The middle of July in many gardens is marked by a riot of colors and aromas: hydrangea blooms. Luxurious white, lemon yellow, pink, lilac, purple colors not only do not fade over time, they acquire unique shades, giving charm to the late summer garden.
The main characteristics of hydrangea
This plant is now particularly popular, does not require special care and is easily adaptable. Hydrangea is unpretentious, almost any type of soil is suitable for it, it is frost-resistant, and it does not need additional insulation in the winter. Often used as hedges. Hydrangea grows very quickly and requires space. Given this feature, it is necessary to plan the landscape well before landing.
Low-growing varieties, for example, hydrangea "Little lime", have a dense erect stem that does not require garter and additional supports. The plant does not suffer from drought, tolerates high humidity, prefers partial shade. Residents of megacities practice the cultivation of fragrant beauty in flower pots. In this case, regular ventilation of the room is necessary, as some varieties have too rich aroma.
It is important for the gardener to know
Various varieties of hydrangea differ in bush height, size, quantity and shape of inflorescences. The size of the inflorescences depends on the quality of the pruning. If you cut the shoots as short as possible, the plant will give larger brushes in the next season. But this method is only suitable for dwarf varieties, such as panicle hydrangea "Little lime". Dozens of small flowers are gathered around the stem and form a panicle. Hence the name.
Other varieties have a less durable stem, and a heavy “hat” can break it. It must be remembered that the desire to increase the size of inflorescences will lead to a decrease in their number. Insufficient watering will reduce stem growth, so you need to water it about twice a week. And the main "intrigue" - ending the season and blooming, hydrangea becomes even more beautiful: lemon-white inflorescences light up with pink-purple lights.
Fine hydrangea wilting
These plants die beautifully. Drying, they change color to brighter: from white they turn pink or purple, resembling strawberries with cream or currant jelly. Fading, they seem even more attractive and spectacular. Dry bouquets are often used in decoration. The main thing is to protect them from direct sunlight, otherwise they will burn out. The quality of the cut depends on how well the time is selected. Fog, rain and dry weather can ruin the beauty of inflorescences, make them brown. When the snow-white petals take on the desired shade and begin to resemble parchment to the touch, it is time to cut off the planned buds. After removing the leaves, they are hung down “head” in the shade until the inflorescences completely dry.
Mid July - the beginning of the heyday of hydrangeas. At the peak of flowering, the buds from yellowish become snow-white, and by September, after flowering, they begin to turn pink. That's exactly how little lime hydrangea behaves. It is noteworthy that each new variety is usually compared with these indicators.
A unique program for changing colors is “embedded” in the “pinky-winky” variety. With the advent of autumn, the raspberry hue appears not only in its inflorescences, but also on the leaves, especially in sunny weather.
Recently, one of the most popular shrubs for decorating the local area is considered to be Sandy Frez and hydrangea Little Lime. The latter is the yellowest among her girlfriends. Its lemon-greenish pyramids whiten over time, and in the beginning of autumn they acquire unique purple notes with the same lime tint. Such varieties are very compact and stunted, only 100-120 cm in height.
Mega Pearl is also famous for its colorful show. Every year, at the end of summer, its raspberry-colored clusters of chocolate, combined with bright lemon foliage, become the main decoration of the garden. The magnificent sultans of inflorescences on erect stems from afar resemble fabulous fountains.
Interesting
In hydrangea inflorescences there are two types of flowers. Larger and more noticeable do not form seeds. Fertile are nearby. These are tiny balls with stamens. It is they who publish that heady and unique aroma. The more of them, the stronger the hydrangea fragrance.
Little lime hydrangea: description
Today it is one of the most popular and favorite varieties. The plant is characterized by abundant and prolonged flowering and can be a wonderful decoration of the garden from July to September. It has low compact bushes about 1.2 meters in height. The stems are quite rigid, strong, erect, do not require the use of additional supports during flowering. Here is a little lime hydrangea in front of you.
The photo proves once again: she is the undisputed favorite of the season. Dense inflorescences in the form of hemispheres of a yellowish-lemon hue whiten over time, and at the end of summer they turn into delicate
shades of pink and “burn” against a background of dark green serrated foliage. Little lime hydrangea is a dwarf hybrid of her famous relative, panicled limelight.
The ideal conditions for growing are considered partial shade and acidic loose soil with regular watering and top dressing. The plant tolerates cold and frost, and in the spring it requires formative pruning. This contributes to abundant and prolonged flowering in the summer.
Experienced gardeners claim that there are too many hydrangeas. It is worth trying only once - and this beauty will forever take possession of your heart. Many joke: always go shopping with an empty trunk to buy as many as possible! And so many times.