The smarter Hydrangea

摘要

AFTER 25 YEARS of watching my bigleaf hydrangeas {Hydrangea macrophylla and cvs., USDA Hardiness Zones 6-9) consistently lose their buds to late frost, I took it upon myself to search for hardier alternatives. A friend suggested 'Blue Billow', which is a cultivar of a completely different species, Hydrangea serrata, or Japanese mountain hydrangea (also commonly called a serrata hydrangea]. I planted it next to my sorry, burned-out and blossom-less bigleaf hydrangea, and the little darling serrata bloomed—year after year—with better results than my bigleaf. I know late frost is not a problem for all gardeners, but in my Zone 7 garden, where spring warms up seductively and then slaps you brutally with one last freeze, loss of blooms is a tragic reality. Serratas have limited my worry of bud freeze because they hit the spring snooze button and stay dormant longer to protect themselves against late frost. The additional beauty rest helps them shine stronger and brighter than other hydrangeas. My love affair with this smarter species has compelled me to collect every variety I can get my hands on. In my opinion, these are the best of the best.