The Hydrangea plant belongs to the genus of deciduous or evergreen trees and shrubs of the Hortensia family. In decorative floriculture, such species as tree-like, paniculate, large-leaved are most famous. The first two of the representatives of the genus mentioned are distinguished by their unpretentious disposition and resistance to cold. The third is less winter-hardy, needs reliable shelter for the winter and increased attention to its own person, but it has an amazing ability to change the color of inflorescences depending on the type of soil: in acidic soils, the caps turn blue, in neutral soils they become beige, and in alkaline soils they become pink or lilac coloring.

In landscape design, hydrangea is valued not only for its exquisite beauty and long flowering, but also for its versatility. Planted as a soloist, the owner of luxurious flower caps looks elegant and somewhat stiff, like a thoughtful aristocrat who stopped to rest while walking in the garden. By the way, according to one version, the plant got its name in honor of the Roman princess. Later, European botanists gave the genus the name "hydrangea", which in ancient Greek means "vessel with water".

In mixed plantings, hydrangea is transformed beyond recognition, turning either into an oriental beauty, then into a Mediterranean young lady, or into a frivolous girl familiar from childhood. To set the desired “mood” for the flower garden, you just need to choose suitable neighbors for the hydrangea.

The best companions for the beautiful hydrangea will be perennial plants that have the same requirements for growth conditions as she herself. A lush flowering shrub prefers acidic or neutral, well-moistened soil, while it does not tolerate lime at all and suffers from soiling of the root system with a high passage of groundwater. The place for planting hydrangeas should be in the shade or in partial shade, since under bright sunlight the development of the plant slows down, and the inflorescence caps become smaller.

The root system of the hydrangea grows in breadth by 4-6 m (depending on the species), so it is not recommended to plant annuals and bulbous crops such as gladioli, tulips, hyacinths in this space. Digging up a site for them annually, you can easily damage the roots of the shrub.

Hydrangea with trees and shrubs

The classic combination of hydrangea and conifers is successful in every way. Against the background of the strict charm of firs, junipers and thujas, spherical inflorescences, painted in pastel colors, look especially tender. In addition, coniferous litter acidifies the soil, thereby creating favorable conditions for the growth of hydrangea roots.

From deciduous shrubs, barberry, cinquefoil, spirea, mock orange, weigela will make an excellent company for hydrangea. In an ensemble with rhododendrons and azaleas, hydrangea will perfectly fit into the design of a Japanese garden.

Hydrangea with flowers and herbs

Hydrangea looks unusually attractive next to decorative and deciduous perennials, such as:

• ferns, the openwork foliage of which will add lightness to the composition;
• hostas with blue and variegated foliage, allowing you to place the right accents;
• cereals (millet, miscanthus, faliaris, hakohneloa), shading the greens of large hydrangea leaves;
• the cuff is soft, "highlighting" the bush from below.

If it is planned to frame the hydrangea with a low-growing background, moisture-loving ground covers will successfully cope with this task: periwinkle, dark tenacity, ivy, pachysandra apical. Unpretentious and shade-tolerant, they will create a magnificent living carpet under a large bush.

Of flowering plants, successful companions for hydrangeas are primarily white-flowered plants:

• anemones;
• subulate phloxes;
• astilbe;
• physiostegia.

To create nuanced and contrasting combinations, experts recommend using undersized moisture-loving irises, noble daffodils, colorful primroses, graceful daylilies, modest lemon balm and mint, luxurious garden geraniums, ground cover roses, noble hellebore and wormwood. Blooming perennials will not only add stylistic expressiveness to the ensemble, but also mask the lower part of the hydrangea bush that will become exposed over time.

As you can see, despite the variations on the theme of combining hydrangeas with other plants, there are a great many. It all depends on the imagination and taste preferences. Given the compatibility of ornamental crops, you can create a garden composition of stunning beauty. Experiment and you will definitely succeed!

Biologist Yury Bazhenov answers questions

Now there are many new varieties, especially panicle hydrangea. You can't choose, you want everything. Can different species and varieties be combined into groups?

In my opinion, this is a great option. True, at the beginning of the season, such a composition will lose a little, you need to add something else. But from the second half of July, when flowering begins, it will be fine. Although such a variety as ‘ Early Sensation' ('Bulk'), blooms at the end of June.

Are there rules by which hydrangeas are grouped, what if there are varieties that cannot be combined?

I think they are wonderful in almost any composition. Here, the traditional rules for compiling a mixborder apply - contrast in color or play on smooth transitions, timing of flowering. The height game is very interesting: small plants - 'Darts Little Dot' or 'Bombshell'- forward, and tall - ‘Kyushu’, ‘Grandiflora’- to the second, and even to the third plan. Early pinking varieties look very interesting, for example 'Vanille Fraise' with traditional white flowers. Or 'Lime Light' with white or pink varieties.

Our readers, as a rule, are advanced gardeners and, when composing compositions, they try to take into account the agrotechnical requirements of different types. Are there any general rules for combining hydrangeas with other plants?

To be honest, I don't know any rules, no restrictions. I can’t name plants that are categorically unsuitable for hydrangeas as partners or vice versa. It's a very flexible culture.

Hydrangeas grow remarkably in slightly acidic soils, this is just right for us. More acidic soils are also acceptable. Plus, paniculate hydrangea “holds” well and slightly alkaline. In Russia, however, they are rare. Then the attitude to moisture - everywhere it is said that hydrangea requires rich moist soils, but my site, for example, is bare sand. The last two or three extreme years, of course, they did not show the best flowering, not the best growth, but they behaved quite satisfactorily, and this year they were completely excellent.

I think our readers will be interested in how you support hydrangeas in the sand, what do you do for them?

Compost additions, regular, as long as there is enough time, of course, top dressing, watering. We also try to add clay to all landing pits as a hydraulic accumulator. Not a waterproofing layer, as is usually recommended (which is also very laborious), but simply added to the substrate. Clay retains water very well and then gradually releases it to plants.

We will touch on agricultural technology, but now let's get back to design. What ornamental shrubs would you combine hydrangeas with?

So after all, hydrangeas themselves come with decorative leaves! 'Shikoku Flash', for example, paniculate with white specks on the foliage. Of course, this plant is more for collectors, but it is very interesting.

A developed specimen is certainly noticeable. And there is a tree-like variety ‘Raven Lace’ with strongly, strongly cut, such, you know, "chewed" foliage. As for the combination with other cultures, I do not see any difficulties. One of the most amazing options that I met - 'Lime Light' against the background of a dark-leaved barberry in a shrub mixborder. Looks amazing! Hydrangeas are universal, depending on the shape of the crown, these can be both loose free forms and clear ones. You can try (and it will be nice!) to combine hydrangeas with sheared forms or plants with a compact crown. There is also an interesting option - a “cloudy” mixborder or a hedge. That is, pick up plants with a rounded crown. It seems to me that hydrangeas are very well combined with conifers. Against the background of a hedge or large fir trees with dark needles, white inflorescences look very advantageous.

What about perennials?

I saw a curious composition with cereals. In the foreground, millet or something as airy, lively, mobile, and in the middle and background - hydrangeas, that is, on the contrary, something static and heavy. Hydrangeas with blue aconites (Arends, Karmichael) are good: powerful, solid, bright, while radically different in color, shape of inflorescences and habits, bloom at the same time and require equal conditions.

