Homes & Gardens. Many folks call the hydrangea. Summer Snowballs On Capitol Hill. Hydrangeas Everywhere You Look. Article and Photos by Rindy O brien

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1 Homes & Gardens Summer Snowballs On Capitol Hill Hydrangeas Everywhere You Look Article and Photos by Rindy O brien Many folks call the hydrangea blooms, the summer snowball. The large white balls can get as large as a basketball, but most often are the size of your average snowball. It is easily considered one of the best-loved garden plants by garden writers and has been one of the top selling bushes by local nurseries like Homestead Gardens and Meadow Farms. In fact, Meadow Farms reports that it has surpassed the azalea bushes in sales for the past two years. Hydrangeas are a southern tradition. We are talking the south of Eudora Welty, William Faulkner, and Tennessee Williams where folks enjoyed a stroll through the garden sipping their lemonades and admiring the flowers. The big bush of puffy pink, blue, purple or white blooms are a mainstay of most gardens south of the Mason-Dixon line. Suddenly, these bushes have also become part of everyone s garden on Capitol Hill. There isn t a block on the Hill that doesn t feature two or three gardens Snowball -The white blooms are commonly called summer snowball or mop heads. capitalcommunitynews.com H 127

2 Capitol Hill Presbyterian The blue hydrangea fills the side of the Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church at 4th and Independence Avenue, SE and has been the heart and soul of the Presbyterian garden for years. with massive puffballs of blue, pink and purple this year. But not everyone is a fan. This past February, Madonna stirred up a lot of controversy when she announced that she absolutely loathes hydrangeas when she had been presented with a bundle of hydrangeas by a fan. However, Toni Morrison described the hydrangea in her award-winning book, Tar Baby, A dead hydrangea is as intricate and lovely as one in bloom. It is certainly snowing hydrangea balls on the Hill, and time for us all to get a quick primer in all that is hydrangeas, whether you are a fan or not. Three Popular Kinds The smooth hydrangea has large fluffy globes of flowers, and is often the white, with just a hint of green. The flowers often get so large that after a summer rain they just flop over. They can tolerate sunny locations, and are native to this area. The most popular variety is the Annabelle. It can become A smooth Hydrangea at the corner of 3rd and D Streets SE. Photo: Melissa Ashabranner 128 H HillRag July 2012

3 a large plant and some gardeners plant a number of them together to make a hedge, similar to using boxwoods or other woody plants. The smooth hydrangea blooms every year, even if you prune it back in the winter. Another popular hydrangea on the Hill is the big leaf hydrangea that is sometimes called the garden hydrangea, French hydrangea, or common hydrangea. It produces the pink, blue, violet, and deep purple flowers. The flowers are smaller than the smooth hydrangea and are often called mop heads or lace caps. These hydrangeas are used by florists in their arrangements, and probably would have been what was presented to Madonna. There are dwarf varieties of this hydrangea, and these seem to be a favorite in Hill gardens. The plant is native to Japan. Over in Asian Valley at the US Arboretum, there are a number of the native species in bloom. The Nikko Blue is one of the most popular sold in this area. The third variety of hydrangea is the peegee hydrangea, or the panicle hydrangea. These flower into a football shaped cluster as the summer progresses. They are often white that turn to green, or pink that will turn into red or bronze color over the summer months. There are dwarf varieties of these plants, but the regular halliday roofing AffordAble Professional roofing installations & repairs our GuArANtees Our WhOlesale Prices makes us the Best Value in Dc! Our work comes with warranties covering workmanship and material. Straight Forward pricing - No surprises. 24-hour emergency response. 100% satisfaction - We do not stop until you are happy! New roofs, MAINteNANce & repairs. we do It All!! Siding & Shingles Roof Repair & Installations Skylights Gutters & Downspouts Chimneys Waterproofing Licensed, Bonded & insured 9th and A Streets The hydrangea at the corner of 9th and A Street, SE show the size that the plants can grow compared to the tree in the same yard. capitalcommunitynews.com H 129

