Some Windy Knoll Hydrangeas

 Isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing to have?  I meant to get these pictures on Monday and had an early doctor’s appointment remarking to myself “I’ll get the pictures when I get back.”  Duh!  I didn’t get back before the flood gates opened and, of course, the blossoms are now wet and hanging low.  With this said, I wanted to show them anyway.  This picture was made in the overgrown shade garden and its the Oakleaf Hydrangea.  This is the Alabama state wildflower.

Arborescens is another beauty seen in the shade garden.  It’s an Alabama wildflower growing naturally in my favorite scope of woods.

Snowflake is a hydrangea discovered by Eddie Aldridge of Hoover, AL and the blooms on this one (made in the shade garden) are much larger than the same shrub growing in full sun in the corner of our yard. Blooms are conical.

 Penny Mac is a blue mophead that gets to be a huge plant, as you can see. Before the rain the blooms were upright.  This one is named for Penny McHenry who was the founder of the American Hydrangea Society.  I had the honor, a few years ago, of introducing Penny at the Alabama State Master Gardeners Convention. 

Incrediball is one of our young plants, but I had to show it because of the large white blooms.  It gets just a tad of late afternoon sun and seems to be doing well.  It has a large flat rock in front of it and that plays a part in keeping moisture to the plant.  It has been in bloom for a few weeks, but also still has buds.

Endless Summer is another blue mophead and a good plant to have.  It blooms later than some of the others and at this time still had buds  It can stand more sun and seems to get by with less water, however, on a hot dry day they all look droopy.

Hayes Jackson’s Starburst has to be one of my favorite Arborescens.  Lots of sun makes this plant perform better.  Hayes found this one on his Anniston, AL property.  I’ve visited Hayes’ garden and he has visited mine — he has

even eaten banana pudding here.  Gardening and gardening friends are some of  the best of country living.