Hydrangea macrophylla mophead hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla, commonly referred to as mophead, was seen in recent times as being unfashionable. I never did pay any attention to that sort of nonsense so lets say no more about it.
This Hydrangea has large very showy blooms from mid Summer lasting well into the Autumn. The flower colour varies from pink, if planted in an alkaline soil to lilac or blue, the more acidic the soil is. If you are looking for one of the best blue Macrophylla, plant Renate Steiniger, remember even this one will be more lilac if planted in alkaline soil.
More questions seem to be asked regarding the pruning of mopheads than almost any other shrub except perhaps the climbing plant Wisteria Well anyway with your Hydrangea, first of all leave the flower heads on throughout the Winter and come mid March prune back to a couple of buds directly below the dead flower head. If in subsequent years your plant is becoming leggy, cut back about one third of the stems to ground level which will promote healthy new growth.
Generally here in Aberdeen this Hydrangea is fully hardy, however in our garden perhaps because we are in a bit of a frost pocket it really does struggle. However I have overcome this problem by planting in a container and overwintering in the unheated greenhouse. Results are amazing, producing the most beautiful plants smothered in blooms at least two weeks earlier than normally would be expected. With this method of growing you can safely remove the withered blooms just before placing in the greenhouse for the Winter. Of course come Spring your container plant can be placed in any position in the garden where you think it will look most effective.
Position – Full sun/part shade
Height – 150cm
Hardiness – Generally hardy
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I have to admit that before I started to take an interest in photography and blogging, I generally felt that the garden was over with come the first week in November. Well, strolling around the garden on the sixth of November and paying more attention and really looking, quite a few surprises were in store. This week I will show what was still flowering, probably surprising those further south in the country, here on the coast we actually haven’t had any frost as yet.
Schizostylis, now isn’t this just amazing to see a plant like this in November. We will say no more on it as I will feature this one soon.
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Etoille Violette has been just magnificent this year, starting to flower in July and still rewarding us in November.
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The climbing Rose Blush noisette was a little later in flowering this year, however she is still producing quality blooms.
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Another climber which I have shown before is also surprising us with a few blooms, this particular one seems to be conjoined. The last time I showed it I had completely forgotten the name of it, Myra came to the rescue, recalling that it is indeed, Creme de la creme.
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The purest of white is the blooms of this unknown single flowered rose in the main border.
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What a fantastic show the HT rose Laura Anne has given us in the front garden, its not all over yet.
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I have complained of Buxom beauty’s top heavy blooms in the past, how could she not be forgiven when in the month of November still trying so very hard to please us.
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Flower carpet gold is a newcomer in our back garden and has been looking very healthy. To my eyes this one looks more of a pleasing lemon shade rather than gold.
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The simple pink flowers of Sweet haze have been not stop since coming in to flower in July. Still smothered in blooms on the sixth of November.
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The Pansy’s are looking good at the moment, soon they will take a rest when Winter truly shows itself. Any mild spell and they will show us a few blooms, however in Spring they will bloom their heads off continually.
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Its not completely unique, yet it is always a surprise to see blooms on a Rhododendron at this time of year.
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Tricyrtis still blooming after first showing its flowers in the first week of September.
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The yellow Polyanthus giving a hint of what’s to come in Spring. Pity about the slug damage.
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What a delight to still see hardy geraniums blooming in the month of November.
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The Astrantia Buckland gives a second flush so very late in the season.
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The Heather Calluna vulgaris Annemarie still flowering will have to wait until early Spring before being pruned back. Hebe Autumn glory had quite pale blue flowers a few weeks back, in November the shade of blue has deepened significantly. Hypericum Magical Beauty has gone through the whole process and now wants to start all over again by producing more blooms.
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The Montbretia has never flowered so well and for so long, a few flowers are still hanging on. The nasturtiums are the result of plants which we had last year. They are growing in the clothes drying area where they have reseeded themselves. Finally the Sedum Autumn Joy which one may expect to be looking sorry for itself on the sixth of November is in fact still looking quite good.
Well I guess thats it, the flower borders don’t exactly jump out at you but nevertheless surprising to a plant fanatic who doesn’t yet want to let go.
The frost did arrive on the 7th of November, lasted a couple of days and turned mild again
That is exactly what I was doing Catherine, and it was in the front garden. I usually look around to see if anyone is watching. Don’t know why I bother they all know I am daft.
Alistair you must have been crawling along the ground to get the pansy to look at you like that. Very useful hydrangea pruning info – thank you.
