#196201 - 03/27/08 09:44 AM
Hydrangea shrub needs friends.
|
Ellymae
Member
Registered: 03/23/08
Posts: 30
Loc: Tennessee
|
This is my little hydrangea that I planted last spring.
For such a tiny thing it did well, blooming so well that you often couldn't even see its leaves. It started out blooming pink, then the last half of the summer the blooms were mostly blue. I know that has something to do with the soil PH, but I'm really not sure what. At any rate, it can bloom either color, they were both lovely.
My issue is this: He looks really lonely in that big bed all by himself. Any suggestions as to what would compliment him?
The bed is aproximately 8x8' facing southeast and gets full sun until a little after noon, when the house offers a little shade from direct sunlight.
And I was in the middle of weedeating and weeding out the beds, so please excuse the mess!
Edited by Ellymae (03/27/08 09:53 AM)
Edit Reason: resize pics
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#196203 - 03/27/08 09:48 AM
Re: Hydrangea shrub needs friends.
[Re: tamara]
|
Ellymae
Member
Registered: 03/23/08
Posts: 30
Loc: Tennessee
|
ooops, how do I do that?
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#196208 - 03/27/08 09:58 AM
Re: Hydrangea shrub needs friends.
[Re: tamara]
|
Ellymae
Member
Registered: 03/23/08
Posts: 30
Loc: Tennessee
|
I resized them on photobucket. If its still too big, give me a holler and I'll try again!
And I think this shrub will get quite big (I believe the tag said 6' around and 5' tall) so I'm assuming that in a few years it will probably cover the whole bed. I would like to have something around the border that I can leave permantly, even after the shrub has grown, but would like to fill in a bit with things I might transplant later when the hydrangea starts to overgrow it.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#196355 - 03/27/08 06:40 PM
Re: Hydrangea shrub needs friends.
[Re: Jiffymouse]
|
Ellymae
Member
Registered: 03/23/08
Posts: 30
Loc: Tennessee
|
Here are the other beds in the front, just to give an idea of what I'm working with.
I am trying to keep a structured, ordered, "neat" appearance in the front of the house, so whatever I end up doing will be in "rows". Figured I will let the creative side of me loose in the back yard And have a more informal, cottage garden type of plan.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#196374 - 03/27/08 07:26 PM
Re: Hydrangea shrub needs friends.
[Re: toposh]
|
suzydaze
Daisy
Dream Gardener
Registered: 08/03/04
Posts: 2983
Loc: Arkansas
|
mine are just a little taller than that and I've had them planted for about 4 years now
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#196424 - 03/28/08 02:36 AM
Re: Hydrangea shrub needs friends.
[Re: Joclyn]
|
Ellymae
Member
Registered: 03/23/08
Posts: 30
Loc: Tennessee
|
I kept him watered last year through dry spells and that spot does tend to stay moist (the drainpipe for the gutter comes out into that bed, under the gravel). He gets shade through the hottest part of the day (from about 12:30-1:00 on). I thought that meant it was partial shade.  Oops.
Haha, if he takes that long to grow, I'd better not plant anything too tall around him, huh? I like petunias, just wouldn't really care to replant every year. Aren't petunias an annual? That's usually what I put in the big containers on the front porch.
I love lavender, have some started in my little jiffy greenhouse from seed, had planned on putting it in the backyard..... I also have sweet williams and maiden pinks started, would they work in that bed? The sweet williams are grab bag of colors, not sure if I want that much "informality" in the front. 
Maybe I'll just do more creeping flox, if I can find the colors that I have in the other beds.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#196425 - 03/28/08 02:37 AM
Re: Hydrangea shrub needs friends.
[Re: toposh]
|
Ellymae
Member
Registered: 03/23/08
Posts: 30
Loc: Tennessee
|
 Aww, thanks! We actually bought it for our dog, long story.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#196523 - 03/28/08 11:21 AM
Re: Hydrangea shrub needs friends.
[Re: tamara]
|
Joclyn
Deep Purple
Dream Gardener
Registered: 07/18/05
Posts: 2099
Loc: philly
|
sorry, ellie!! i mis-read what you said about the sun conditions!! yes, what you have is just perfect for the hydrangea.
when you water it, do so in the morning (as early as possible) and make sure to water at ground level. if the leaves get wet, they could burn in the sun and, if you water too late in the day, they won't dry off enough before being in shade and that can cause fungus/mold to start up.
the sweet william are a perfect companion to the hydrangea. plant them out back and then, once you know what the colors are, you can transplant a couple out front.
you could also put in some black-eyed susan - they'll reseed themselves. also cleome - they can get tall, so put them in the back. also reseeds - quite prodigeously actually. you can cut the seed pods off before they ripen to keep newbies in check.
since it's a moister area and is shaded in the afternoon, how about some cinnamin ferns? also ladyfern. you could also do the siberian iris (they like wetter conditions)
_________________________
 zone 6b
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#196802 - 03/29/08 02:53 AM
Re: Hydrangea shrub needs friends.
[Re: Joclyn]
|
Ellymae
Member
Registered: 03/23/08
Posts: 30
Loc: Tennessee
|
I love ferns and had thought of putting some under the stairs where they would get more shade. I also thought they would make a nice "backdrop" for the color in the hydrangea and any future flowers planted there. They would probably have enough shade all along that wall, actually. Ooooh, I'm getting inspired here....
And geez, never thought of planting the sweet williams out back until I know what colors they are. See, this is why I need advice!!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: Jiffymouse, catlover, weezie13, afgreyparrot, loz
|
12756 Members
58 Forums
5276 Topics
100100 Posts
Max Online: 308 @ 04/07/08 12:19 PM
|
|
|
