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10 of the best hydrangeas

The bold flowers and impressive colours of hydrangeas are hugely useful in the garden. On top of that they perform for many weeks, late in the season

Hydrangeas are well-known and well-loved garden plants. They're easy to grow and flower for a long time; many have attractive autumn leaves too. They grow well in most soils, although those with blue flowers are sensitive to soil acidity – in more alkaline soils the blue colour will fade to pinky-purple.

If your garden has limy or chalky soil (with a high pH) it's best to stick to white, pink or red-flowered cultivars. If you're keen on blue flowers and have soil conditions that are closer to neutral (pH 7), use a hydrangea colourant to improve the colour of your blooms.

A hydrangea of many colours

The bloom on the left was grown in acid soil, the right on alkaline
The flowers of 'Bluebird' make way for vivid foliage in autumn, extending the season
Hydrangea serrata 'Bluebird' combines colourful flowers and vivid autumn foliage. It's an old Japanese variety  that features 15-17cm (6-7in) lacecap flowers with pink or blue florets, depending on the soil. The flowers open from early July until well into the autumn. As the fertile florets are fertilised, the colourful outer ones bend over to reveal the bright pink colouring on their backs – whatever the soil. 1.5m (5ft).

Taking the limelight

Choose Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' for long-lasting, colour-changing flowerheads
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ is one of the best varieties, as decided by an RHS Plant Trial. 'Distinct and outstanding, stunning lime-green flowers' was the overall verdict. This tough, rather upright variety flowers from mid July to early October, the greenish flowers becoming darker with age and finally to develop pinkish tints. 1.5m (5ft).
Top tip!

Prune back to four buds in March for the best display of flowers


Great for small gardens

© Dorling Kindersley
Scented white flowers open from greenish buds
The flowers turn pink as they age
Hydrangea paniculata Pinky-Winky is one of the best for small gardens. Blooming from early August to early October, the flowers open in lime green and develop yellow tints as they age. They mature to deepest pink, often revealing all the colours in one spike – the effect enhanced by red stems. The flowers also have a spicy fragrance. Flowering time can easily be controlled by hard pruning (to give late flowers) or dead-heading only (for early flowers). 1.5m (5ft)

Flowers from the East

Watch the flowerheads gradually fold back as the summer season progresses
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Veitchii’ was imported from Japan in the 1860s. Its white lacecaps have florets faintly blushed with lilac, which age to lime green before folding down late in the season to reveal their reddish brown backs. The mass of fertile central flowers are pink in bud then open to blue on acid soil, or remain pink on lime. At their peak from mid July to mid August, the 20cm (8in) heads dry well for the winter. 1.5–1.8m (5–6ft)

Saucer-size flowerheads

The flowerheads of Hydrangea macrophylla 'Madame Emile Mouillère' reach 20cm (8in)
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Madame Emile Mouillère’, an old French variety, reveals large 20cm (8in) flowerheads that are distinctive in being so crowded that the individual florets are compressed together but also reveal a touch of elegance as the edges of each floret are prettily serrated. Best out of direct sun, the heads can be weighed down by heavy rain. The pure white flowers open in July, continue well into the autumn and age to palest pink or lime green (generally less blueish than in the photo). 1.8m (6ft).

Charming yet tough

Choose Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lanarth White' for exposed parts of your garden
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lanarth White’ is one of the best of all lacecaps, and also one of the best hydrangeas for exposed positions, poor soil and by the sea. Blooming from early July to the end of August and beyond, a ring of large pure white florets surrounds a mass of green buds which open to pale blue or lilac. Each sterile white floret may have a pink or purplish fertile floret in the centre. Dries well to cream, almost yellow in the centre. 1.2m (4ft).

Impressive flowers

Consider cutting some of the flowerheads for vase decorations
The heads of free-flowering mophead Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Générale Vicomtesse de Vibraye’ are so crowded with florets that the edges are squeezed together. In fact, if the plant is cut back hard the resulting flowerheads will be so large they will bend over and touch the ground under the weight of rain. So, lighter pruning is advisable. The flowers age to limy green and are good for drying. 1.5–1.8m (5–6ft).

Early bloomer

Grown on acid soil, the blooms of 'Ami Pasquier' become rich purple
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ami Pasquier' is a mophead variety with reddish pink, sometimes bright red or almost crimson flowers on alkaline soils; on acid soil the colour tends to be more of a wine-purple shade than blue. One of the hydrangeas first to bloom, flowering begins in early July and continues to late August and beyond. Although the flowerheads are just 10cm (4in), the plants are vigorous and productive. Developed in France and introduced in 1930. 1.2m (4ft).

Fine foliage

The flowerheads remain shades of blue even when grown in alkaline soil
Hydrangea aspera Villosa Group is much larger plant that my other choices. The highlight is the August and September display of large lacecap flowerheads 15–20cm (6–8in) across; large outer florets open in pink, but soon mature to blue while the mass of small inner florets are blue and develop purplish tones. More refined in its foliage than other forms of H. aspera, the leaves have pink veins on the underside. Retains its blue colouring on limy soil. 2.4–3m (8–10ft). The variety 'Velvet and Lace' has the AGM.

Splendid in semi-shade

Hard pruning encourages the flowerheads of 'Annabelle' to grow larger, even up to 20cm (8in) across
The huge, near-spherical flowerheads of Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle’ can be 20cm (8in) or sometimes even 25cm (10in) across. The harder you prune – you can cut the plant down to the ground in spring if you like – the larger the flowerheads will be. Opening from mid-July in pale green, the flowers mature through cream to pure white and then back to pale green in October. Happy in light shade. 1–1.8m (3–6ft).

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