It is interesting to combine hydrangeas with colchicum curtains; by the way, you can add colchicum to the previous combination. For hydrangeas, the ideal partners in terms of cultivation are astilbes, hosts, Rogers, large ferns, buzulniki (buzuln and serrated 'Britt-Marie Crawford', for example), Volzhanka.

I would like to learn more about hydrangeas as a background plant.

Hydrangea is a great background for anything, just like lilac, large turf, why not? Only the height must be appropriate. At ‘Kyushu’ two and a half to three meters high. It can be used as a backstage against which any mixborder is good. By the way, from the tall ones now there is also 'Levana'.

Found in Taiwan, the natural form of the paniculata hydrangea (N. paniculata Taiwanform)- a plant up to three and a half, four meters. The inflorescences are large, but sparse, transparent, like a swarm of butterflies.

If you use hydrangeas as backstage, their size is only a plus. And if in a mixborder? They're growing so fast.

Growth is restrained by pruning. The property of hydrangea to easily form replacement shoots just allows you to use it in any compositions.

You can build up the skeleton of paniculate hydrangea and bring a large variety to a height of two, two and a half, even three meters. And you can radically cut and even put on a stump. Then this large, powerful plant every year will be no higher than one and a half meters. This property allows the use of paniculata hydrangea even as hedges. Another option is to form solid curtains or arrays. Tree-like in this form is already familiar to us, but paniculate is not yet. Every year, depending on the variety and the expected result, they are cut off and many large and completely identical inflorescences are obtained at the same height.

Panicled hydrangeas look spectacular not only in the array. They are also good on the stem. True, then the question arises, what to plant down?

Ground cover plants, cuff, for example, or Cossack juniper. Possibility of padding from ground cover roses. Anything your heart desires. Hydrangea on a trunk is good both in a natural garden and in a regular one.

Paniculata and arborescens are really good everywhere. Are there any gardens for which hydrangeas are “contraindicated”? Or separate garden areas?

Unlikely. In hi-tech? They will look there too. You can work - look, pick up. In regular gardens - also fine. Seems to be good everywhere.

As for the different areas of the garden, the hydrangea is not an allergen, so I do not see any restrictions for the recreation area, the landscape part. On playground? So the hydrangea is not thorny.

How do you feel about big ones? They are so bright that it is probably difficult for them to find equivalent partners. Can they only have a respectful retinue?

Let's not forget that large-leaved hydrangea is not the best option for our climate. Can be used as a host culture. The most accessible - Endless Summer and Forever and Ever. But be sure to shelter, much depends on the microclimate of the site.

Just think, not for our climate. When did it stop us? We are ready to shelter, and spud, and cherish. Let's combine them in some interesting way!

You know, garden hydrangea is the complete opposite of the species we just discussed. This is a self sufficient plant. Plus, it requires shelter, a specific landing site, care. Although. My friend has a plot with a natural lowering of the relief, overgrown with fir trees, wet heavy soil.

Guess he uses Endless Summer and Forever and Ever as an undergrowth! The bushes feel great, because this is a closed wet place, there is a lot of snow, they are not even covered for the winter. When all this blooms, the sight is indescribable. But you see, hydrangea, albeit in an array, but still on its own.

In Europe, one could try to combine with boxwoods, with rhododendrons, but again, this is not a combination, but an addition in the first half of summer, rhododendrons play in the second hydrangea, so that a joint, but independent life is obtained.

Sawtooth, oaky, Sargent's hydrangea also, like garden ones, require shelter. It turns out that they are "on their own"?

Yes, they are not one of those plants that create the skeleton of a garden. They are planted as a curiosity, to which they bring friends and say: "Look what I have."

But the Scandinavians and Poles are now looking very closely at the serrated one.

Last year, at the conference of the Association of Polish Nurseries, there was a report on the comparative winter hardiness of different species and varieties (interestingly, large-leaved hydrangea Endless Summer got a triple). The serrated hydrangea has varieties that overwinter frankly badly, but there are those that have shown excellent results in the last two or three years in Poland. With stable flowering, with excellent preservation of the bush. It is clear that selection and selection will continue, a large number of cultivars will be tested. I think that in the coming years there will be varieties that our winter does not care about. White acacia or Robinia was also once considered unpromising.

Hydrangeas are rarely affected by diseases, but, nevertheless, are there "dangerous neighbors" for them?

No, I haven't heard about it. One has only to keep in mind that young specimens of the paniculata sometimes freeze slightly.

Therefore, one must be more careful with fertilizers in the second half of summer. Perhaps, in the first years, cover very young ones - annuals, biennials.

I want hydrangeas to show everything they are capable of. But mature bushes, especially paniculate ones - ‘Unique’, ‘Kyushu’, ‘Grandiflora’ - grow and fall apart over time. Do you need special pruning to prevent this?

Formative pruning is required.

They have strong branching, coppice shoots, remember? It is important to form a good strong skeleton. The second option is annual pruning: either strong or medium, depending on the variety. For varieties like 'Phantom' heavy pruning is not recommended, because large, powerful inflorescences are sure to ruin the bush, especially during rain.

From tree-like, I want to achieve the largest possible inflorescences. How to do it?

Buy the right variety! Or 'Annabel', or a novelty of recent years - in Europe it is very popular, it is slowly penetrating to us - ‘Incrediball’.

Yes, I bought it, such a picture is tempting. What can I do to see the same luxurious hats in my garden?

Just wait a little. Three or four years, and I think you will have the same inflorescences. Good food, of course. At the beginning of summer, nitrogen can be used, then potassium-phosphorus. Everything is as usual.

And pruning does not help increase the size of the inflorescence?

With a tree view, this does not work as explicitly as far as I can tell from my experience.

When exactly should you prune hydrangeas?

I think spring is always safer. In winter, a mass of shoots will trap snow. Then, many hydrangeas, especially paniculate, serve as decoration for the winter garden. Faded and dried inflorescences are very decorative.

If there is an opportunity, and there is enough time in the spring, then it is more logical to do this.

Do you know how hydrangeas are planted in Europe? Is there anything to learn?

The use of hydrangea as a coppice culture is ultrapopular. They are also planted in large curtains, arrays, that is, in fact, they are used as a ground cover plant. Variety 'Darts Little Dot', by the way, was created to fill roadside spaces.

It is very popular in Europe. The flowers are medium-sized, the bush is small, but luxurious in the array! Lots of container plants.

Urban greening is a sore subject. How great it would be if hydrangeas grew in our parks too!

Than planting crazy flowerbeds of tulips every year, then pansies, annuals, it is easier to close a huge area with some kind of hydrangea.

It's a long-lasting, sustainable culture.

I am glad that we, for example, in Mytishchi have now begun to use a lot of shrubs - Japanese spirea, gray. Hydrangeas paniculate, tree-like can go in the same row. True, the problem of vandalism is possible, the plant is bright, but lilacs survive here.

Hydrangeas are the most promising for domestic nurseries - they are easy to propagate and grow. And demand looks set to be high for many years to come. After all, a reasonable price and long-term decorativeness allow the use of hydrangeas for seasonal decoration. Like heathers, hebe, they can decorate cafes, balconies. They are suitable as container plants and have a compact root system.

What is there! They have already begun to offer paniculate and tree-like forcing. As I said, the possibilities are endless.

According to the magazine "Flower Club"

More material on the topic of the section:

Large-leaved hydrangeas are capricious: either they freeze almost to the ground, or they rot. But if you follow a few conditions, it is quite possible to grow a hydrangea in your own garden and even get huge hats of flowers.

