ONLY BLOUSY HORTENSIAS ARE LIKING THE DELUGE

At least something loves these storm waters. The hydrangeas (or hortensias) have gone bloomin’ mad. Deep pink, multiple, giant mopheads are covering bushes everywhere. Sad old plants that had stopped flowering years ago have mysteriously erupted into mauve balls of cotton candy. ‘Runaway brides’ of giant white spikes have taken over gardens. As to beanstalk heights even climbing roses are finding it hard to compete as several of these shrubs have chosen to become treelike instead, floral profusion reaching high up into the clouds. How the plant supports all that weight is a wonder of nature.

The name hydrangea is said to mean ‘water vessel’ so no prizes for asking why they are loving this weather.

This genus has always fascinated gardeners who, like mystic magicians, try to experiment with changing the colour of the flowers from pink to blue sometimes adding their early morning coffee granules to the soil to make for greater acidity. The amazement is the several shades, graduating from blue through several hues to pink across one lacy cap. The reason the colour can be changed is down to the Ph balance of the soil and the levels of aluminium sulphate absorbed by the plant. If the soil is acidic, the flowers will be blue, if alkaline they will be pink. All the recent rains diluting the Ph balance has led to strong pinks everywhere.

Varieties of white hydrangea can sometime go green or partially green and some have been spotted going lightly pink. Its all pretty amazing and lovely as hortensias do flower for a long time well into late summer, bringing exuberance to the garden.

In winter why not dry the blooms upside down for drama in the Christmas floral decorations?