Posts Tagged ‘Shrubs’

Long-blooming Endless Summer Hydrangea

Our pick for Best New Shrub of the Decade! Hydrangea macrophylla Endless Summer brings a wealth of great features to gardeners nationwide.

Blooms in Zone 4 gardens! Finally, a mophead Hydrangea that will bloom in Zone 4 gardens across the country! This giant mophead Hydrangea was selected at Bailey Nurseries in Minnesota for its ability to bloom on new growth! Other mophead or macrophylla Hydrangeas bloom on last year’s growth (old wood), but Endless Summer Hydrangea blooms on both old AND new growth. So, in areas of extreme cold which can damage the old growth flower buds, you’ll get an entirely new flower show in mid summer & fall.

Useful as a Long Blooming Hedge Plant

Months of GIANT 10″ flower heads! Endless Summer Hydrangea begins its flower show in early summer & continues for over 5 months with its heavy reblooming flower display.  Mid-November of last year we STILL had flowers on our Endless Summer Hydrangea.

Best long-blooming flowering Hedge Plant we’ve found! Hydrangea Endless Summer makes a superb and long-flowering Hedge Plant growing to 4′ tall and 5′ wide. Used as a flowering hedge you get garden beauty as well as bouquets of fresh-cut Hydrangea flowers that last over 2 weeks in the vase!

Flowers can be either Pink or Blue depending on soil pH

Flower color changes with soil pH. As with all mophead Hydrangeas, the flower color will change according to your soil pH. Flowers are pink if you have more alkaline soil with a higher pH and are bright blue if you have more acidic soils with a lower pH.

Fall foliage display on Endless Summer Hydrangea

Don’t forget the fall FOLIAGE show! Many gardeners forget that the foliage of Endless Summer Hydrangea also changes color in the fall taking on fiery colors of orange & red before the leaves finally drop off.

You won’t be disappointed with this long-blooming Hydrangea which combines wonderfully with colorful Heucheras, bold-foliaged Hostas, & lacy Hardy Ferns!

As more people are moving into houses with smaller lots and closer neighbors, they’re looking for the fastest growing hedge plant that can be used to create “instant” privacy.

Thuja Green Giant & Knock Out Roses

Thuja Green Giant is your fast-growing answer! I’ve traveled the country and this new hybrid was introduced to American gardeners about 15 years ago (that’s still “new” for a conifer) from the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.

Green Giant is a hybrid that grows an amazing 3’ PER YEAR once it becomes established. The trick is maximizing this fast growth rate. Here’s the secret: every April 15^th (the dreaded tax day) I fertilize with 2-3 tablespoons of Osmocote slow-release fertilizer scratched into the top 2 inches of soil at the base of each plant. Then, water at least 1” per week from spring thru late fall. This guarantees you’ll see rapid growth of 3’ or more per year.

Fast Growing Privacy Hedge Plant - Thuja Green Giant

Can you PRUNE Green Giant Thuja? Absolutely! If left unpruned, Thuja Green Giant will form a graceful pyramidal shape 8’ wide and 40’ tall. They respond wonderfully to pruning in early summer (after they’ve had their spring flush) and I’ve seen them planted a mere 18” apart and kept to a tight 6’ tall around a formal rose garden.

Thuja Green Giant is extremely versatile and thrives in sandy or clay soil. I’ve seen it growing in hot/steamy Atlanta, Georgia all the way up into our location here in Western Michigan!

You can’t ask for a better fast-growing privacy Hedge Plant than Thuja Green Giant. Also, try planting long-blooming Knock Out Roses and Ornamental Grasses at the base of your Green Giant Thujas for the “finishing” touch!