Hydrangeas of summer

Hydrangeas are great show-stopping shrubs for the summer border, adding both structure and floral power to the landscape. Here are just two (among many) that I am fond of.

I've long admired the simple smooth hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens, and the cultivar 'Annabelle' really cannot be beat for its bountiful display of rounded blossom clusters. An 'easy keeper', smooth hydrangea intermingles well with other plants, including herbaceous perennials.


















Another common species that is a personal favorite of mine is the oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia. A more substantial piece of shrubery than H. arborescens, this species also produces robust conical panicles of white flowers, often blushed pinkish. And, like other members of the genus, oakleaf hydrangea flowers can be just as striking after they have dried.






























Both of these species are native to eastern North America, although the natural range of oakleaf hydrangea is restricted to the Southeast (this has not stopped some northerners from growing it as a native species, however). Both can be found in woodlands and thickets, typically in dappled shade, although it is not unusual to see them in very densely forested areas.