Hydrangea- flowering deciduous shrubs, sometimes lianas or small trees. Name hydrangea received in honor of the French princess Hortense. The generic name Hydrangia (Hydrangea) emphasizes the moisture-loving nature of the plant.

Hydrangea inflorescences consist of two types of flowers - fruiting and sterile. Flowers that give fruits are smaller and fall off quickly, barren ones are more beautiful, large and long-flowering.

Hydrangea types:

There are 35 types of hydrangeas. They are common in East Asia and America (North and South). Hydrangea came to Europe from Japan. It was a large-leaved hydrangea (or garden). Since this plant does not winter with us, it was grown as an indoor potted plant.

Now botanists have adapted 11 types of hydrangeas to growing in the open ground of central Russia. But large-leaved hydrangea can still be grown freely only in the south of the country or as a pot culture.

Most often you can find paniculate hydrangea, tree hydrangea and Bretschneider ground cover hydrangea in gardens. As a decorative vine, petiolate hydrangea is used. Other species are more thermophilic and are much less common with us.

1. Hydrangea paniculata. Under natural conditions, it grows in China and Japan, as well as in the south of Sakhalin. Shrub 1-3 meters tall or small tree up to 10 meters. Leaves elliptic or ovate pubescent. The flowers are collected in dense panicles about 25 cm long. Fruiting flowers are white, barren flowers are also white, but gradually turn pink. Blooms usually 4-5 year old plant. Flowering is very long - from mid-June to October. Frost resistance up to -25 degrees. Among the cultivated varieties, the most famous are: "grandiflora", "kyushu", "matilda", "Pink Diamond", "Presox", "Floribunda", "Tardiva", "Unique". Varieties differ in the height of the bush, the size and shape of the crown, the size of the flowers and the shape of the inflorescences. There are slight deviations in the flowering period.

2. Hydrangea. The shrub is most often low, up to 1 meter, less often up to 3 meters. The shoots are slightly pubescent, the leaves are ovate or elliptical, serrated along the edge, green above and bluish without pubescence below. The crown is rounded. Corymbose inflorescences up to 15 cm in diameter consist of white sterile and fertile flowers. Flowering continues from early July to October. The most winter hardy.

3. Hydrangea ground cover "Bretschneider". Shrub up to 3 meters high with pubescent brown shoots, ovate-elliptical leaves and milky white inflorescences. Dark green leaves turn yellow-brown by autumn. Blooms from June to August.

4. petiolate hydrangea. The only species that can be used as a ground cover or climbing plant. However, this hydrangea is quite thermophilic and can be successfully grown only in the southern regions of the country. Although experienced and enthusiastic gardeners grow it in central Russia, for this it is removed from supports for the winter and carefully covered. Lianoid shrub with aerial roots and suckers. Corymbose inflorescences up to 20 cm in diameter are white-pink.

Hydrangea uses:

In the garden, hydrangeas will undoubtedly become an exquisite decoration. They are planted singly, but more often in groups on the lawn, as well as in complex compositions with coniferous or deciduous ornamental shrubs. Also, hydrangea will help create an alley or hedge. Beautiful combinations are obtained from hydrangeas with roses, lilies or clematis. From hydrangeas, you can form a standard tree. Hydrangea is used for bouquets, both fresh and dry. For fresh bouquets, the tips of the stems are split and burned, and the leaves are cut off. For dry bouquets, the hydrangea is cut off at the end of flowering, the leaves are cut off, and the stems with flowers are hung upside down in a ventilated dark room for drying. And large-leaved hydrangea is even preserved! Do it as follows: make a preservative solution consisting of glycerin and hot water 6:4. The tips of the hydrangea stems are split, the twigs with flowers and leaves are first immersed in the solution by 4-5 cm, then the solution is gradually added, preservation in this way lasts from 2 to 4 weeks, as a result, the leaves and stems become elastic, slightly change color. The hydrangea thus obtained can be used in winter compositions.

Planting and caring for hydrangeas:

Hydrangea prefers a slightly shaded place. The soil should be nutritious and moist with an acidic reaction. To increase the acidity of the soil, brown peat, coniferous soil (rotted spruce or pine needles) or sawdust are added to it. In no case should lime, chalk or ash be added. Due to the moisture-loving nature of hydrangeas, it is not recommended to plant it under trees, as they absorb moisture. But planting ground cover plants, saxifrage or stonecrop, for example, in near-stem circles, will help preserve this moisture.

It is better to plant a hydrangea in the spring, since during the autumn planting in the middle lane and more northern regions, it may not have time to take root. They dig holes 30x30x30 cm, at a distance of 1 meter from each other, pour 1/3 of a bucket of humus into the holes and plant a seedling without deepening the neck, water it. Fertilize with slurry and complete mineral fertilizer. The soil around the bush is mulched. In autumn, plants spud to a height of 20-30 cm.

Hydrangea loves water, in the absence of rain, it is watered once a week with plenty of 15-20 liters of water for each bush, if the weather is rainy, you can water it once a month. In order for the shoots to be strong, it is recommended to water with a very weak solution of potassium permanganate. If you water the plant with a special bluing agent (sold in gardening stores) or pour aluminum sulfate around the roots, white hydrangea flowers can be made blue.

Hydrangea pruning:

Hydrangea paniculata and hydrangea tree-like bloom on the shoots of the current year, therefore, for greater decorativeness, they must be cut in early spring (March-April). This will contribute to the formation of powerful shoots, the bushes will have a well-groomed appearance and lush flowering. In the first year after planting, pruning is not very strong, the shoots are cut to one or three quarters of the length. The bushes are leveled, larger ones are cut more strongly. After pruning, the plants need to be fed. In the second year, last year's growths are heavily cut off, and the soil around the plant is well mulched with manure or compost. This will stimulate the vigorous growth of new shoots. In subsequent years, this operation is repeated in March-April of each spring. The main lignified branches are thinned out periodically after a few years. Rejuvenation of aging bushes is carried out by pruning "on the stump", leaving only 5-8 cm in height, such bushes will bloom only next year.

Every year, several of the strongest shoots are selected from petiolate and ground cover hydrangeas to replace the old ones, in the spring weak and old shoots are removed, and strong and long ones are only slightly shortened for better branching and more abundant flowering.

Most varieties of large-leaved hydrangea bloom on last year's shoots, so you should not prune it as a paniculate or tree-like, as flowering in this case will not wait. In the spring, last year's inflorescences are removed from her, as well as small and dried shoots.

Reproduction of hydrangea:

Hydrangea can be propagated by spring, summer or winter cuttings, dividing the bush or layering. Propagation by grafting and seeds is also possible, but these methods are more laborious, expensive, and less reliable.

1. Cuttings. Cuttings can be spring, summer or winter. Spring is when green cuttings with a "heel" are taken in early June, that is, with a small part of last year's shoot. Summer - when the top of the shoot of the current year is taken with one or two internodes in July before the shoots become woody. In the cuttings, the leaves are cut in half and rooted in a soil mixture consisting of peat and sand (2: 1) or leafy soil covered with a layer of sand of 3-4 cm. greenhouse, and only in the spring they plant them in open ground, and the next autumn they cover them with spruce branches, and only from the third year they allow the plant to winter without shelter. Winter cuttings are used for large-leaved hydrangea. In autumn, mother plants are transplanted into pots and kept at a temperature of 0 to 2 degrees until January, and then the temperature is raised to 7-10 degrees, after which the plants start to grow and green cuttings can be cut in February.

