Here’s how to find the perfect place for your hydrangea to thrive.
Hydrangeas are a mainstay of the garden, thanks to their easy-care nature and their gorgeous, dramatic blooms that make a major statement. While hydrangeas can do well in a variety of lighting and soil situations, if you want your hydrangeas to really thrive, you need to find that Goldilocks, just-right spot to place them in your landscaping. You’re in luck: With these tips from gardening experts, you’ll be able to locate the right place for your hydrangea bush to bloom.
Related: 13 Plants to Grow Next to Hydrangeas for More Beautiful Blooms
Meet Our Expert
- Kevin Lenhart, design director at Yardzen
- Bethany Lakatos, plant expert at Fast Growing Trees
- Megan McConnell, plant information director at Monrovia
Find the Right Light for Your Hydrangea
You probably already know that hydrangeas are plants that can do well in shadier spots —especially oakleaf hydrangea, which can do decently in full shade. But to really help your hydrangea thrive, they need a certain amount of sun. “Hydrangeas are known for needing shade, but they can get too much shade,” McConnell says. “Sun is needed to get an abundance of blooms. The best combination is direct morning sun, but shade from the afternoon sun. Dappled shade is preferable to deep shade.”
Tips
Avoid placing hydrangea on the west side of your home, where they will be blasted by the afternoon sun, McConnell says.
If you’re game for providing your hydrangea with a bit of additional TLC, they can sometimes thrive in less-than-ideal light situations. “With ample irrigation and good mulching to cool the roots, they can perform in full sun,” Lakatos says. “This is especially true if you live in a region with mild summers. In exceptionally hot, long summer regions, like Texas and Florida, full sun may result in scorched leaves, droopy leaves, and reduced flowering.”
Choose a Great Spot in Your Garden Design
Hydrangea can be a very versatile addition to your garden design. Where you place hydrangeas within your landscape depends not only on the lighting, but also on the other plants you plan to grow and how large they will likely get in comparison with the hydrangea…