Annabelle Hydrangea

My Annabelle Hydrangea is doing beautifully this year.  The brush has grown up around it so it is sheltered from the sun.

The blooms are stunning, and quite large.

She has gone visiting from the area where I first planted her.  She must be finding her comfortable place.  In a few more years she may be a hedge.

I love Hydrangeas.  They are one of my favorite non yellow flowers.  I envy anyone that can grow the lace capped ones or the ones that are colorful.  I hear that there is a pink one that might grow this far north.

I have the perfect spot.  My Pee Gee Hydrangea that was a real rock star in the front yard..died.  It began to leaf out last spring and then it just croaked.  I told Far Guy to rip it out of the ground..he did and said that something had dug underneath it and hollowed out a spot under the crown..perhaps a hungry vole? 

This was taken about a year ago, Chance and my cute little Pee Gee Hydrangea.

Chance doesn’t dig.  He is really good about staying out of my plants..except if someone throws a ball..or if a chipmunk runs through:)

Pee Gee Hydrangea

My  Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pee Gee’ is putting on quite a show.  A couple of years ago I was about ready to give up on it because it was not blooming.  To look at it now you would never know that it was a “problem child.”  Perhaps it heard the conversation I had with my eleven year old non blooming Forsythia “Bloom or I am going to mow you down.”  My Hydrangea  has finally settled in and is sporting lots of blooms this year. About time. There is no hope for that darn old Forsythia..I really should mow it down or move it..

Up here in Minnesota we cannot grow very many Hydrangeas, ‘Annabelle’ and ‘Pee Gee’ are the most reliable. Forget the fancy Blue and Pink Lace caps and the Mop heads. Plain old white blooms..that is what we can grow the best:)