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.

Oakleaf Hydrangea for All Seasons

Oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, is the official state wildflower of Alabama and can be found in every part of the state. I have heard that there are more oakleaf hydrangeas in Alabama than anywhere else on earth. I believe it. I have plenty of them in the woods surrounding my house, and I planted none of them.

It's a great, low maintenance shrub for year round interest. There are a number of beautiful cultivars, but most of mine are the native shrub. The white summer blooms persist for months and turn deep rose in late summer. The plant is deciduous, and the oak leaf shaped foliage assumes wonderful shades of red and burgundy in the fall. Oakleaf hydrangea also provides winter interest, with dried seed heads, arching structure, and the peeling bark of stems and branches.

Oakleaf hydrangea grows four to eight feet tall and wide, in zones 6 to 9. It does best in partially shaded, naturalized areas and has average water needs. It may need pruning every few years, and you may want to remove the old seed heads before the new growth starts in the spring. Mine seem to do well even if I don't do this, but I am lucky my neighbor Betty likes this chore and usually snips mine while she is doing hers. She is a good neighbor.

Propagation is easy by root ball division, which is the quickest way to a new plant, or they can be grown from seeds or stem cuttings. 

If you can't find oakleaf hydrangea growing in your area, come to my state for a visit, turn into the first woods you see, and no doubt there will be one growing right in front of you!