Hydrangea 'Lady in Red'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lady in Red' is one of my favorite hydrangeas. It is a low maintenance shrub and has several noteworthy characteristics.This Lady in Red is growing in the woodland garden.

Its blue-green foliage has distinctive red veins and stems, and they are stunning when backlit by the sun.

Blooming in late spring, the lace cap flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. They open pinkish white to bluish white, depending on the soil ph, with the blue flowers blooming in more acid soil.  The 'Lady in Red' hydrangeas in my woodland garden are located in an area with rich, sweet soil.  The black earth here is one of the main things that prompted me years ago to develop a garden in this area. (If you want to read the story of the making of my woodland garden, click here.) The flowers on these shrubs are pink. I have more Lady in Reds on the other side of the property, where the soil is more acidic, and their flowers are blue. All of the flowers will change to rose or burgundy as they mature. Beautiful!

 

'Lady in Red' will grow about three to five feet tall and wide, and they look great grouped together or with other woodland plants. They should be planted in partial shade in moist, well drained soil in zones 6-9. Avoid hot summer sun and keep watered during dry spells. We had a drought a couple years ago, and hauling buckets of water down into the woods to keep them watered was a chore! But it was worth it, for they are mildew resistant and generally easy care plants. They don't require much fertilizer, maybe just once in early spring with an all purpose fertilizer. Because of the nice mounding habit, pruning is optional. However, any pruning for shaping should be done after flowering and before July to August, since new flower buds are set on old wood. 

The lovely leaves of 'Lady in Red' turn shades of reddish-purple in the fall, stretching enjoyment of this great shrub well into three seasons.This fall, 2009 photo shows Lady in Red as it is developing its autumn colors.

My 'Lady in Red' hydrangeas are so beautiful this year I want to plant some more!

You may also like my previous post Oakleaf Hydrangea for All Seasons.

A Walk in the Green Woodland

Some people like to make a little garden out of life and walk down a path.                                                                                                                                                                        Jean Anouilh

While the rest of my yard is splashed with voluptuous party colors, the woodland garden celebrates spring in a more sedate, but equally inspiring fashion. There is quiet joy here under the canopy of dogwood, maple, and oak trees. Hush now, and come with me on a walk in the green woodland.

We enter the garden, and we are washed in golden light as it streams across the mossy path.

Above is a view back toward the entrance to the woodland garden. Behind the rabbit is a variegated hydrangea and the ferny ground cover indigofera, with new growth glowing in the sunshine. In a few weeks it will have lovely pink blooms.

Hello rabbit. Here is the planting area with the Japanese maple 'Waterfall', along with spreading yew, hydrangea, hosta, heuchera, ferns, Jacobs ladder, and some azaleas which are not yet in bloom. There is also some newly planted pulmonaria with cottony pale green leaves. I am eager to see how it does.

Autumn fern unfurls its copper fronds toward heaven. Blue ajuga blooms in front.

Here is a view of the planting area from the other end. I still have a lot of planting to do here.

Hosta seiboldiana 'Elegans' is coming up. This is a huge hosta with thick, blue-green leaves. It looks big already, but it will be triple this size in a few weeks.

Here are some close-ups of a few plants we can see.Clockwise from top left: Japanese maple 'Waterfall'; highbush cranberry - a viburnum, not a cranberry!; caladium; hydrangea 'Lady in Red', just beginning to bud.

Look at my new "squirrel crossing"! I ordered this little bridge, and it arrived in a gazillion pieces which I had to put together. Thanks to Lou's power drill with its screwdriver attachment, it wasn't too hard. I painted the rails my favorite color.

Looking back through the woodland garden, we can see the birdhouse in a trident maple tree. Good news! There are blue birds nesting in the bird house! Lets not disturb them. Our footsteps fall quietly on the soft path as we leave.

Thanks for joining me on my woodland walk, and may all your paths this week take you to pleasant places.

You might also like Seven Steps to Making a Woodland Garden.