Cathy of Words and Herbs is hosting a week-long meme celebrating the stars of our gardens over this past year. It’s a chance to look back and also to imagine forward, as to garden well, is to plan. That doesn’t mean all goes according to plan, but you learn that planting lettuce in the heat of the summer or forgetting to get your bulbs in the ground on time can lead to disappointment.
Without further ado (it’s day five, but this is the first day I’ve had time to post), here are a few of my garden darlings, and an adorable photo of our grand-pooch.
Our pink and blue hydrangeas are summer stunners. These are known as Bigleaf Hydrangeas(Hydrangea macrophylla).They span shades of fuchsia to cranberry, periwinkle to admiral blue, and even shades of green. It all comes down to the soil pH.
According to Wikipedia:
“The pink hydrangea has risen in popularity all over the world, especially in Asia. The given meaning of pink hydrangeas is popularly tied to the phrase “you are the beat of my heart,” as described by the celebrated Korean florist Tan Jun Yong, who was quoted saying, “The light delicate blush of the petals reminds me of a beating heart, while the size could only match the heart of the sender!”[36]
Hydrangeas were used by the Cherokee people of what is now the Southern U.S. as a mild diuretic and cathartic; it was considered a valuable remedy for bladder stones.
If you follow this link to Cathy’s page, you will find other garden bloggers sharing their favs.
Thank you for hosting, Cathy, and for all the goodwill.
Gardening Nirvana 
Your grandpooch has the sweetest face !
Don’t you think it’s almost amazing that you can get such different soil types in so small an area ! I’ve always been fascinated by hydrangeas’ ability to show their origins. :)
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Thank you! Juneau is a sweet and handsome pooch, with eyes to match the blooms. He’s a joy to be around.
It’s extraordinary to see these plants side by side sporting different colors. I enjoy having them in my garden.
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Hi Alys! So glad you are joining in! 🤗 Your Hydrangeas are truly spectacular – such a lovely mix of shades and really big flower heads too. (And your ‘grand-pooch’ is a sweetie! 😁)
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Thank you, Cathy. I hope to do a better job rounding out the week.
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Gorgeous hydrangeas, Alys! Wish they would grow for me. Sadly, we are one zone too cold for H. macrophylla, which blooms on the previous summer’s wood, and always gets winter-killed here, so no blooms. At least there is H. paniculata and arborescens for us to enjoy.
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I’m glad you’ve found substitutes that satisfy, Eliza. They are showstoppers with very little effort beyond an annual pruning.
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I do love hydrangea
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Dawn, they’re spectacular.
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love, love, love hydrangeas and a very special appearance from your doggo!
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Thank you, Cath.
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Your hydrangeas are truly stunning and your dog looks very sweet too :). Didn’t know that it’s a medicinal plant too, thanks for sharing.
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Thank you, Annette, for reading and commenting. Juneau is a sweetie.
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How gorgeous are your hydrangeas! And the grand-pooch is a star too. My hydrangeas are getting ready to flower. I try to keep them blue but usually they defy me and the blue-ing agent!
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I planted two last year … alas, the deer. BUT I have a plan for next year!
Yours are gorgeous!
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Oh those hydrangea – how stunning!
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