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which hydrangea for cottage look in north facing position?

baytree1970R7WNg390baytree1970R7WNg390 Posts: 53
in Plants
I'd like a showy hydrangea with an informal, billowy look for a container in a north facing spot - there are so many varieties - can anyone suggest a good one?

thanks
: )

Posts

  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    For container growing, you’ll need to go for a more modestly sized form—Hydrangea macrophylla  would be good. Then there are two kinds of flowers, lacecaps which are more delicate, and mopheads which have a more solid effect. There are literally hundreds of varieties, so you’ll need to do some searching.

    Other forms that would be worth trying include Hydrangea serrata forms such as ‘Grayswood’, which are beautiful but can be temperamental, plus dwarf forms of Hydrangea paniculata and H. arborescens. 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    edited April 2021
    I do like the paniculatas. You could either go for one of the smaller types e.g. Little Lime, or go for a very large container. Phantom is another really nice one. You can keep any paniculata somewhat within bounds by hard pruning in early spring.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • luis_prluis_pr Posts: 123
    edited April 2021
    Miss Saori is somewhat compact and very pretty with sizeable flower clusters. Developed in Japan by Ryoji Irie, its fully double white blooms have pink edges always, in either acidic/neutral/alkaline soils.

    Glam Rock (also known as Pistachio, Schloss Wackerbarth or Horwack) has blooms that contrast with multiple colors in their sepals (green; shades of pink, purple or blue). The coloring is only a little reactive to acidic/neutral/alkaline soils. Blooms in the spring and then again in the summer.

    But any other hydrangea whose bloom attracts you will be good enough. As previously mentioned, a compact size will help in a pot. There is a "series" of hydrangeas that are normally compact and, on this side of the Atlantic pond, they go by the name Let's Dance Series. Some of the cultivars: Starlight (lacecap), Blue Dance, Blue Jangles, Diva, Moonlight, Rave Rythmic Blue. These normally bloom in the spring and then again in the summer. Another compact series sold here is the Cityline Series from Germany. A few of their cultivars: Mars, Paris, Rio, Venice, Vienna. These five bloom on old wood only. Finally, there are some compact smooth hydrangeas -similar to Hydrangea Annabelle- but smaller: NCHA7 (also known as 'Mini Mauvette' over here; BellaRagazza Mauvette) with deep pink-mauve blooms; NCHA5 (also known as 'Wee White' over here; BellaRagazza Blanchetta) if you want white blooms. Like Annabelle, these also  bloom on new wood are advertised to be about from 0.6 to 0.9 meter in height.

    Larger plants may best be planted in half wine barrels but... that is not everyone's "cup of tea".  :) The smallest paniculata that I am familiar with is SMNHPK (also known as 'Fire Light Tidbit' over here); it gets about 0.6 to 0.9 meter in height. It is a recent introduction so it may difficult to find until there is enough supply.

  • SophieKSophieK Posts: 244
    Hydrangea arborescens Bella Ragazza Blanchetta. Hydrangea paniculata Little Lime or Vanille Fraise
  • baytree1970R7WNg390baytree1970R7WNg390 Posts: 53
    thanks for the suggestions everybody 
    : )
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