Friday, July 22, 2011

the hunt for hydrangeas...

 Hydrangea season is upon us...almost!


This is what the limelight hydrangea looked like last year at this time.


This is how it looks today.
We are at least several weeks behind this year.


My hydrangea hedge is a lovely green right about now (they love rain)...
and it took a little hunting to find some blooms to admire.



Hidden under the leaves were a few clusters of  'blushing bride' blooms.
Great name...don't you think?


The one old-fashioned blue hydrangea shrub in my garden...
is one I salvaged from my son's yard.
His landscaper thought he needed a hydrangea.
He thought otherwise.
Not everyone likes hydrangeas like I do!


The 'Annabelle' hydrangea is the only one that is ready for clipping and bringing indoors.


And just outside my kitchen window is a pink memorial hydrangea...
a gift from good friends three years ago.
I see it...
and I remember.

Hydrangea heaven is almost upon us.
I'll bring you back to the garden once they are in their prime!

Enjoy the weekend.

23 comments:

  1. Aaah ... the anticipation of the hydrangeas bursting into bloom. They may be late for you this year, but I can tell they will soon be putting on quite a show. I will be back to see it in full bloom. You have a nice variety.

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  2. Judy , you have some very beautiful varieties there, especially the Limelight.

    Hydrangeas are a very Breton flower and feature on postcards and calendars, but they are mostly the deep bluey purple ones here.

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  3. We grew our hydrangea from a cutting from one of my hubby's grandfather's many years ago. It is in the front yard by our lamp post. This year we've rooted several more from it that are in the back yard. We consider them part of our inheritance!Like you, I love them!

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  4. The Annabelle is so dependable. Years ago I grew one from a cutting from a plant at an abandoned house. That one cutting started plants when we moved and then for several friends.
    This isn't a good year of hydrangeas on the island. Mine look like they'll have few blooms.

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  5. I love hydrangeas, but they don't love living in the desert. Every year at Easter I buy a huge hydrangea and try to nurse it along as far as I can. Even though they always eventually dry up and die, I enjoy them so much while they're in bloom. Yours are gorgeous!

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  6. It is so nice to discover another hydrangea lover in the valley. I adore hydrangeas and they seem to like me as I have had great success growing them! The old-fashioned variety do seem to like this cooler rainy weather. I have hundreds of blooms in my yard.
    Thank you for sharing your photos.

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  7. Such beautiful photos! I didn't know you could start a hydrangea from a cutting - so now that I know, today may be the day!!

    I have always loved them, and lilacs as well! Now that we live in a climate that can support them, I'm ready to have some!

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  8. Beautiful....I live in the wrong part of the country to easily have hydrangeas. Our 100 temps this week are forcing me to do a lot of daily watering. But that limelight hydrangea is amazing. I might have to see if I can get one of those for my back shade garden for next year. This is a glorious post. I LOVE hydrangeas.

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  9. My are shriveling up from the intense heat, yours are not blooming yet. The weather patterns are certainly interesting this year. But, I will be waiting because I remember how beautiful your hydrangeas were other years. I don't mind waiting, but I am sorry you have too. Please send some cooler weather our way:)

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  10. Lovely!! I have 3 bushes - 2 periwinkle colour and one snowball white. The periwinkles are just starting to turn their lovely shade of blue and my snowball bush is loaded. I love hydrangeas!

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  11. I too love hydrangeas, esp the lime colored..waiting to see them in full flower.

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  12. Mine are looking about the same as yours. ..but the limelight has fully open blooms. The pinky purple ones will have very few blooms this year. ..since I got a little snip happy with the old wood preventing new blooms.

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  13. Lots of variety at your place. I do like the blushing bride. I also like the blues and pinks. I don't think I have the room for hydrangea in a spot they'd enjoy, unfortunately. On the other hand, I have a dear friend who gifts me with beautiful dried hydrangeas each autumn. I am always grateful.

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  14. I've always enjoyed your collection of hydrangeas. I have a small pink one working it's way through our garden. It's most beautiful...as long as my dog does not sleep on it.
    What is the secret to bringing them in as cut flowers?

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  15. Beautiful, Judy. We've come so far from the pink and blue hydrangeas that I never really liked when I first moved here. I love the whites and the deeper pink/purple ones. I also have a pale pink climbing hydrangea that is a bit more like the lace ones. It's blooming so nicely now.

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  16. I have two giant old fashioned




































































    Your limelight hydrangea is so beautiful, Judy! I;m sure they will bloom very soon.
    Mine have been bloomiing a month already but will skow down with this heat. I have the old fashioned purple type that is trying hard to take over my entire small yard. :)







    purple hydrangea in my front yard..they are almost taking over my small property but they are full of flowers every summer that I would never cut them down. I love your limelight hydrangea! Gorgeous color and shape

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  17. I'm not sure why my comments are not going through I left two and only a part of one is showing...blogger troubles?

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  18. Oh so there's hope for my one lonely bloom. Your hydrangeas are so healthy and pretty!

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  19. I love them too though it is a little hot from them here. I especially love the blue ones. I will look forward to mre photos when yours are in full bloom.
    Cheers
    Helen

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  20. Wow...they are indeed beautiful. Are they deer resistant I wonder?

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  21. I remember seeing your hydrangeas in a vase in your house.. looking so beautiful! Thanks to you and Marg I have a beautiful plant in my front yard that replaced one that hardly got any blooms. If it looks half as good as yours do, I'll be happy.

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  22. http://barnes-girl.blogspot.com/2011/07/hydrangeas-hydrangeas-2011.html?spref=fb

    I wanted to share pictures from my garden.
    -Darlene

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  23. lush and gorgeous...how I do love hydrangeas!

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