Hydrangea serrata ‘Tiara’

 

Rock Garden

 

This Hydrangea can be found in the Rock Garden.

This lace cap (hydrangeas with flattened heads of flowers) has either pink or blue flowers; ours has delicate vivid blue flowers in great profusion. It is easily grown in the shrub border given a shady spot with a cool, moist root run. For the best blue flowers grow in an acidic soil and give it hydrangea colourant if necessary. It is deciduous, fully hardy and grows to about 1metre in height and spread. It also has deep claret red foliage in the autumn. Flower heads dry well for displaying in arrangements.

Little maintenance is required, but dead flower heads can be removed back to a pair of buds in the spring, also, remove any old wood. With all hydrangeas it is best to buy a variety that copes with your soil conditions. If you want pink flowers an alkaline soil is required and for blue flowers an acid soil. On neutral soil flower colour can be influenced by the addition of a bluing agent.