Wellywoman, I always do a double take on the spelling of schizostillisss. Wales, ah. just as much rain as we get.
So many beautiful plants flowering. I love Schizostylis (hope I’ve spelt this correctly). I haven’t got any in my garden but I think I may well have to get some next year. We still haven’t had any frost here in Wales so the gardens are still looking good if a little soggy from the rain.
Kininvie, it is so very true some plants simply don’t fit our requirements. Having said that I seem to be able to find a place for any plant, of course perhaps it only looks good in my eyes.
Those hydrangeas have had a bad press for many decades. Why are we snobbish about plants? It’s so stupid. That said, I won’t grow them myself, because they simply don’t fit with my idea of what I want my garden to look like. I do think you need that trip to the West, Alistair – not just Crarae, but to see the mophead hydrangeas in their full glory….
Well, they sure are wide spread Jordan.
Your photos look great. You seem to have mastered your photo-editing program. Are H macrophylla as ubiquitous in Aberdeen, as they are here in Seattle?
Alberto, perhaps a little selective where I am pointing the camera.
Hi Alistair! You told me about autumn decay in your garden… Well it doesn’t seem a decay at all to me!!! It doesn’t even seem to autumn to be honest… 🙂
That clematis pictured against maple leaves is simply stunning and I liked the pink mophead with dark phormium. If I try a similar combination the hydrangea would burn in the sun, or the phormium would become a dull green (and probably die) in shadow…
Christine, I was going to say perhaps the camera lies, then I changed my mind when I saw a recent picture of myself.
Catmint, to be honest I think my positivity has developed more in recent years. A recent survey suggests people become most contended when they reach seventy, I have a few years to go yet, roll on.
Hi Alastair, that hydrangea used to be in every australian garden, so easy to grow, to propagate just stick a stick in the earth and it used to grow, from time to time cut back and back it would come. Then came the drought and I thought that’s why you don’t seen them. But maybe it is to do with fashion – how silly fashion is, one of the wonderful things about getting older is that the need for following fashion recedes into the past … I’m sorry to hear about your eye problem, your attitude to it is admirably positive. You’re obviously a glass half full kinda guy – maybe we gardeners all are? cheers, catmint
Hi Alistair – Your Autumn garden has so much more going on in it than my Spring garden – Stunning! I don’t know how you do it – everything looks beautiful.
Yes Janet you do have to look for them. The flowers photograph quite well but yes the overall effect is very much that of decay.
Kevin, I suspect you may have been in Poolewe in the north west of Scotland. A very sheltered area which gets the full benefit of the Gulf stream.
That is a gorgeous selection for November! When I traveled to Scotland (great trip) several years ago, I was amazed at the lushness and that some palm trees were doing quite well there. A magical land!
Alistair, I think it’s high time the mophead hydrangea got a bit of attention. I’ve been noticing it peeping over garden walls up and down the east coast. Some of them are turning lovely autumn colours.
Like you we still have an incredible number of blooms in the garden but you have to look for them in among the decay. I was surprised by the clematis flowering it’s socks off through a cornus. And we haven’t had frost yet.
Nell Jean, thanks for the visit. We are just waiting for the severe cold to arrive, hoping its not as bad as last year.
Your roses are lovely. We had a single night of 29F frost and the roses are freeze-dried, the hydrangea foliage toast. It’s okay, it encourages the Camellias to come forth.
Mark/gaz, its hard to imagine that a plant from South Africa performs well in Aberdeens Winter
Mopheads grow on you Janet, well—you know what I mean!
Eek, sorry to hear about the eye issues Alistair, I hope the supplements keep it at bay for a really long time. I’ll keep quiet on the subject of mopheads, and instead admire your wonderful roses, and try to contain my envy at how many things you still have flowering in your garden!
Lovely flowers Alistair, all looking great this time of the year. Schizostylis is such a reliable plant, flowering profusely once established 🙂
Thanks Fay, It is at the early stages and it wont necessarily deteriorate quickly. Happy to continue as I am until I get the white stick.
Sorry to hear of the eye problem alistair. Keep well.
Gardens looking absolutely fab, your hard work and a rather weird season have really paid off for you to get so much colour now. Mopheads braw here too, but you’d expect me to say that by now!
More time in the garden, just what the dr ordered!
Cheers, regards to Myra and the family!
Fay
Ps if you’re limiting eye/screen time, don’t worry about nipping over to mine, not much gardening on there at the moment it’s all galavanting to Glasgow, baking and chickens…..
