My Tennis Court Hydrangeas One Year Later
It's always nice to share photos of the "before" and "after" of a garden project.
My farm sits on more than 150 acres of gardens, pastures, and woodlands. Every year, I work hard to design new garden spaces and enhance existing ones. I take into consideration a plant's growing needs and mature size and then plant accordingly. Down by my tennis court, I already have a collection of white hydrangeas growing on one side. Last July, I decided the area would look even better with hydrangeas planted all around the court. I planted a combination of white and pink blooming shrubs. And exactly 12 months later they're blooming wonderfully.
Enjoy these photos.
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- My tennis court is tucked away in a far corner of my farm. The court is surrounded by the same type of fencing as my perennial flower garden. And like all the other structures, it is painted Bedford gray.
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- On one side of the court behind and next to the observation pergola, is a selection of beautiful white hydrangeas including Pee Gee hydrangeas.
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- During summer they bloom so beautifully – the flowers are so big, they can be seen from the carriage road.
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- This time last year, I decided to plant more hydrangeas around the other three sides of the court. Two foot wide strips of sod were removed and rolled up in sections for easy carrying. It may not look it, but a section of sod can weigh between 15 and 30 pounds each.
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- These plants are Little Hottie® Panicle Hydrangeas from First Editions. They’re compact, mid-sized white hydrangeas – perfect for this side of the court.
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- Along both width sides, I added a selection of First Editions Diamond Rouge hydrangeas, Hydrangea paniculata ‘Rendia’ – small, bushy, deciduous shrub that produces large, rounded flower heads that change color over the season – creamy white in summer, changing to pink, and then wine red in fall.
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- Plants were positioned about two-and-a-half feet apart – I had just enough to fill all three sides.
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- Chhiring planted the hydrangeas similar to the way they were planted in the pots. Hydrangeas have shallow root systems that spread out broadly near the surface of the soil. Planting them too deep can bury the stems, which can promote root rot.
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- All three sides were then dressed with mulch made right here at the farm. It was delivered from my compost yard on my trusted Kubota M4-071 tractor bucket and then spread in an even two to three inch layer.
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- I was confident they would all flourish around my tennis court where they would get at least three to four hours of direct sunlight.
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- The plants were in such good condition. I was excited to see them all flower profusely the following year.
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- And look at them now – just dripping with gorgeous blooms.
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- Diamond Rouge® Panicle Hydrangeas have abundant, long lasting, rounded flower heads that start white and progress to pink, intense raspberry red, and finally wine red.
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- The flowers start blooming in July and take on pinkish coloration earlier in the season compared to other pink panicle hydrangeas.
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- Hydrangeas have four petals in their florets. The petals can be found in a multitude of colors including blue, pink, purple, and white, depending on the species and soil pH. I have other colored hydrangeas elsewhere around my farm and they’re all blooming so plentifully this year.
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- This view shows the front side of hydrangeas and the more mature ones I planted years ago in the back.
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- And look at the blooms here. The Little Hottie panicle hydrangeas are also bursting with beautiful flowers.
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- Each low shrub is filled with white to antique white flower clusters.
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- Under optimal conditions, hydrangeas can bloom from spring to fall for about 10 to 12 weeks. And even with the recent uncomfortable heat and humidity here, these flowers are doing excellently.
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- What a difference a year makes in the garden. Plant in the proper spot for the specimen, maintain good nutrient rich soil, and water and feed properly – your gardens will thrive like mine.
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