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Hydrangeas

HappyHendersHappyHenders Posts: 28
in Problem solving
I seem to have an awful lot of trouble growing Hydrangeas. I have tried in several areas of the garden but to no avail. They stay small and weaken as time passes. My soil is fairly neutral clay based. I live in Suffolk. Any suggestions as to how to make them grow for me?
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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Hi David - they tend to prefer a moist soil, but they still need to have drainage. What is the condition of your soil like? Does it dry out in and go hard in summer?
    What other planting do you have, and what grows well in other gardens near you?

    If you can give a bit more info, that can help with some further advice. Some general photos would also help if you can manage some  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • HappyHendersHappyHenders Posts: 28
    Thanks Fairygirl. One of my borders is dedicated as a white border. It is west facing and the ground can get very hard in the summer months. I have been putting down a lot of well rotted manure and compost to improve the soil as well. Water drains through very quickly. Roses, Phlox, Buxus, Philadelphus all grow well here but the hydrangea suffers. I have moved it (October) to an east facing border that gets more moisture to see how it fairs.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It might be suffering a bit from competition from the other shrubs too David. Roses and philadelphus certainly take up a lot.
    I think your west facing site might have been a bridge too far for it, especially if you don't get copious amounts of rain.
    If you've moved it recently, it may take a little while to settle in. The manure will help with water retention, but you might have to water a bit more than you have previously. They do well here because we get high rainfall, and even with the lack of water last summer, established shrubs coped.  
    If you want a hydrangea for your white border, I can thoroughly recommned the oak leaf ones. They cope better with drier conditions and a sunnier site, so your west border could be ideal. They have lovely foliage colour in autumn too  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • HappyHendersHappyHenders Posts: 28
    I believe we were the driest part of the country last year. I will try your advice regarding the other type of hydrangea. The border is quite large but I am patient and will persevere. Thanks a lot and happy New year.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I wondered if it was quite dry in your area David. Makes it a bit harder for you. I should have said that a good mulch of bark after a real soaking would help too, as it saves shrubs losing moisture through evaporation. Worth doing at this time of year if you've got damp soil just now.  :)

    Happy New Year to you too, and come back if you still have problems. Hopefully we can all offer some further advice. I love my oak leaf hydrangeas. This was taken last August, and you can see some of the foliage turning into it's lovely russet colouring :)

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • HappyHendersHappyHenders Posts: 28
    I live in Suffolk so it is very warm and dry. I have looked up several oak leaves hydrangeas and they look great. I think I will do a lot more work on the soil before investing in more plants so that they get a better start to their lives in my white border. Thanks again. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Improving the soil pays dividends David. 
    Clay is great though, and it's generally just a case of adding stuff to improve the structure, which  enables you to grow a wide range of plants more easily. Planting to suit your conditions is always the way to go, but you can tweak it as well, and experiment. 
    I often forget how lucky we are here regarding water, although sometimes it gets a bit too much - even for ducks  ;) 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Hi David ... I’m a Suffolk Mawther whose been transplanted to up here in Norfolk.  :/;)

    Have you visited the Old Vicarage Gardens at East Ruston in Norfolk ... it’s on the coast near Happisburgh?

    It’s very dry but they’ve improved the soil with lots of mulching and they also have seep hoses on a lot of the beds.

    They have some large beds of hydrangeas that are a picture through the summer and into the autumn with gorgeous leaf colours too.

    If you’ve not visited have a look at the website and online brochure. It’s an RHS partner garden and well worth a visit at every season of the year. The scones are good too (and if you have children in tow there are some friendly animals and poultry). 
     :) 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • HappyHendersHappyHenders Posts: 28
    Sounds like a nice day out to me. I will look it up and pay a visit. The scones sound good too. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited January 2019
    It is a lovely day out ... we find there’s plenty there for a whole day and we go several times a year ... they also sell plants from the gardens including some fine roses ... often types that aren’t easy to get elsewhere so take some pocket money  ;) and enjoy.  :)


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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