Carolyn that is so very kind of you, but no, you have more than enough to do and I would feel more comfortable just going on in this slightly limited manner. I am still more than able to enjoy what I do and take the necessary supplements and food stuffs that they suggest to slow down the progression of the condition. I generally feel uncomfortable with folks who go on and on about their health problems so it is not likely you will hear me harping on about this. thanks again
I am so sorry to hear that. Sounds like limited screen time is good. Besides it means more time in the garden. I could try linking you in this month if you like. I have all the info.
Donna, very interesting, I must check out Endless Summer.
Lona, I think that Hypericum is one of our best finds in recent years.
Yes Ginny, I have seen roses in the past blooming in the month of January here in Aberdeen. The last three Winters have been too severe though. So much for the global warming, oh sorry its climate change.
Liz, Iceberg was the very first rose which we had in the garden.
Carolyn, I should be more willing to do these things, having the beginning of the eye condition macular degeneration I like to limit my time in front of the screen.
You should link this post into Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day on 11/15–such a lot going on.
Hi Al,
It’s very nice to still see blooms at this time of year. We haven’t really had any proper frost yet – just very close to frost and morning dew. But then I am very close to the city centre so benefit from the heat island effect that cities provide.
My Iceberg rose is just about to put on another flush of blooms so I need to take some shots over the coming days 🙂
You have so many beautiful blooms, Alistair. I am always surprised by the amount of color still in the garden in November – and the roses seem to have a second life when the nights are cool and the days are mild.
My daughter had a beautiful mophead that she grew in a large container for several years. The first year she had set it out by the trash not believing that it would come back in the spring, but it did – that next spring and several more until she moved and had to leave it behind.
Alistair you still have so much in bloom. I adore that white rose. It is such a pure white color. Hydrangeas are some of my favorite flowers. Wisteria is my worst disaster. Cannot get mine to bloom even with threats.LOL! The blooms on your Hypericum Magical Beauty are just beautiful, I have not saw any around here. Gorgeous!
I love the mopheads. We have to be careful here as sometimes the late spring frost will kill the buds but that is why I bought ‘Endless Summer’. Even if you prune it all the way down, no matter it comes back and blooms like crazy on new wood. The rest of your garden is really beautiful. You will see in my post tomorrow I have a few blooms I can count on one hand left…I adore the rose Laura Ann and I forgot to plant pansies this year…too late now i fear but no matter I ordered seed to try my hand at growing them indoors this winter to plant in early spring…
Hi Jennifer, The blooms are lessening as each day goes by although the temperature has generally been high for the time of year, 58f today. The mopheads just don’t work planted in the ground in our garden that’s why I have them in containers, yet I see them all over Aberdeen looking seriously healthy planted out. My excuse is that we are in a frost pocket, better than saying I cant grow them.
Hi Alistair, I am jealous that there is still such a nice scattering of blooms in your garden. Here it is pretty grey. Most of the leaves have hit the ground now and the branches are bare. I have a few plucky roses and that’s it. My garden has pretty much packed it in for the winter.
When we moved in there were three Hydrangea macrophylla. The previous owner managed somehow to get them to bloom, but in this I have failed. I believe (?) they bloom on the old wood and our harsh winters do the old woody stems in every year( I have to cut them back to the ground in spring. Green comes back, but no flowers!)
One year, I set up some winter protection, but they still perished and I had to cut them back to the ground. I figure that I need to concoct more elaborate protection and really nurse them through winter, if I ever hope to get them to bloom.
Right enough it does look like a dead hand, I don’t think I chopped it off but I am an OMG (old man gardener) Oh my, better stop this nonsense or I will be getting a bad name, again.
I don’t know, have you checked to see if your hand is indeed still in the rose border? OMG!! Have you chopped off your hand and not realised, a dog may have already run off with it…this is a disaster!!! :0)
Hi bag, seldom enough heat in the sun this Summer to finish off the plants early.
Jane, could that have been my hand,
Oh what a disappointment to visit your blog to see nothing colourful, amazing or inspiring this week…NOT!!!!!
HAHA!! Only joking Al’ (I’m pushing the familiarity bit now…lol!). Not sure where to begin… those Tricyrtis are just gorgeous, never seen those before…your roses are just heavenly, only wish we had room to fit more in (might make that a mission next year). I think you need to check your rose border for a dead body, I’m sure I saw a hand next to the Creme de la creme bloom!!! Have a groovy week in the garden…xx
Hi Alistair – Never seen such huge mopheads! Amazing that you’ve still got so many blooms hanging on, I especially like the unknown white rose. All my roses finished flowering a couple of weeks ago. The winter jasmine has started to bloom.