Recommendations & Design Suggestions for any Type of Landscape
Hydrangeas are must-have garden plants that are hard to miss and even harder to resist! These substantial, shrubby plants feature large heads composed of many smaller flowers and come in a wide range of colors and styles. Even though Hydrangeas lose their leaves in the Fall, they provide lots of peak season interest as they begin blooming in early Summer with massive flowers that stick around until the frost.
Though commonly grown in wet shady gardens, the beauty of Hydrangeas isn’t confined to any one style of landscape. Thanks to the diversity found within this exceptional group of plants, there are Hydrangeas that are well-suited to any condition and aesthetic of landscape. We’ve put together collections of Hydrangeas that are perfectly suited to the Pacific Northwest’s most common types of landscapes. No matter what your design style is, your level of gardening expertise, or the conditions of your garden, there truly is a Hydrangea out there for you!
Best Hydrangeas for Sunny Gardens
Hydrangeas might not be the first plant that comes to mind when selecting a blooming shrub for an exposed and sunny garden. However, most varieties of Panicle Hydrangea are well-suited to growing in full sun environments, provided they are well-watered leading into heat waves.
Panicle Hydrangeas have smaller leaves and sport humongous, cone-shaped clusters of flowers that emerge green and then transform from white to shades of mauvy pink, depending on the variety. We adore the classic Limelight Hydrangea for its grand size and dominating appearance, especially when planted en masse as a hedge. But if a smaller Hydrangea is more your speed, look no further than Little Hottie, a new introduction bred to handle the hottest of climates with grace.
Our Bohemian Design Guide uses Panicle Hydrangeas to add structure and height to an otherwise relaxed landscape, full of soft, sweeping grasses and pastel Summer-blooming perennials like Agastache, Scabiosa, and Guara.
Best Hydrangeas for Wet, Shady Gardens
Many types of Hydrangeas are perfect for the wet shade conditions found in dark, low-laying areas of the garden or north-facing beds. In fact, their water-loving nature is built right there in the name: Hydra = water!
To make sure you’re selecting a Hydrangea that will thrive in darker, wetter areas, select large-leaved types like Mophead Hydrangeas or Smooth Hydrangeas. Mopheads area a huge group that encompasses the perpetually popular Endless Summer Series, prized for their consistent reblooming. The latest shade and water-loving Hydrangea that has caught our eye is Pop Star, a dwarf introduction with dozens of color-changing blooms that respond to the pH of your soil! And everyone loves the larger-than-life flowers of Annabelle, a stellar Smooth Hydrangea.
For a winning combination that will look phenomenal during the Spring, Summer and Fall, co-plant Mophead and Smooth Hydrangeas with Hostas, Lady Ferns, and Japanese Forest Grass.
Best Hydrangeas for Naturalistic Woodland Gardens
Woodland gardens set beneath towering Doug Firs can be challenging areas to landscape with the bodacious colors of water-loving Mophead Hydrangeas. Fortunately, even spaces that are better suited to a less-manicured aesthetic can benefit from the beauty of Hydrangeas.
Oakleaf Hydrangeas are our favorite recommendation for anyone who wants to add interesting, textured foliage, beautifully elegant flowers, and stunning fall color to their woodland gardens. In particular, we like the sturdy nature of Jetstream, a larger variety of Hydrangea quercifolia. And for an easy-care, compact option, Pee Wee Oakleaf Hydrangea simply can’t be beat!
Take inspiration from our Pacific Northwest Design Guide and plant Oakleaf Hydrangeas alongside other favorites from our Composed Color Palette, including Pink Frost Hellebore, Deer Fern, and Blue Mouse Ears Hosta.
Best Hydrangeas for Hedging or Traditional Gardens
Often when people think of classic Hydrangea gardens, it’s the large, bluey purple mopheads planted in neat lines that first spring to mind. Traditional gardens make excellent use of these generous, blooming shrubs as a hedging plant hemmed in by evergreen shrubs like boxwood or boxwood alternatives.
While any Hydrangea can be planted in rows for a beautiful, high-impact flowering hedge, we love the saturated pinks and purples and shorter stature that Summer Crush, our best-selling reblooming Hydrangea, brings to formal landscapes. If your tastes lean more towards cooler tones, consider BloomStruck, which grows to a similar compact size and will rebloom in blues and purples.
To further emphasize a Jewel-toned plant palette, complete the look with selections from our Traditional Design Guide, including The President Clematis on obelisks or trellises, a neat low hedge of Boxleaf Euonymus, and a low carpet of annual color like Crystal Palace Lobelia.
Best Hydrangeas for Container Gardens
Hydrangeas aren’t typically the go-to choice for container gardens, as they often have watering demands that are better suited to in-ground plantings. However, newer introductions of Hydrangeas make stunning and unexpected feature plants in container gardens!
Our hearts have been captured by the pretty pretty pink blooms of Mini Mauvette Hydrangea, which is a new Smooth Hydrangea that was bred to bring color and compact size to this incredibly popular group of Hydrangeas. And for someone looking for a chic and striking centerpiece to an elevated container, Fairytrail Bride Cascase Hydrangea, a white, trailing variety, is sure to delight.
When coplanting Hydrangeas in containers, we prefer to keep it simple, selecting trailing, shade-loving plants like Licorice Plant or Silver Falls Dichondra and adding a Heuchera or two to accentuate the color palette.
Best Hydrangeas for Cutting Gardens
While many cutting gardens focus on single-season annuals and a few classic plants like Roses, we think that every cut flower garden should include a Hydrangea! Not only do the fresh, large flowers make dramatic and elegant arrangements, the dried flower heads are also incredibly versatile and useful in displays year-round!
Though many Hydrangeas can be used in floral arrangements, our favorite flowers to work with are from the paniculata, or Panicle group of Hydrangeas. These plants are better able to withstand sunny garden conditions, tolerate cutting well, and have a long vase life without blooming. Quick Fire Panicle Hydrangeas combine the delicate emergence of Lacecap Hydrangeas with the sturdiness and stunning ombre color palette common in the Panicle group. And for classic Panicle look on a smaller plant, consider using Little Lime Hydrangea in your garden.
Hydrangeas make great cut flowers and were our shrub of choice in our 7 Best Cut Flowers for Long-Season Blooms blog. Plant them alongside other cut flower favorites like Roses, Honeysuckle, and Cosmos for a landscape bed that looks complete and cohesive, and provides you with weeks and weeks of flowers all Summer long!
No matter the size, style, or conditions of your garden, there is a Hydrangea out there for you! This surprisingly versatile group of plants are easy to grow and will reward you with an incredibly long season of beautiful blooms. Learn more about Hydrangea varieties and maintenance on our blog, and visit Dennis’ 7 Dees Garden Centers to browse our selection of new arrivals and tried and true favorites. We can’t wait to help you find the Hydrangea that is perfect for your garden!