Googling companion plants for hydrangea brings up hostas, ferns and foxgloves. Foxgloves could be a safer bet, if she doesn’t like them, at least she will only feel obliged to leave them for one year. You could see if garden centres have any that are for flowering next year.
I would stick with something pastelly- a white hydrangea, lamprocapnos alba, perhaps a white fuchsia Hawkshead, a rose (like the lovely David Austin Winchester Cathedral, which is white), a thalictrum Splendide White. White flowers are so beautiful, and they never clash with what is around them. The loveliest flower in my garden right now is a ruffled white double hollyhock- everyone loves it.
If it were me I'd much rather get a 'filler' plant than something which is intended to be a main feature. And as a gardener it really wouldn't have to be in its prime right now. So bulbs for the spring, a heuchera, thalictrum as already suggested, a sedum, hardy geranium. The garden centre has probably got some autumn colourful things in pots if you want something more showy for now, cyclamen, pansies, flowering sedums etc.
A bag or two of bulbs is good this time of year. Narcissus Thalia is white and very classy, in case she doesn't like yellow, and just about every gardener could find space, or plant them in a container. Maybe add in a bouquet of flowers.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
What I have sometimes done for a wedding present is to find an old print or maybe a photo of the church and have this printed on to a cushion cover with the wedding date and location added. Most high street print shops will do this.
Perhaps you could adapt this idea for your recipient and personalise it in an understated way. However sneaking into her garden and taking surreptitious photos is probably not a good idea.
Otherwise I would take up the idea of bulbs, presented in a gift wrapped hessian sack.
Posts
http://quailceramics.co.uk/egg-cups-6/
I’m also a fan of Josie Firmin’s ceramics. She can personalise most designs with a suitable inscription
http://www.cosmochina.co.uk/
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Perhaps you could adapt this idea for your recipient and personalise it in an understated way. However sneaking into her garden and taking surreptitious photos is probably not a good idea.
Otherwise I would take up the idea of bulbs, presented in a gift wrapped hessian sack.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.