19Jul 08
One of God’s stunning summer flowers ~ Hydrangeas
posted by
Hydrangeas are just beautiful!
We have a couple of these stunning bushes in our back yard, and this summer they have added such color and contrast to our patio.
They make great floral arrangements and their blossoms last for days! Something I learned the hard way in taking care of hydrangeas is that there are specific ways to prune. Different types of hydrangeas need pruning at different times! But I did not know this!
Pruning Bigleaf, mophead, or florist hydrangea (three different names for the same plant) in the spring or even late fall, after the buds have been set, will remove the flower buds and any chance of getting flowers that season! This is what I did and we received no flowers that summer – only green foliage. 
This certain species of hydrangeas grow off their second year growth, and you must leave the woody stalks alone in order to enjoy these stunning flowers.
Bigleaf hydrangea should be pruned as soon as the flowers have faded. You should begin to see new growth coming in from the base of the plant. To keep the plant vigorous, selectively prune out the dead and weaker stems, both old and new.
Don’t prune out all the old wood, since this is what will keep flowering as the new growth matures.
I found this information to be very helpful and I hope it will save you, who have these stunning flowers, from missing a year of vibrant color in your gardens next summer!
Jennifer, I appreciate the extra effort you have put into the flowers around our home. The hard work has paid off this year as we have enjoyed radiant beauty in our gardens throughout all of spring and summer.
I think I was responsible one year for trimming down the hydrangeas
. Thank you for the well laid out advice!
By the way, I can’t believe how picture perfect those flowers are and they will retain a fresh, vibrant look for a couple weeks!
Wow Jennifer those are some awsome flower pictures! I really like the first flower picture!!