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What goes with Hydrangea Paniculata “Vanille Fraise”?

EmerionEmerion Posts: 599
edited February 2021 in Plants
I’m planning to buy a Hydrangea Vanille Fraise soon. I have got room to have 3 of them in a line in their own bed, which would look striking in summer/autumn. I’m also considering growing one or two different shrubs though, to add spring/Winter interest. I don’t want anything herbaceous in that bed. It will be exposed to strong winds. Any thoughts?
Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.


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  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Do you want a contrast in colour/ texture? Do you want something that blends ?
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • EmerionEmerion Posts: 599
    Good point @B3 - something that mostly blends. Height could a bit less, say down to 4 feet but not much higher than the hydrangea, which the RHS says is 6-8 feet.  I’m happy to prune a  taller shrub, but I don’t want to be fighting with something that’s going to be huge if (if!) I don’t get round to it one year. Thanks for any thoughts. 

    Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.


  • RuthmshawRuthmshaw Posts: 45
    Ferns work well as both like the same conditions. I planted vanille fraise 3 years ago and it is only 3 foot tall but I do prune hard each spring. 
  • EmerionEmerion Posts: 599
    Thanks @Ruthmshaw. Do you think it will look a bit leggy if I let it get to full height then? 
    Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.


  • RuthmshawRuthmshaw Posts: 45
    Quite possibly. I find even with hard pruning that the stems are quite thin and need support or it all flops with the weight of the flowers.
  • EmerionEmerion Posts: 599
    😖  back to square one then. It needs a certain height because it’s to the side of a patio which is open to a long track which approaches the house from the side. That sounds odd, but this is a farmhouse and the patio is at the front of the house, facing onto the farmyard. We have borders around the yard, and this particular one will be in front of anyone approaching the house. It’s the exposure that’s giving me difficulties: there are loads of lovely shrubs for a more sheltered situation. The border itself is about a foot below the level of the patio, so I was thinking a minimum 4 feet high so that we don’t feel so  exposed when sitting out. Actually, I could raise the border to close to the patio level I suppose. 
    Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.


  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    Berberis thunbergii  ( rose glow) would be a lovely contrast, it grows to approximately 4-5 feet but can be pruned and shaped shorter. 
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • EmerionEmerion Posts: 599
    I had a look at the Berberis on the RHS site @Bright star, and they said 10-20 years to final height. That time frame puts me off in this case because I do need the height for privacy. But I’ve often wondered if those height and time estimates are a bit misleading. Do you have one of these Berberis? If so, how tall would it be after 2 years and 5 years?
    Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.


  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    There are shrubs that will grow super-fast... offset by the fact that one is also tempted to remove them super-fast. Or I am, anyway, because they generally have a somewhat ungainly habit. Among these, Buddleia would be a good option. 

    With one of these Hydrangea paniculata, they will achieve a good size, about the same across as high, which is something to be aware of--can you spare that amount of room in the garden? If you want to avoid the flowering cones hanging down, then getting a lace-cap form might work--they have fewer 'florets' (really sepals), so the heads are less heavy.

    Berberis grows about a foot a year. Almost all shrubs will take 10 years to reach their final height (and even then the 'final' height will be controlled by how they are pruned).

    But given the situation you describe, perhaps a better solution would be to think in terms of a windbreak for that border, so you can be comfortable when sitting out? And yes to bringing it up to a higher level; it won't be much use to plant it with something which after 4 years is only just reaching the level of your patio. 
  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    I had it in another garden, it wasn’t a quick grower but steady. I’m going to get one for my current garden but will try to source a larger specimen for a bit more impact. There are quite a few varieties of this shrub, maybe the others are quicker growing.
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

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