Gardeners cherish hydrangeas for their stunning mid to late-season blooms, and among the various hydrangea species, Hydrangea arborescens, or Smooth Hydrangea, stands out for its large globe-shaped flowers and ease of care. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the essentials of caring for Smooth Hydrangeas and explore some creative planting ideas to incorporate them into your garden landscape.
Where to Plant Smooth Hydrangeas: Smooth Hydrangeas thrive in partial shade with dappled sunlight, although they can tolerate full sun with adequate watering. However, providing shade from the afternoon sun is crucial in hot southern regions. It’s important to note that these hydrangeas will not flower in full shade and require at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight for optimal blooming. They adapt well to various soil conditions but prefer moist, well-drained, loamy, and acidic soils.
Pruning is essential for managing the size and abundance of flowers on Hydrangea arborescens varieties. Here are three main pruning methods to consider:
Hard Pruning: This involves cutting back to 2 buds on the previous year’s growth in early spring, resulting in fewer but larger flowers. Staking may be necessary to support the weight of the blooms. Hard pruning is suitable if the hydrangeas are located behind a boxwood hedge, which will act as a support, allowing the large hydrangea inflorescences to beautifully cascade onto the hedge.
Medium Pruning: Medium Pruning involves cutting the plant back by about one-third of its total height and removing any thin, spindly stems in early spring. This method promotes more medium-sized flowers and is perfect for hydrangeas in the first row of a flower bed, maintaining a tidy appearance without additional support.
Light Pruning: Removing last year’s flower heads and lightly reshaping the plant encourages the production of numerous smaller flowers. This method is perfect for creating a mass of blooms in the background of your garden, where the abundance of small flowers adds a charming touch to the landscape.
Understanding these pruning techniques allows gardeners to tailor their hydrangeas to their specific design needs, whether it’s creating tidy rows or a sprawling mass of blooms. By choosing the appropriate pruning method, you can ensure that your hydrangeas thrive and enhance the beauty of your garden.
Creative Combinations
Now, let’s explore some inspiring ways to incorporate Smooth Hydrangeas into your garden:
Mass Planting in Partly Shaded Areas: For expansive gardens with a woodland feel, mass plantings of Smooth Hydrangeas like ‘Dardom’ (White Dome®) or ‘Invincibelle Lace’ can add a mesmerizing touch. These lace-cap varieties boast sturdy stems that hold up even after heavy rain. ‘Dardom’ offers large dome-shaped inflorescences of white flowers, while ‘Invincibelle Lace’ showcases rosy plum-purple fertile flowers with pale sterile florets. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, both varieties are favorites among pollinators, attracting bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects to the garden. Standing 100-150 cm (3-5′) tall and wide, they create a captivating display from bloom to winter frost. But even before flowers, large leaves make this bush a beautiful addition to your naturalistic design.
To illustrate, let’s consider two examples of incorporating these hydrangeas alongside other woodland perennials for a naturalistic design in a light shade.
Example 1: In this composition, we’ll feature Hydrangeas like ‘Dardom’ (White Dome®) alongside complementary woodland perennials such as Gillenia trifoliata, Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora, and Geranium macrorrhizum ‘White-ness.’
Sporobolus heterolepis serves as a lovely filler groundcover plant, providing a beautiful contrast with the large leaves of hydrangea. These perennials will bloom from June, while the Hydrangea prepares for its spectacular display. By July, the Hydrangea will take center stage with masses of white lace flowers, creating a stunning woodland-inspired landscape.
Example 2: In this group, we will feature the elegant Hydrangea arborescens ‘Invincibelle Lace’ as the focal point, known for its captivating rosy plum-purple fertile flowers with pale sterile florets. To add texture and rustic charm, we’ll incorporate Carex testacea, a graceful ornamental grass that adds movement and interest with its arching foliage. Additionally, Digitalis ferruginea (Rusty Foxglove) will contribute a touch of wild beauty with its tall spires of rust-colored blooms. For a pop of color from June until the Hydrangea steals the spotlight in July, we’ll introduce Geranium ‘Patricia’ with its vibrant magenta blooms and Allium sphaerocephalon, which boasts spherical purple flowers atop slender stems. Together, these plants will create a harmonious and visually captivating composition that evolves gracefully throughout the seasons.
Hydrangea Plant Combinations for Small Spaces: Not to fret if you lack a sprawling garden or woodland area! I’ll guide you through some straightforward combinations featuring hydrangeas that are perfect for smaller garden spaces.
In this example, I’ve curated a combination featuring shrubs with stunning foliage: Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’ and Cornus alba ‘Sibirica Variegata.’
These shrubs provide a rich backdrop against which the white-flowered hydrangea ‘Incrediball’ will exude elegance. To complement the dark hues of the Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’ foliage in the foreground, I’ve incorporated Astilbe ‘Chocolate Shogun.’ This dark-leaved astilbe offers visual interest even when not in bloom, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the composition.
This compact arrangement is ideal for small gardens, and it’s versatile enough to thrive in containers, perfect for adorning terraces or entrances with partial shade during the hottest hours of the day.
I’ve selected the vibrant hydrangea variety ‘Sweet Annabelle’ as the centerpiece, renowned for its eye-catching blooms. Complementing this hydrangea is one of my personal favorites, the perennial Lythrum salicaria ‘Robert,’ which adds a pop of color with its striking hues. Completing the composition in the foreground is the elegant Geranium ‘Rozanne,’ adding a touch of sophistication to the ensemble.
This grouping features a structural element: a boxwood hedge in the foreground that creates order and definition year-round. Behind the hedge, the Candybelle Marshmallow hydrangea steals the show with its beautiful soft pink inflorescences, reminiscent of marshmallows. Accompanying it is Astrantia major ‘Primadonna,’ which will bloom in June, providing the first accent in this group. To introduce contrast near the hedge, Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’ is suggested. Its airy texture adds lightness and a touch of whimsy. In the background, Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Rosea’ complements the hydrangea inflorescences with its delicate pink blooms. This group strikes a balance between structural integrity and delicate elegance.
If you’ve found these companion plant suggestions helpful, check out my workbook, ‘Workbook Companion Plants for Hydrangeas: 42 Planting Schemes with Hydrangeas for Every Style’ Available for download here
You also can check my previous posts, where I share few planting schemes from the workbook:
WHAT TO PLANT WITH OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA? 3 READY-TO-USE PLANT COMBINATIONS FOR HYDRANGEA QUERCIFOLIA
What to Plant Next to Bigleaf Hydrangea – Best Companion Plants for Hydrangea macrophylla
In these posts, you’ll discover carefully curated combinations that harmonize with specific hydrangea varieties, enhancing their aesthetic appeal and creating captivating garden landscapes.
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