2. Division of the bush. You can divide all hydrangeas, do it in spring or autumn. The excavated bush is divided into divisions so that renewal buds remain on each.

3. Reproduction by layering. The one-year-old shoot is bent to the ground and added dropwise with the buds, leaving the top about 20 cm outside. Rooted shoots are separated from the plant.

See all information about ornamental shrubs in a special section on our website here.

In the language of flowers HYDROENSIA - COLDNESS, INDIFFERENCE, HEARTLESS! Although in some interpretations HYDROENSIA is YOUR FOREVER! Hydrangea adds French charm to a bouquet of roses.

The garden is one of the most important places in the suburban area. Its design is approached very carefully. Especially popular in the design of landscape design are hydrangeas. Their lush flowering, which pleases the eye until late autumn, will be a unique decoration for any garden. The most important thing is that such a plant does not need special care. It easily withstands any climatic conditions. But, many gardeners are interested in the question of what is best to plant next to the hydrangea in the garden.

Hydrangea variety

Today on the market you can find a wide range of such plants. The most common option for the middle climatic zone is paniculate hydrangea. It is widely used for garden decoration. The hydrangea inflorescence looks like a pyramidal panicle. As for the shade, it changes from white to rich pink. In this case, it all depends on the flowering period.

No less popular is the hydrangea tree, which can reach a height of two meters. Thanks to this height, the shrub is ideal for garden decoration. The inflorescence can be white, cream or beige. The plant easily tolerates wintering.

Large-leaved hydrangea is also widely used to decorate the garden. The peculiarity of this type is that the inflorescence can have a different shade. So, depending on the variety, the flowers of the bush can have a white, pink, purple, blue and lilac hue. Thanks to a large selection of shades, such a hydrangea is widely used to create unique projects and compositions in a summer cottage.

Hydrangea in the garden

Hydrangea is widely used for garden decoration at their summer cottage. With its help, create unique compositions that delight the eye and soul. It is often used in tandem with spireas, lilacs and mock oranges. Due to the fact that the inflorescence has a variety of shades and shapes, hydrangeas can be combined with various garden flowers that have similar shapes. Such combinations during the flowering period create an amazing effect.

In coastal areas of the reservoir, hydrangea can be used as the main decorative element. The composition is complemented by hostas, astilba, bergenia and other plants that like to live in moist soil. Also, hydrangea is optimally combined with sheared plants, such as cotoneaster, juniper and others.

Hydrangea as an element of landscape design.

Hydrangea blooms in the second half of summer, providing a blooming look to your garden.

A beautiful flowering shrub? Hydrangea paniculata is actively used by designers and flower growers in landscape design, and the popularity of the plant is absolutely deserved. It becomes a real decoration of gardens and plots, blooming in the second decade of summer, when most of the blooming ones have already lost ground. Inflorescences are reliably and for a long time kept on the bushes, including in cut form.

Hydrangea? a plant that does not tolerate drought and cannot grow in areas under the scorching rays of the sun. Plants should be planted in penumbra zones, regularly (at least three times a season) loosen the soil around them to a depth of more than 5 cm. Hydrangeas can be planted, both as tapeworms and in the form of group plantings, in combination with other plants, including including conifers. Today they decorate with hydrangea, both private homestead territories and city squares, gardens and parks.

Features of planting hydrangeas

Hydrangea shrubs are planted, as already mentioned in places with relative shade. In the process of planting, you will need the following set of materials and tools:

To begin with, we select a place in the garden that is most suitable for shrubs. It is important that the site is not constantly in the shade, the plant likes to receive enough light in the morning and afternoon hours, this must be taken into account. The area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe site where it is planned to plant a hydrangea shrub should be well protected from light, as the plant does not tolerate drafts. As for the composition of the soil, it should be a mixture of sandy, leafy and soddy soils.

The optimal time for planting shrubs? beginning of autumn. Dig a hole in the area previously allocated for the plant. Its dimensions should exceed twice the size of the rhizome of the seedling. If the seedling has to be planted in solid soil, then it will be necessary to further deepen the hole, taking into account the size of the root of an adult shrub, and then sprinkle it with loose earth. The place of future landing is thoroughly moistened.

Before planting, shake the seedling a little in order to clean the roots from the ground and straighten. Plant it in the prepared hole so that the lump with the root is above the soil level. Fill the hole with a mixture of soddy and compost soil. Lightly tamp the soil around the seedling, water it, watch how water penetrates into it, it should leave all without remaining on the surface. Mulch the area around the shrub using sawdust and crushed tree bark.

How to care for hydrangeas in the garden?

Hydrangeas need constant feeding, especially during the flowering period.

If, following the instructions, you did everything right and the bush began to grow, then the next thing you will need to study? these are the rules for caring for a plant such as panicled hydrangea. First, the shrub will need regular feeding.

At the very beginning of its growth, it will be necessary to add about 20-25 grams of urea and about 40 grams of potassium sulfate per 1 square meter. During the period of bud formation, top dressing will need to be almost doubled. The third and fourth feeding will need to be carried out in the summer.

Given that hydrangea? one of the most moisture-loving plants, it needs to be watered weekly. You can use a manganese-potassium solution for this. In addition to mulching, the plants will need to regularly clean the soil from weeds, pruning, starting from the period when the bush reaches 6-10 cm in height.

As for diseases and pests, the hydrangea shrub is quite resistant to them, so you can not be afraid of the plant dying out in your absence during the summer holidays, for example.

Features of reproduction of hydrangea

The plant propagates mainly due to green cuttings, which can be cut from the shoots, by dividing the bush, by seeds, layering, and grafting. Most often, summer and spring cuttings are used. The cuttings are placed in a mixture of sand and a fertile substrate or under a film in greenhouses. The percentage of their rooting is quite high and reaches 80%. Rooted cuttings are planted at the end of summer in open ground or left in pots in the basement for the winter for subsequent planting in the spring.

An important point: the flowers appearing on the cuttings will need to be cut or cut off.

The use of hydrangea in different styles of landscape design

Hydrangea will find its place in the garden, decorated in almost any style of landscape design. So, for example, a Mediterranean garden, which is in demand among people who gravitate towards summer southern landscapes, will definitely need to be decorated with hydrangea bushes. Considering that the main components of the style are plants of juicy colors, decorative objects and elegant garden furniture, it would be better to leave the choice on flowers in decorative containers. Also a good option? varieties of light shades of hydrangea for vertical gardening. It can be a climbing hydrangea, which can deftly climb a wall with any slope.

In areas decorated in an oriental style, hydrangea is most often part of flower beds arranged in intricate patterns. Here paniculate hydrangea shrubs can be planted near water bodies, decorated, for example, in the Persian style.

Country style is the main thing? feeling of rustic negligence on the site. Therefore, here, too, hydrangea shrubs will look most impressive near water bodies, as well as as part of flower arrangements.

In the English garden, hydrangea will also find its place. The most impressive plant will look in the central part of the flower garden. The choice is best made in favor of varieties with pink, white and cream flowers.

Hydrangea shrubs are widely used in the design of Russian gardens. Plants are great for decorating flower beds, and also decorate the walls of fences and arbors, used for vertical gardening.

Hydrangea paniculata: plant features

An adult hydrangea can reach a height of up to 2 meters, which looks truly amazing!

