Thanks @thevictorian I'm feeling really enthusiastic about getting one or two now especially as the leaves have just as much interest as the flowers. One named "Ruby Slippers" looks good so it's on the list.
I don't think they are as showy as other hydrangeas, which for me is part of the appeal as they look more natural, but they are better because of the sum of their parts. The leaves are interesting and the autumn colour fantastic.
Better late than never... This is the one at the front of my house - NW facing, taken in 2020. Mid October and still flowering
This one was in the back garden in quite a sunny spot, raised bed, but I moved it to the front garden -directly in the ground, still in quite a sunny spot, but sun later in the day, apart from in summer. The hedge gave it a little shade earlier in the day. This was taken in early October the same year. It tended to shut down more quickly than the other one due to the difference in site.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl, thank you for the lovely photos, think they’re just the sort of thing I’m looking for. Don’t know how I managed to miss this part of the hydrangea family for so long! Hopefully will come back with some photos myself when they’re established🤞 😉
Glad they were useful @Bluejayway. I probably have several others but the old laptop was doing it's usual trick of shutting down every few minutes due to a 'lack of internet connection' - which wasn't the case, it's just the laptop's problem! They're very easy shrubs. I don't really do anything with mine, other than removing the odd damaged branch etc, as with any shrub, and I've just put some leaf mould round the base of the bigger one, but I don't even do that kind of thing on a regular basis. It just gets on with it. The other one is a bit smaller as I had to prune it to move it a few years ago, but it's relocated well. Mine do drop their foliage over winter, but they hang onto it for a good while with that great colouring. I expect if it's milder where you are, you might get the same result as @thevictorian though. The last two winters here have been very mild for this area, especially last year, so the big one kept some of it's foliage almost through winter.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
How good are these in the dry East of the country? they look great in Fairy's garden but that's about as far from my conditions as you can get. But I want one.
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This is the one at the front of my house - NW facing, taken in 2020. Mid October and still flowering
This one was in the back garden in quite a sunny spot, raised bed, but I moved it to the front garden -directly in the ground, still in quite a sunny spot, but sun later in the day, apart from in summer. The hedge gave it a little shade earlier in the day.
This was taken in early October the same year. It tended to shut down more quickly than the other one due to the difference in site.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I’ve got several hydrangeas but never had an Oak Leaf type.
They're very easy shrubs. I don't really do anything with mine, other than removing the odd damaged branch etc, as with any shrub, and I've just put some leaf mould round the base of the bigger one, but I don't even do that kind of thing on a regular basis. It just gets on with it. The other one is a bit smaller as I had to prune it to move it a few years ago, but it's relocated well.
Mine do drop their foliage over winter, but they hang onto it for a good while with that great colouring. I expect if it's milder where you are, you might get the same result as @thevictorian though. The last two winters here have been very mild for this area, especially last year, so the big one kept some of it's foliage almost through winter.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
In the sticks near Peterborough