydrangeas - a marmite plant?

Love them or hate them?  I never used to like them at all, they reminded me of municipal car-parks and my mother's never ending quest to make her pink ones turn blue, but a few years ago I discovered some that I do like, very much.

Hydrangea Paniculata Vanille Fraise opens a delicate creamy white


and gradually turns pink.


The flower heads have a lovely openness and a 'conical' shape.


My other favourite is Hydrangea Annabelle.


She opens white too but gradually turns a lime green. 




Her flower heads are enormous ball shapes!


I wonder if you love them or hate them? Or maybe, like me now, you love some but not others.

14 comments:

Jo said...

I can't make my mind up about hydrangeas. I have one in a container, though I have to say that it doesn't do particularly well, I think it would prefer to be in the ground. I do like that first one you show though, it's really pretty both white and pink.

Miriam Weaver said...

I remember there was one in the front garden in the house I grew up in. It was half pink half blue my Dad said it was because he emptied the water out of the car onto it? Not sure what water or if it was true. We have one in our front garden but it has never grown very big, the house opposite us has huge ones. I like the white ones, especially the one that turns lime green. So to answer your question YES I like them!

Gill said...

we had 2 pink ones at home when I was a child - one either side of the front door. Everyone had them!
I was given both the hydrangeas you show a couple of years ago - I love them!

Naida Willis said...

I inherited one that my grandmother grew from a cutting when she moved house. I love it.

Anna said...

Those two are absolute beauties Su. I've seen 'Annabelle' in the flesh as it were but have never seen 'Vanille Fraise'. How tall does she get?

Anonymous said...

To me, hydrangeas were big plants that grew in old people's bungalow gardens! Then I grew up and took more of an interest in gardens and gardening. I love them when they go over, turning from pink to that dusky pinky brown colour. And I always used to think there was only mophead and lacecap, then I saw a paniculata in our local garden centre and fell in love with it. Unfortunately, they don't seem to grow in my garden, a costly experiment!

Marigold Jam said...

Like you I used to hate them but now I love them not sure when I changed my mind about them though. Thanks for the info re Argyle Street in your blog comment on mine and glad you came back to find the post!

Anonymous said...

I have always loved them because they are beautiful in full bloom and aslo when quite dead.

dottycookie said...

I'm like you - I like some but not others. The 70s pink and blue variations leave me cold, but the more open, paler ones - gorgeous.

CATHY DANIEL said...

Think I am like you - love the less common ones, but not those that you see everywhere. By the way ... went to Fullers Mill last week, finally! - an absolute delight! Thanks for the tip off. xCathy

crafty cat corner said...

I think they are okay if they are managed, it is when they get to take over they look messy.
Yours are beautiful, I love the white that turns green.
Briony
x

Gina said...

I love them!

Annie Cholewa said...

I love them too! Especially the white ones :)

flowerlady said...

I like the Villosa ones, the leaves are lovely as well as the flowers