Unrivaled in the shrub world for beautiful flowers, these elegant plants are easy to cultivate, tolerate almost any soil, and produce abundant blooms. Colors beguile with clear blue, vibrant pink, frosty white, lavender, and rose blossoms—sometimes all blooming on the same plant! 

Hydrangeas are excellent for a range of garden sites from group plantings to shrub borders to containers. Varieties abound (every year, it seems, breeders present us with more options!), and gardeners’ expectations of bloom size and color are boundless. To know how your hydrangea will grow, pay attention to the types, defined below. When you know what to expect, delights will be magnified.

About 5-7 seeds per order. Enjoy this ode to the beautiful of hydrangeas and learn how to grow hydrangeas in our guide below.

PLANTING

When to Plant Hydrangeas

Autumn is the best time to plant hydrangeas, followed by spring planting. The idea is to give this shrub plenty of time to establish a healthy root system before flowering. Do not plant in the heat of summer.

Plant the shrubs in early morning or late afternoon when it’s cooler and the plant is less likely to suffer heat stress.

Where to Plant Hydrangeas

Most hydrangeas will thrive in fertile, well-draining soils that receive plenty of moisture. Add compost to enrich poor soil.

Generally, hydrangeas prefer partial sun. Ideally, they will be given full sun in the morning, with some afternoon shade to protect from the hot midday sun. This is especially true for the Bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla), which is prone to wilting. Some varieties are more tolerant of full sun.

Space hydrangeas anywhere from 3 to 10 feet apart, depending on type. 

How to Plant Hydrangeas

Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times as wide.

Set the plant in the hole and fill it half full with soil. Water. After water is absorbed, fill the rest of the hole with soil.

Water thoroughly again.