4 STANDARD CLEANING SERVICES, INC. Residential and Commercial Cleaning 130 H HillRag July 2012 Friendly, Professional services for your home or business $20 OFF First Cleaning New Customers receive 50% OFF cleaning after 6 visits Serving DC, MD, VA Since 1996 Monday-Saturday Bonded and Insured Pet and family friendly (W) (C) web: aviera3939@aol.com FOLEY HOMES We Specialize In: Additions Kitchens & Baths Cabinetry Central Heating & Cooling Electrical Work The KEY to Your General Contracting Needs Design / Build Firm Large or Small Projects Design & Permitting Licensed, Bonded & Insured - References Available See What an Experienced Ironwork Company Can Do on Our Newly Expanded Website! HAND RAILINGS & IRON FENCE ON SALE 24 Hour, Seven Day Service Free Estimates Over 40 Years of Experience SUBURBAN WELDING COMPANY plant can grow to eight feet high and is less popular on the Hill because of the space they can claim in the garden. These plants are native to China and Russia. Some of the more popular varieties sold in this area include Limelight, Pinky Winky and the recently released, Bobo, a dwarf plant. In addition to these general categories of plants, there are climbing hydrangeas that produce the lace cap flowers, and the oak leaf hydrangea. There are a number of oak leaf hydrangeas on the Hill, and its popularity springs from the fact that it doesn t need any pruning. The flowers are white and fade to a pinkish purple color. Care for the Hydrangea Besides our nostalgic connection to the flower, one of the reasons that the hydrangeas have become so popular is that generally they do well as a shade plant. Most garden experts say that the plant does well with four to five hours of sun, preferably morning sun. Some of the newer varieties have been bred to tolerate more sun, so it is important to check labels when you buy a new plant. The more sun your hydrangea gets, the stronger the stems will become, and for those plants with giant blooms this is a necessity. But for the shade loving Hill gardens, it is the perfect companion to lavender, lilies, and other summer flowers. Hydrangeas also need plenty of water, and this year s cool spring weather and plenty of rain is another reason we have been fortunate to have so many summer snowballs in our Hill gardens. The hydrangea roots don t go as deep as other plants, which is why they need to be refreshed pretty regularly. And in hot weather, the plants should never be allowed to completely dry out. Lots of mulch helps hold the moisture between waterings. Don t assume that if you see your hydrangea wilted on a very hot day that it is dying for water. It may perk up on its own when it is cooler. Check the soil and see if it needs water, or else you may overwater the plant.

5 The myth that hydrangeas need to be pruned annually has pretty much been countered, another reason gardeners are more willing to plant these gems. In most cases, the plant can be pruned after the bloom. But it is crucial to know what kind of hydrangea you have, because some bloom only on old wood and others bloom only on new wood. A plant that flowers on old wood can only produce a flower bud on a stem that has been growing for a year or longer. Big leaf hydrangeas, mop heads and lace caps, flower on old wood. Most experts will tell you that pruning should be done to reduce the plant size, remove old and non-productive branches, remove frost damaged leaves, or just to deadhead the blossoms. After that, it is best to just let the hydrangea be a hydrangea. Hydrangea Colors There is always the magic of the color of hydrangeas. Depending on the availability of aluminum in the soil, the flowers will turn out to be different colors. More aluminum will result in a blue color, and alkaline soils with less aluminum will produce more pink. There are different formulas available in garden guides that will help you concoct a liquid soil drink to change your flower s colors. Excellent books on hydrangeas include the Southern Living Garden book by Steve Bender and a book by Lason-Hall & Rothera, Hydrangeas: A Garden Guide. There are also many excellent websites, including the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service site. The Hill may not have had any snow this past winter, but we are certainly enjoying the summer snowballs. With the summer ahead of us, and the oak leaf hydrangeas and the peegee hydrangeas just getting ready to show their colors, get out an enjoy the delicate wonder of the Hill s newest favorite flower. Rindy O Brien lives on Capitol Hill and adores the hydrangeas. For comments write Rindyobrien@gmail.com H Masters 20 years experience Bathroom & Kitchen Experts Masonry Roofing Handyman work HandymanMastersllc.com Licensed Bonded Insured A+ Rating capitalcommunitynews.com H 131