Hydrangeas! Yes - you are so right. They are the answer to many garden dilemmas and will delight you when they've stopped looking all wintery and bare. AND a bargain.
You have told us to the extent that I actually have Ben Dark's book beside me on the sofa right now. But since I've been greenhouse tidying all morning and digging all afternoon, I am about to be felled by sleep, so I promise I'll start it tomorrow.
Just in case you think rural = idyll (Devon), when we had our beast of a cotoneaster hedge (15 ft high) cut down recently , we found a whole black bin bags worth, ie several years' worth, of full dog poo bags that someone had been systematically posting between the hedge and our low wall, where it runs along a public footpath. This is rural North East Scotland, further from London ways than Mars.
How are they now? Last year I bought an Annabelle seedling from someone on a local WhatsApp group. It was little more than a twig at the time. But I've just come back from a couple of weeks in Bali and she's really bushed out.
My front yard is unfortunately not mine, it belongs to the flat upstairs and it is paved over and ugly. The previous owner left behind a window box which is strangely prohibited by the lease, but I kept it and planted it. Once I found an entire block of Polish butter buried in it. Whatever I plant at one end always gets dug up. I moved it to the back garden to hopefully get some rain while I was away, but it's looking pretty dead now. It's also shown up the fact that my upstairs neighbour in a sudden burst of energy painted my front windowsill but painted AROUND the window box (yes, he got paint on the window box too). Fixing that is another thing to add to the summer to-do list.
I am still learning about “right plant, right place” but that’s the joy of gardening that keeps you looking forward 🥰
My hydrangeas are finally in the right place after 2 moves and are very happy, good luck with yours 👍🏻
Hydrangeas are such a good choice! I’m still laughing over your description of your neighbour. We all know that particular neighbour.
Too funny 😂
Great choice! And on sale, too. Brava!
Hydrangeas! Yes - you are so right. They are the answer to many garden dilemmas and will delight you when they've stopped looking all wintery and bare. AND a bargain.
All good!
You have told us to the extent that I actually have Ben Dark's book beside me on the sofa right now. But since I've been greenhouse tidying all morning and digging all afternoon, I am about to be felled by sleep, so I promise I'll start it tomorrow.
Just in case you think rural = idyll (Devon), when we had our beast of a cotoneaster hedge (15 ft high) cut down recently , we found a whole black bin bags worth, ie several years' worth, of full dog poo bags that someone had been systematically posting between the hedge and our low wall, where it runs along a public footpath. This is rural North East Scotland, further from London ways than Mars.
How are they now? Last year I bought an Annabelle seedling from someone on a local WhatsApp group. It was little more than a twig at the time. But I've just come back from a couple of weeks in Bali and she's really bushed out.
My front yard is unfortunately not mine, it belongs to the flat upstairs and it is paved over and ugly. The previous owner left behind a window box which is strangely prohibited by the lease, but I kept it and planted it. Once I found an entire block of Polish butter buried in it. Whatever I plant at one end always gets dug up. I moved it to the back garden to hopefully get some rain while I was away, but it's looking pretty dead now. It's also shown up the fact that my upstairs neighbour in a sudden burst of energy painted my front windowsill but painted AROUND the window box (yes, he got paint on the window box too). Fixing that is another thing to add to the summer to-do list.
The very best of luck with the Annabelle sticks.