The question Barb Pierson, nursery manager at White Flower Farm in Morris, Connecticut, hears most often every year is: “When should I prune my hydrangeas?”
Photography by Sara Barrett for Gardenista or courtesy of White Flower Farm.
Hydrangea Macrophylla
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer’ is $31.95 for a one-gallon pot at White Flower Farm. So if a bad winter harmed that growth, the plant wouldn’t bloom come summer.
Hydrangea Paniculata
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Bobo’ is $29.95 for a one-gallon pot at White Flower Farm. This compact variety is ideal for small spaces; it never grows larger than three feet.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ Tree Form is $89 for a four-foot tree from White Flower Farm. ‘Limelight’ blooms in the heat of late summer, producing pistachio-green, cone-shaped blooms that turn deep pink in fall.
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Gatsby Pink’ is $26.95 for a one-gallon pot at White Flower Farm.
Hydrangea Quercifolia
“That’s really cool in and of itself,” says Barb, but their oak-like leaves turn color in fall so they’re an ideal choice when planning for color in the garden.
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow Queen’ is $24.95 for a one-gallon pot at White Flower Farm.
Hydrangea Serrata
Hydrangea serrata ‘Blue Billow’ is $32.95 for a one-gallon pot at White Flower Farm.
The lacecap hydrangea ‘Blue Billow’ has been one of the bestselling plants at White Flower Farm for more than 20 years, and there’s a reason for its popularity: it tends to be naturally blue in the acidic soils of New England, and “everybody loves that,” says Barb.
Hydrangea Arborescens
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Haas’ Halo’ is $27 for a one-gallon pot at White Flower Farm. Barb notes that ‘Haas’ Halo’ can handle more sun than any other variety listed here, recommending it for Southern gardens.
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ is $22.95 for a one-gallon pot at White Flower Farm.
How Can I Find Help Choosing the Right Hydrangea?
The reason to shop at a reputable nursery like White Flower Farm is that “we trial everything—at White Flower and in our own gardens—before we sell it to you,” says Barb. White Flower Farm ships more than 30 varieties of hydrangea throughout the contiguous US, from now through early fall.
For more from White Flower Farm, see our post Flower Borders: 10 Essential Tips from White Flower Farm’s Barb Pierson, and visit the farm on Instagram and Facebook.