Blue hydrangeas have twice been a special gift from friends. This year Linda, who was going away during the time they would be blooming in her garden, asked me to pick them so they wouldn’t be wasted. It was a double gift as I hadn’t been able to pick any and so my Steven went and got them for me and presented them as a beautiful blue bunch.
These striking flowers seem to have been dyed this wonderful shade, though I know they grow like this completely naturally, their colour coming from minerals in the soil. It seems, too, that they are not meant to be kept for longer than their natural lives as, unlike other hydrangeas, they don’t seem to dry well, just withering and becoming pale and sad looking.
I wanted to keep these blooms a little longer so I took multiple exposures of several of them and combined them in a posy for us all to enjoy. Have a wonderful week everyone!
Thanks +Nanaadwoa Nkronmah – I'm glad you like it.
Waaaaaw!!! What a flower I don't know how to classify it but Infact it looks gorgeous and attractive thanks
+Abrahan John, I've heard words contrary to this, that it's good to grow them on the north side of a house or where there's less sunlight. It happens that's exactly where I would want to put them. My house faces northwest, more north than west, and there's a spot for them in front of an entryway wall. In fact, one of those spots is mostly under the shade of a very large and full magnolia tree.
Some people around here do have hydrangeas. But whatever the case, I've vetoed the idea of trying to grow any myself on this property. I've got way too much to deal with as it is. But they would certainly look nice there.
If your landscape is mostly sunny (and hot), you may wish to grow the PeeGee (paniculata) hydrangea, which thrives in all day sun as long as it receives adequate moisture. PeeGee hydrangeas actually need at least 5 hours of sun per day to bloom well.
+Lynn David Newton
Planting a small shrub hydrangeas in the right location is extremely important. Location can make the difference between growing a lush, lavishly blooming shrub and one that struggles and produces scrawny blooms.
+Alan Mason thanks a lot! I think you have to actually share the image with me as I can't see that link. I look forward to December. But only for that reason. Brrrrr
+Ellie Kennard – I went out and took a pic of what happened yesterday and have made a note to contact you in December to show you the results. In South Africa (I don't know about other parts of the world) we call it a Christmas Rose as this is the time of the year that it really flourishes. I will post again in a few months time. It should be up to cill height.
https://photos.google.com/search/_tra_/photo/AF1QipMoZJq1gONZlrdRD0sKUTfwE4JwUueX8pfBDN4w
This is so rich! And all the tenderness is inside!
+Alan Mason thanks so much and for the thought of your wonderful treasure of blooms to come. I'm a little jealous.
+Ellie Kennard – As we may have experienced our last cold snap before spring, today I pruned my Blue Hydrangea RIGHT DOWN in order to have it ready for Christmas. It now stands at about a half meters tall but by December it will more than like be at around 1,8 meters and FULL of flowers!!!
Yours is also an exquisite blue Ellie!!
سلام
+Gary Whitehouse thank you!
Such a satisfying blue…Thank you for sharing.
Wonderful result, Ellie. I love it when you composite. It’s always both inspiring and delicate.
Thanks a lot Sandra. I’m glad you like it. That is a lovely thing to say about it, I really appreciate your comments.
Thanks so much dear +Guru Dutt! What a lovely thing to say. 😀 Have a lovely day.
So very beautiful. I love the “old” flowers. I grew up with one of these at the side of the house.
Thanks Cathy. I agree, the old varieties have a special quality about them that really seems to bring the gentler pace of the past back to us.
wow so beautiful.. and superb story… love it… the blue is so magical.. your work is so angelic.. blessings…
+Sumit Sen thank you!
A beauty!
+Jetski of course! My freezer is also full. Lol! And thank you!
And a server to save them all?.;) awesome work Elle!
+Shelly Gunderson thanks!
Very pretty!
+Lynn David Newton – I think that you are correct about these. They are just gorgeous when the flowers are out, but the period is too short, considering how much we want to enjoy their beauty for longer! We have one hydrangea bush, but it is a different kind, with none of the splendid beauty of this one.
Thanks so much +Alex Lapidus – I did mean to post this for Saturday but it was suddenly Sunday and I had lost a(nother) day. I am enjoying gathering my blooms together.
What a wonderful ball of blue! I like your digital flower preservation system 🙂
Hydrangeas are just about my favorite plant when they are in bloom, and this is a striking picture. I've wanted to plant them, but I'm told they can be difficult to grow. And that they bloom only for a few days every couple of years. If you're lucky. And did it right. I don't like those odds. But I love looking at others' hydrangeas.
+Prue Stopford thanks so much for that vision that I now have in my head! Caribbean skies, sea and now flowers with it!
Such a stunning photo, Ellie! The blue is like the Caribbean skies. Thank you 🙂
#creativephotos +CREATIVE PHOTOS by +Edith Kukla and +Holger Fährmann