Hydrangeas can offer us hard pressed gardeners a garden plant with a very long period of interest. The bold leaves can be quite architectural and many offer up a few fiery tints come autumn-time. The flowers are long-lasting and very importantly, can die well, gently decaying over the course of a long autumn and into the winter months. Not all of them, and not all the time – a heavy storm, prolonged rain, hail perhaps and even the best of them will look war-torn and will need to be tidied up. But sometimes they do die well and a low winter sun, strafing across a border will pick up on the muted hues and grand shapes and will be a delight. Frost will rime them with tiny gems too and be a fine sight.
A very good excuse not to be too tidy in the garden.
The Teddington Gardener 