Hydrangea of ​​this variety is most popular in landscaping areas. The plant can be grown not only in the form of a shrub, but also in the form of a compact tree. Its height sometimes reaches two meters, and the diameter of the crown? up to three meters!

The main difference between the paniculate hydrangea and other types of the plant family? these are inflorescences. They are panicles of a pyramidal shape with a length of more than 30 centimeters. During the flowering period, the flowers change color from creamy white to pink, and in autumn the hydrangea turns greenish red. The plant does not bear fruit.

In landscape design, this variety of hydrangea is more often used to form a standard form in regular-style gardens. The plant looks great in decorating the front porch or stairs of the house. A planted shrub near a building with columns will add pomposity and luxury to the site.

When decorating landscape-style panicled gardens with hydrangea, the plant is left in a natural bushy form, placing it, as a rule, in the foreground. Forming multi-tiered group compositions, the hydrangea is also left in the foreground, planting rowan and mock orange behind. Plants should not be planted too close to fruit-bearing trees, as this will cause them to compete for water.

Rules for pruning hydrangea paniculata

Plants of this variety respond well to shaping, retain the shape that they can be given when pruning. When pruning a plant in the spring, it is important to leave about 12 strong shoots, shortening them by no more than 5 buds. As for the pruning process itself, it must be carried out correctly.

What is the best time to prune a plant? it is spring before sap flow begins. If during this period they did not have time to cut, then it is better to wait for the period when the first leaves begin to bloom and only after that proceed with the process. If you start pruning during the sap flow period, you can harm the plant and disrupt its flowering.

At the very beginning of pruning, remove crooked, stunted branches at the base of the plant, which have a detrimental effect on crown density. Last year's shoots will need to be shortened by 4 buds, forming the same way a well-groomed crown of the right shape.

To get a vertical bush, you will need to purchase a young plant (not older than 4 years), plant it in the garden for a couple of years in order to strengthen the root system, and then cut off all the inflorescences that appear. In this case, the plant will not expend energy on flowering. After the shrub has about 8 branches, it will need to be cut to the ground. If everything is done correctly, then the plant will please with new and strong shoots already in the year of pruning. If they begin to bloom, then all the inflorescences, as before, will have to be cut off. Next year, it will be possible not to cut the skeletal branches that will become the basis of the plant, leaving also last year's strongest and vertically growing shoots.

Summing up

Hydrangea paniculata is suitable for almost any region of Russia, including the northern ones.

Hydrangea, and especially paniculata, can become a real decoration of the site, even in the northern regions of the country. The plant copes well with frosts up to 25 degrees Celsius, without needing special shelter, while it blooms luxuriantly and beautifully from early summer to mid-autumn.

The plant is represented by many varieties, including both large-sized (real trees!), And compact ground covers. The flowers of the shrub are not only decorative, but also have a pleasant aroma. All shrubs of this family belong to the group of honey plants.

Fast growing, easy to shape, available in a variety of colors. In the photo, hydrangeas are paniculate in the design of a private garden. The plant fits perfectly into the design, complementing the picture created by the skillful hands of landscape designers.

Hydrangea paniculate varieties

Hydrangea is a shrub plant belonging to the genus Hydrangieves (Hydrangeaceae). It is of interest to flower growers due to the beautiful lush flowering with large inflorescences of various colors: white, blue, pink, blue. Hydrangea is native to China and Southeast Asia. The plant was introduced into cultivation at the end of the 18th century.

Previously, hydrangea was considered a capricious and whimsical plant, but thanks to the efforts of breeders, species were bred that even a novice gardener can grow without much hassle.

One of them is panicled hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata), which is attractive primarily for its ability to tolerate low temperatures well and for long flowering. We will talk about other advantages of panicle hydrangea and its best varieties in this article.

Panicled hydrangea is characterized by large and long panicle inflorescences - up to 30 cm in height. The shrub itself can grow from 1 to 10 meters in height. When blooming, the flowers have a greenish-white or creamy-white color, closer to the flowering period they turn pink, and turn red towards the end of flowering. Flowering time is from June to October. The first flowering occurs four to five years after planting.

The bush attracted the attention of breeders at the end of the 20th century. Since then, more than 25 varieties of panicled hydrangea have been bred, a description of the most interesting varieties is presented below.

Grandiflora

Grandiflora (Grandiflora) was bred one of the first. It differs by a somewhat late onset of flowering compared to other varieties - it produces flowers in July. Finishes flowering in September. The color of the inflorescences is interesting in this variety. When the shrub is just beginning to bloom, the flowers on it are creamy white, in the process of flowering they become pure white, then pink, and when they fade - greenish red.

Bushes at Grandiflora grow large - up to 2 m, with a rounded spreading crown. The variety also has beautiful leaves, they are dark green, velvety, pointed. The plant prefers to grow in sunny areas, but can tolerate light partial shade. Paniculate hydrangeas of the Grandiflora variety are resistant to frost, young plants need to be covered for the winter.

In ornamental culture, this variety is best used in standard form. It is also used for forcing. If the inflorescences are dried, they are perfect for decorating winter bouquets.

Kyushu variety can be easily distinguished from other varieties by dark green glossy leaves with red petioles. It also has fragrant flowers. Blooms in mid-July. Classic white flowers. Flowering ends in September. Shrub grows up to 3 m in height and in diameter. Loves light, but can tolerate partial shade.

In culture, it is used in miskborders, Japanese gardens, group plantings and alone.

Variety Mathilda (Mathilda) is noticeable by rather high conical inflorescences (25 cm) and a large bush - up to 1.8-2 m. During the flowering period from July to September, it changes the shades of flowers four times - from creamy white to white, then in autumn the flowers become pale pink and finish blooming greenish-red. Survives at low temperatures.

Later than all other varieties, Tardiva blooms. Flowering begins in the second half of August, and ends with the onset of frost. Her inflorescences are narrow conical and pyramidal in shape. The flowers are creamy white, turning pink over time.

In order not to lose decorativeness, Tardiva bushes are best planted in open sunny areas. In winter, young plants require shelter. The older the shrub gets, the more resistant it is to cold.

Tardiva shrubs are used for mixed plantings with perennials, in shrub mixborders. Dried inflorescences are used in bouquets.

Bushes of the Limelight variety reach a maximum height of one and a half meters. The inflorescences of this variety have a pronounced lemon or green tint. At the end of flowering they become pink. In front gardens, these hydrangeas look beautiful both singly and in group plantings. Together with other shrubs, they are used in mixborders. Inflorescences are suitable for winter bouquets.

Pinky Winky

The Pinky Winky variety is valued for strong, resilient stems that are able to withstand large, heavy inflorescences 15-20 cm in height without support. The flowering of this hydrangea is a wonderful sight. Just like all hydrangeas, Pinky Winky changes the color of the inflorescences depending on the flowering period - in July they are white, and in September they are dark pink. Since this process occurs unevenly, the inflorescences can be colored differently at the same time: for example, they can be pink from below, light pink in the middle, and white at the tips. And on the bush itself there can be either pure white inflorescences or completely dark pink.

The shrub grows up to 2 m in length and width. Its crown is rounded. Prefers to grow in open areas, but not in direct sunlight. This hydrangea is often planted near the entrance to a house or yard, near gazebos, benches, as a hedge. Suitable for both single and group plantings.

Vanilla Fraze

Another popular variety of paniculate hydrangea is Vanille Fraise. These shrubs reach a height of 2 m and a width of 1.5 m. At the very beginning of flowering, pyramid inflorescences are white, but they quickly change shade and become rich pink. This variety is photophilous and frost-resistant.

