This past week found me having to clear off and set up a desk that had long been buried under magazines and other random items from around the apartment. I had *actual* non-computer work to do, and finally needed to stop procrastinating and get serious...
These hydrangea were a gift which ended up keeping me company on my desk (I know, the water is low), along with another vase full of the green leaves from the previous week's hellebores. Rather than being a distraction, the simple green and white helped keep my focus at the desk and provided a small place for my eyes to have a rest - something I realized I don't do often enough. The hydrangea are simple from a distance but intricate upon close inspection, and my eyes never tired of tracing their individual contours, finding the odd fleck of brown or the white beachball-shaped floret centers.
I decided to bring a flower to work for the same reason (you'll see later today), and it turned out to be a great way to take a few second break from the computer screen.
Here are the hydrangea tips I received this past week: Hydrangeas can get a fresh cut, but never trim the stems too short - they need most of their stem length to last well in the vase. They perform best when the bottom of the stems are smashed and the outer skin is scraped off (until you see the white color show through) for about the first inch. A good soak in some hot tap water before putting them into cold vase water will help them hydrate (thanks, Remco!).
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I love those! Especially next to the green leaves. I really need to venture out to the florist down the street and see if I can find some hydrangea.
view sparkle's profile
*sigh* my favorite flower. Thanks for these gorgeous pictures
view CourtneyinTampa's profile
hydrangea is one of my favorites too. I have a japanese climbing hydragea in my garden. The flowers are far less lush, yet very lacey. My wedding bouquet was of autumn hydrangeas that had turned mottled red/green, with deep merlot-red roses, plum-red orchids, and pepper berries.
view kimg924's profile
Hydrangeas are my favorites. They are one of my wedding flowers. :)
view Marbargarbo's profile
Does anyone know anything about getting climbing hydrangeas to bloom? I saw them while I was living in Toronto and thought they were gorgeous and lovely, and so encouraged my mother to get one to plant here at home (in Seattle), and hers has never bloomed, though it has grown quite vigorously.
Our bush hydrangeas bloom wonderfully. I haven't asked a gardener (it's my mum's garden...and she figures it just takes the plant a few years to start blooming), but it strikes me as odd. We don't get hard, long freezes here in Seattle like on the East coast. I dunno. I just had visions of a hydrangea that climbed over the house like a wisteria...and this isn't blooming!
view artsandletters's profile
love hydrangeas!!
definitely want to have them in my wedding as well :)
view bluetoes's profile
artsandletters,
I have heard that climbing hydrangeas take a long time (3-5 years) before they are ready to bloom. They grow out to a certain size first. Your mom may just have the right idea to be patient.
view mattplantguy's profile