Hydrangea flowers add instant Southern charm to flowerbeds, table arrangements, and bouquets. A summer favorite in North Carolina, hydrangeas tend to confound new gardeners. Hydrangea bushes require a delicate balance of sun and shade, which can be difficult to find in the wooded mountains of Lake Nantahala. Nevertheless, when these beauties finally burst into bloom, they make any extra effort well worth it.
Hydrangea Varieties
Agriculturists have developed a variety of hydrangeas that are more shade-tolerant than their predecessors. These new hydrangea plants also require less frequent pruning to produce full, lush flowerbeds in front of your home.
- Mophead hydrangeas flourish with morning sun and afternoon shade and wilt under too much shade. Choose blue, white, pink, or lavender colored flowers for your Lake Nantahala lake house.
- Annabelle, or “wild hydrangea,” require a fair amount of shade to flourish in our hot North Carolina summers. Their large, pristine white blooms add classic Southern elegance to cabins with traditional architectural features.
- Lacecaps have loose, flattened flowers interspersed with the bright green foliage of the hydrangea bush. Some varieties of lacecap hydrangeas have smaller, dark-colored flowers surrounded by a ring of large white blooms. Gardeners can apply the same gardening techniques to lacecap and mophead hydrangeas.
Basic Hydrangea Care
Choose the appropriate hydrangea for our North Carolina hardiness zone and the amount of sun vs. shade on your property. For best results, give your hydrangeas plenty of room to expand. Water your plant thoroughly for several years as it establishes, but never let water stand around the roots. Prune your hydrangea based on the flower care instructions for your particular variety. Newer varieties of hydrangea bushes may bloom multiple times during the growing season.
Add a touch of old fashioned beauty to your home by planting hydrangeas at your mountain lake house. For more lake house ideas, contact Reflection Lake Nantahala.
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