Panicled hydrangeas also have low-growing varieties. These, for example, include the Belgian hydrangea Bombshell (Bombshell) - it grows only 70-80 cm. At the same time, the shrub blooms profusely. The inflorescences of this hydrangea are round, slightly elongated, 13 cm high. Change color from green-white to pink. In the process of flowering and as the inflorescences become heavier, the branches bend down, thus forming a spherical crown. The duration of flowering is very long - from June to mid-autumn.

Plants of this variety can be planted in partial shade. Suitable for cultivation in a container.

The variety Presox (Rgaesoh), bred by Japanese breeders, is distinguished by the earliest flowering - inflorescences appear in June. Its inflorescences are small, petals with teeth at the ends.

floribunda

Popular among Europeans, the Floribunda variety (Floribunda) blooms with very large white-cream conical inflorescences on long pedicels. Against the background of contrasting dark foliage, the flowers look very elegant. Shrub grows up to 2 m. Blooms from July to September. Prefers well-lit areas, sheltered from drafts.

Mature plants are characterized by high frost resistance. Young bushes for the winter require shelter. Floribunda on the lawn is especially beautiful in combination with coniferous crops or other ornamental shrubs.

Great Star

The hydrangea of ​​the French variety Great Star (Great Star), perhaps, cannot be confused with any other. It has a unique form of inflorescences, which are formed from two types of flowers: sterile - large white (up to 10 cm) with curved petals, similar to propellers or stars, and fertile - small, unremarkable. There are about 17 sterile flowers in the inflorescence, 200 fertile ones.

Adult bushes grow up to 2 m in height and width. They have a wide spreading crown. Plants of this variety are photophilous, but they can also withstand light shade. Like most hydrangeas, Great Star are unpretentious, do not require a garter. Used in single and group plantings.

Silver dollar

Tall and lush bushes form the Silver Dollar variety. In height and width, they reach 2.5 m. Their crown is even, rounded in shape. The shrub blooms from July to September with large inflorescences of white-green color in the form of pyramids. A little later, the flowers become silvery, and in autumn they turn into a lilac-pink hue.

The plant is equally decorative both in the sun (not under direct rays) and in light shade. Withstands winter temperatures down to -29 °C. Plants of the first two years for wintering need to be protected under cover.

Used in solitary and group plantings. Beautiful silvery hedges come out of the Silver Dollar hydrangea, they decorate areas along garden paths and paths in city parks. It goes well with perennials from other families.

Variety Fantom (Fantom) stands out among its counterparts in appearance with the largest cone-shaped inflorescences and a beautiful bush shape. The height and width of the shrub is within 2 m. Traditionally for hydrangeas, the flowers change color from the beginning to the end of flowering - they are creamy in summer, pink in autumn. Phantom blooms in July.

The variety is winter-hardy, suitable for planting in semi-shaded areas. In landscape design, it is planted as a tapeworm and in plantings in groups, in combination with other perennial crops. Paniculata hydrangea is actively used in breeding experiments and today, recently new varieties have been bred. Among them are Ammarin, Big Ben, Bobo, Brussels Lace, Dolly, Early Sensation, Mega Mindy, Shikoku Flash, Mustila, etc.

Hydrangea paniculata – a very beautiful plant and it is not in vain that it is popular among flower growers and breeders from different countries. And no matter how much we try to describe the decorativeness of this plant in words, you can, just by looking at photographs with profusely flowering shrubs, fall in love with this flower and want to decorate a garden or balcony with it.

If a designer takes on hydrangeas

We examined in detail the hydrangeas, with which we can somehow deal in our Central Russian climate. And yet, their assessment will not be complete if you do not try to find the right place for them in the garden, the right use. And this is a question for someone who knows how to make beautiful gardens, a question for a landscape designer.

Keyword - reliability

Not all hydrangeas can be recommended. To create a reliable ornamental garden in the middle lane, panicle hydrangeas, tree hydrangeas, Bretschneider (or Himalayan) and petiole hydrangeas are suitable. This is the main set, but the application of these species is different. A species such as large-leaved hydrangea is suitable only for container decoration in our area. In the ground, large-leaved hydrangea is promising for the gardens of the Black Sea coast.

Panicled - what to look for

The largest variety of varieties at the moment is hydrangea paniculata. Some varieties are not yet well studied. Plant height is very different - from 0.5-0.6 m to 2.5 m and above - you can choose. A feature of the paniculate hydrangea is a change in color as sterile flowers age: or a weak manifestation of new shades to a strong spectacular redness. Therefore, when getting acquainted with the variety, it would be good to have pepper through the eyes of photographs of inflorescences at the beginning of flowering, in the middle of it and at the end. For example, as it turned out, I don’t like the “dirty” redness of the inflorescences of the variety ‘Pinky Wlnky’

Hydrangea paniculata is durable, reliable, grows quickly, there are varieties with aroma. It combines well with many other plant species and perennials. Feels good in light partial shade, although for intense redness it is better to plant it in open places.

Hydrangea paniculata can be used both in gardens and compositions of classical formal style, as well as in landscape compositions, and in country-style gardens. We can say that this is a universal group of plants, the possibilities of which are far from exhausted. With the help of shearing and directional formation, you can create umbrella plants, classic standard forms, any garden volumes, depending on the height and habit of the variety. At the same time, I am against extreme pruning of hydrangeas, since I believe that the curtain should fulfill its function in the garden and have a certain volume in the off-season. Therefore, I form my hydrangeas, but do not plant them on a stump,

And one more nuance., There is an opinion that those varieties of hydrangeas that have more inflorescences are more decorative. I cannot agree with this. It is necessary to evaluate the harmony of the plant as a whole, and in my opinion, a low bush with giant inflorescences looks unnatural. Thus, the low variety Bobo in combination with other perennials is perceived strangely, there is a sense of a violation of scale. Therefore, I would not use a haircut to expel flower stalks with huge inflorescences, which, moreover, wilt from rain and wind.

Hydrangea paniculata looks great next to the curtains of purple-leaved barberries (Ottawa or Thunberg) and the vesicle of the diabolo hydrangea. The inflorescences of most varieties of panicled hydrangea gradually change shade. In early August, they are white with a slight pinkish, in September they are almost crimson, and at the end of October they are golden-bronze.

About varieties of tree hydrangea

I am for the traditional appearance of these plants. I like both species hydrangea and well-known, well-proven varieties - 'Annabelle' and ‘Grandiflora’. The varieties with pink flowers that have appeared on sale and are widely discussed do not grow well, burn out and lie down. And traveling through the gardens of Europe, I have never seen this spectacular hydrangea. If you need pink, I will prefer Japanese and Bumalda spirea to these varieties - they are much more stable and decorative. Variety ‘ white dome‘- another novelty of selection - it winters poorly in our conditions, and I prefer reliable plants.

Hydrangea tree is good in groups in partial shade and on the lawn, very unpretentious. Unlike paniculate hydrangea, tree-like sets a certain style for the composition, but allows you to experiment in flower beds. I saw a good example of the layout of a varietal tree hydrangea with saplings, calimerises, cereals in the flower beds of Piet Oudolf. The inflorescences of saplings and hydrangeas echoed in shape and, thanks to the right variety, were commensurate with each other.

In the design of the path, located in partial shade, you can create a composition from the hydrangea tree Anabelle. Her bushes are harmoniously combined with sheared barberries, daylilies and undersized junipers, and also set the rhythm for the composition.

Another two "our" hydrangeas should not be forgotten either.

Magnificent Hydrangea Bretschneider. Amazing and now almost inaccessible to mass gardening and amateurs. The most frost-resistant, drought-resistant and the highest - up to 4 meters. In Soviet times, it was widely used in landscaping parks and squares from the Crimea to Arkhangelsk and Yekaterinburg. And now this hydrangea would be in great demand: both as a flowering background plant, and in groups on lawns, and in hedges, and on the edges. With the help of a haircut, picturesque trees with a variety of crown shapes can be formed from it. But, unfortunately, we pay more attention to unreliable types and varieties of hydrangeas. Hydrangea petiole has all the virtues of a showy blooming vine and groundcover. There is only one drawback - it grows slowly.

Everything else is pure creativity.

In a very small garden, this may be one bush, but hydrangeas are especially good when used in large arrays, then the texture of the inflorescences is visible. Before planting a plant, you need to evaluate its habitus. If the variety tends to form a rounded bush, evenly covered with inflorescences, then it can be used on the lawn, on the slopes. If the bottom of the bush is bare, and the shoots are strong, hold the inflorescences well and high, then it is better to include such a variety in more complex combinations with other shrubs and conifers, as well as in flower beds. They can be surrounded by borders of cotoneaster, spirea and other shrubs - deciduous or coniferous. Color changing, more intense shades of crimson will greatly benefit from the background of vesicles with purple foliage or Ottawa barberry. In the foreground of the flower garden, Hydrangeas will look bad, as they will begin to outweigh the plants that are in the background in terms of volume, style and significance. And of course, the garden does not need varieties that are very drooping and falling apart.

You can experiment with hydrangeas, but they definitely cannot be combined with yellow, orange and red flowers. It is better to take plants with blue flowers, blue needles or foliage - clematis, hosts, cereals, low junipers. A successful combination of pinking hydrangea paniculata with blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica). You can use the color repetition technique and combine types and varieties of hydrangeas with white inflorescences with variegated perennials or shrubs - white derain ‘Elegantissima’, variegated phlox like ‘Nora Leigh’ (‘Nora Ley’), hosta white-edged varieties. A classic is the combination of hydrangeas with phloxes of pink shades of different saturation with a rounded shape of the inflorescence, mock oranges that bloom at an earlier date, can be variegated, thujas, red-leaved shrubs for turning pink varieties, microbiota. There are a lot of good combinations.

I am against mixing hydrangeas of different types in the same flower garden, for example, paniculate and treelike, as they have different images. You can combine varieties of the same species that differ in height and shades of inflorescences, for example, hydrangea tree Anabell and Grandiflora. You can knock out taller varieties with stunted ones or make groups separate, but from the same varieties you can create a flower garden of hydrangeas of the same species and in some places you must add other plants, according to the principles of creating a mixborder.

Hydrangeas in the house and on the balcony

A bouquet of hydrangeas is a fantastic sight. Unfortunately, the age of cut inflorescences is short-lived - only 5-10 days, and even then, if you use any special techniques. The easiest of these is to remove as many leaves as possible, update the cut and split the ends of the shoots. And then put the bouquet in a vase, preferably glass. Metal containers are strictly contraindicated. Want to admire the hydrangea longer - buy a plant in a pot. It can be placed on the windowsill or taken out to the balcony by burying the pot in a box with earth. In order for the tension to please you for two or even three months, do not forget to protect it from midday sunlight, constantly water and spray it with settled water.

After flowering, the hydrangea can be planted without delay in the garden and in October, carefully cutting off the leaves, transferred to a dark room, where the temperature is kept at 4-6 degrees Celsius throughout the winter. From the end of February - the beginning of March, the plant is usually returned to a bright, warm room.

List of species and varieties of hydrangea

Hydrangea Bretschneider(Hydrangea bretschneideri)

Hydrangea(N. arborescens)

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The shrub owes its name to a small inflorescence. Native places - the Far East. In the wild, it is found in Japan, China, on the islands of the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. The garden form is steady against negative influence of environment. The height of the shrub rarely reaches 150 cm. The main decoration of paniculate hydrangea is a lush inflorescence. Its dimensions vary from 25 to 30 cm. Flowers are represented by two types - bisexual and sterile. The latter remain on the branches for a long time, while the former fall off after pollination.

Color shades during flowering from white to cream, the intermediate color is greenish. Velvet soft leaves perform an aesthetic function after all the flowers have fallen. Their bright color and sharp ends attract attention and give the area an original look. For decorative purposes, the plant can be used in a year, all that is required from the gardener is the creation of favorable conditions. In 12 months it grows up to 20 cm. The plant is unpretentious, frost-resistant. Designers and gardeners are used to decorate and transform country houses and summer cottages.

Use in landscape design

The beauty and unpretentiousness of the plant makes it in demand and popular with designers and gardeners. The shrub perfectly plays the role of a single planting plant and a hedge in a group. Given the need to constantly replant the plant up to 5 years, it adorns various parts of the garden. An adult tree gives the site a festive look, and leaves no one indifferent. The plant lends itself well to shearing and modeling. Its appearance depends on the chosen ensemble.

Primarily used in the Russian style. When planting a hydrangea with various shrubs and trees, the composition of the soil is taken into account. The plant is its indicator and changes color, reacting to its composition. Slightly alkaline earth gives a pink color, from a pale shade to a rich one. Acidic soil turns buds deep blue. This happens due to the lack of iron, which is so necessary for the shrub. By experimenting with the addition of iron salts, gardeners get the desired shade of shrub flowers. A rare exception is the combination of pink and blue flowers on the branches of one hydrangea.

Giving the garden picturesque, the shrub is planted on the banks of natural and artificial reservoirs. Reflected in the water during flowering, bright colors give the landscape a lively and embossed look. The landscape seemed to have stepped off the canvas. A large number of hydrangeas will turn any area into a Garden of Eden. Flowering occurs later than all popular plants - at the end of summer. This is another reason to plant this miracle. After flowering, unusual leaves adorn the water reflection, giving a mysterious and even mystical look to this area of ​​the garden.

Durable shrub branches are easy to model. The plant is freely turned into a flowering ball or a bright hedge. It can be created from several varieties of hydrangea, depending on climatic conditions. The shrub is quite large, harmoniously and holistically looks like a single plant. Planted on a well-groomed lawn. No less impressive is the combination of hydrangea with other flowering shrubs: buldonezh, spirea and others. If desired, you can create a flowering meadow or front garden.

Dividing the territory into certain zones, you can safely use a flowering shrub. Fulfilling its functional purpose, the hydrangea forms impenetrable hedges and fences. With skillful planting and pruning of shrubs, the plant acquires a given size and shape. The decor of the garden or plot with hydrangea creates a romantic and cozy atmosphere. Hydrangea blooms by the gazebo have a relaxing and peaceful look.

Creating a monochrome English hydrangea flower garden is easy. All plants from the composition are selected in the same shade when flowering. The distance between the objects of the ensemble is the same. Another version of the English garden using hydrangeas is a flowerbed of geraniums, ornamental herbs and plants, place a hydrangea closer to the center of the composition.

French charm - planting hydrangeas at the entrance area, when bright colors and ease of transitions open up to the eye. The plant conquers with its late flowering, when most of the plants have already faded.

Combination with other plants

In the Russian style, hydrangea is combined with birches, maples, willows, lilacs. The ensemble of various crown shapes, colors and sizes of plants adds versatility to the composition. Plants are well combined from an aesthetic and biological point of view.

The combination with is a bright flowering against the background of noble greenery or steel blue. Juicy graceful flowers in the “neighborhood” with give the site a garden look. The needles prevent the development of diseases in hydrangeas and prevent the appearance of pests.

The Oriental-style backyard assigns a role to hydrangeas in flower beds. The plasticity and unpretentiousness of the culture allows you to mix it with all kinds of low shrubs and flower representatives. Evergreen azalea, deciduous, dahlias and roses are successfully combined with hydrangea in one composition.

From dark leaf and hydrangea, whether loose or clear, in combination with sakura represent a smooth transition from one culture to another. Hydrangea helps to bring to life many bold design decisions and ideas.

Species and varieties

To determine the choice of a shrub, it is necessary to study all known and popular species. The plant has more than a dozen of them. The most spectacular in landscape design:

Hydrangea paniculata. The growth of an adult shrub is 200 cm. The flowering period is 4 weeks. Slightly acidic soil is preferred. Inflorescence conical.

Hydrangea. The most unpretentious and frost-resistant variety. The inflorescence is spherical. An adult representative has a height of 250 cm.

Hydrangea macrophylla. Fastidious and whimsical look. Does not like frost, clay soil, direct sunlight. Growth reaches 250 cm.

curly hydrangea. A slowly growing vine takes on the structure of a tree over time. Popular for hedges.

hydrangea oak-leaved. It grows in a place protected from low temperatures. The leaves are similar to oak, hence the name.

Panicled hydrangea has many varieties, here are some of them:

• vanilla Frase,

• pinky winky,

• grandiflora,

• limelight,

The plant needs access to the sun and protection from drafts.. The ideal solution is landing behind a building or a fence. Be sure to have a source of moisture, no more than one and a half meters away. Only by observing all the rules for caring for a plant can you grow a strong and beautiful hydrangea bush. In cold climates, after landing, a small canopy is immediately arranged. It will cover the plant from the aggressive influence of the environment (wind, frost). The size of the planting hole should be 20 cm larger than the root node. When planting, the plant is fertilized with manure, peat or compost. The soil is compacted, the bush is watered abundantly.

Abundant watering is an important component of the healthy development of hydrangeas. In early spring and throughout the dry summer, the bush is plentifully and often watered. The most suitable soil is acidified. You can create it with your own hands using iron sulfate or ammonium sulfate. The plant is susceptible to low temperatures. The near-stem part is covered with coniferous litter or peat. Pruning is carried out in early spring. Recovering after the winter, it has sufficient ability to recover. Late pruning leads to weakening and disease. Necessary frequent and timely top dressing with minerals.

Of course, like all shrubs, hydrangeas have a tendency to disease and susceptibility to pests. Fungal diseases and spider mites can cause serious trouble.

Their influence leads to leaf fall, rotting of the root system, and the death of the shrub is not ruled out. The plant should be regularly subjected to preventive measures. Bushes are sprayed with a special solution in early spring. In the event of a disease, the plant may need a long period of treatment.

Video - planting, pruning, care of Hydrangea Paniculata

I love beautiful plants. And naturally, roses and hydrangeas are my favorites: they are luxurious, look great side by side, they need similar conditions for growth (rich, loose, sour soil, places protected from the wind, high humidity (especially important in our Trans-Urals, where dry winds are not uncommon)).

And “the idea came”: to create a mixborder with paniculate hydrangeas. It turned out one of the brightest corners of my garden, which is decorative all season.

In June and July, light-coloured "Vanille Fraise" caps enhance the beauty of "Angela" Kordes pink roses. In August, turning pink hydrangeas and roses are a luxurious mixborder, where pink sets the tone.

In September, the darker color of hydrangeas advantageously emphasizes the invariance of the color of rose petals.

Hydrangea flowers are so luxurious (pictured is panicle hydrangea "Limelight") that the best pair for them will be roses with small semi-double or simple flowers.

The flower garden turned out very bright, I wanted to add a little white. I tried to put white potted roses - I liked it.

And in the final scheme of the mixborder, spray roses and white floribunda roses very organically fit in.

When creating a bright flower garden or a mixborder on my site, I always remember that the main color in the garden is green. Here, plants set the main tone.

Green has many shades and this is the color that gives harmony and peace.

Therefore, pine, junipers, bluish-silvery willows are desirable plants in such a mixborder.

Have you tried growing blueberries and cranberries? Try it, the berries are very tasty and beautiful. And how these plants look with my roses and hydrangeas! They are the sunniest corner near the pond. it will grow and become an openwork carpet, flowing to the very water, and in the fall it will be covered with bright red droplets of berries (one and a half to two centimeters: such are the berries of garden cranberries!).

Gray blueberries are an additional decoration of our flower garden. And how delicious they are, comparable only to strawberries and raspberries! Blueberry leaves turn a fiery scarlet color in autumn. You can read how to plant blueberries correctly. For better fruiting, at least two varieties of blueberries are planted.

Caring for such a flower garden is simple. Optimum air humidity will create a pond.

It may be small. The pond will become a source of water for irrigation and spraying. Such a mixborder should always be mulched. Preferably with coniferous litter, but a lawn bevel is also suitable if there is temporarily no coniferous litter. maintains optimal soil moisture and serves as nutrition for plants. Irrigation over mulch increases the nutritional value of the mulch and protects plants from disease. Therefore, if you liked my flower garden, pay attention to the bluish coniferous and white roses - they will add coolness.
In October, we saw a stunning sight - luxurious plants were covered with silver frost.

Plant nursery "Sign of the Earth"

Landscaping of the site

Landscape design of the site is a real art, which involves a whole group of specialists. Landscaping is individual, because you can hardly find two identical plots: each house with its surrounding plot and landscape is unique. Therefore, designers and planners create a landscape design that is suitable only for you and where all your dreams come true. Landscape design is only up to your imagination. For example, you need to beautifully decorate your terrace for a pleasant pastime. Or maybe you dream of a small pond where a cascade of murmuring water will be arranged. If the project provides for a swimming pool, then a changing cabin is needed, and the ground around the entire perimeter must be covered with safe materials.
Having equipped the fountain, you can listen to the sound of falling water. Someone does not need the presence of reservoirs on a personal plot, then a landscape design specialist can realize the appearance of the presence of water with the help of a “dry” stream. The imagination of our landscape designers is limitless, and a photo gallery of our completed projects will help you in determining what a summer cottage should be like. Our company employs creative individuals who are experienced and highly qualified specialists who are ready to fill your garden with life, which will bring the joy of communicating with it for many years.
Our landscape design studio strives to preserve and ennoble the natural environment that has developed on the site. In this regard, each tree, shrub or part of the relief, according to your desire, will become integral organic elements of the new garden design. Our experts are passionate about their work and will be happy to provide any assistance!

Ornamental plant nursery

We are engaged landscaping personal plots, dachas, suburban and urban areas. Our task is integrated approach to gardening. We are ready not only to give you beautiful and adapted plants, but also to deliver them and plant them.

Only competent and qualified specialists in various fields work in our plant nursery. Each of us has unique knowledge of planting and transplanting plants, pruning trees and shrubs, we will tell you how to properly care for the garden and give recommendations on landscape design.