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As a kid , Skye Hamilton of Hamilton House conception got lost in the pages of book such asThe Secret Gardenby Frances Hodgson Burnett andAnne of Green Gablesby L.M. Montgomery . Idyllic storybook gardens burst with bloom flower occupied a special place in her thinker , and it ’s those sight that set the wheels in apparent movement for what would arrive later .
tight - forward to 2015 : Skye and her hubby were live in California , but the two knew they wanted to get back to Idaho to be with family . With an eye on houses listed for cut-rate sale , Skye follow across a farmhouse in Eagle , Idaho , with a wraparound porch that needed some work . “ I recall thinking , that porch require hydrangeas , ” says Skye . At that point , Skye had already been an interior intriguer for more than a decade , so she was no stranger to transforming places that needed TLC . “ I saw the potential in the house and assured my husband I could make it particular . ” It took a little convincing , but Skye and her husband ultimately bought the post — plenty unobserved .
Skye ’s Top 6 Hydrangea Growing Tips|Skye ’s Hydrangea Recommendations
Within two week of moving into her novel menage in Idaho , Skye Hamilton of Hamilton House Designs and her married man planted 16 Incrediball hydrangea around the front porch . The numeral of hydrangea ( and Skye ’s dearest for them ) has only grown ever since . exposure by : Skye Hamilton
When they moved into the farmhouse , they had scarce been there two week when they pull out the barberry that surrounded the porch . “ We had barely open up our moving boxes , but there we were , rip out bush with our motorcar and a rope . ” From there , Skye guide to the nearest nursery and talked to the head of the shrub department , who was also a master gardener , and tell her what she wanted to do . “ She took me over to the Incrediballs and said they ’d be pure for what I wanted to do . ” Skye brought home 16 Incrediball hydrangea and plant them around the porch .
dub “ Hydrangea Queen ” by other gardener , Skye has become a wealthiness of knowledge and source of inspiration on all thing hydrangea ( and other horticulture theme ) to multitude all around the country . Photo by : Ampersand Studios
That was just the beginning . “ From that point , I became obsessed , ” shares Skye . She kept adding more and more hydrangeas until she had 50 in 2020 . And that ’s when the whole world start keep out down .
With the chatter on social media becoming too much to handle , Skye stymy out the negativeness and began only following two grouping on Facebook : Hydrangea Happiness and Proven Winners ColorChoice . She started post word picture of her house , and the questions rolled in . “ People postulate about my hydrangeas , and I developed a little bit of a following , ” Skye tell . “ It was kind of like therapy , being in that region . ” This young forum sparked her love of help people and blab about gardening . “ I was also able to larn a raft from master gardeners all around the country . ” She delved into different type of hydrangeas , did a ton of research , and asked a lot of interrogation .
Also an interior designer , Skye has always had an heart for figure . All twelvemonth long , she makes expectant use of her plethora of hydrangea , using them in vases , as tabletop interior decoration , in wreaths , and drying them for all kinds of decorative purposes . Photo by : Skye Hamilton
Skye already had an Instagram account with her interior design business,@HamiltonHouseDesigns , and determine to start post some pictures of her hydrangea for fun . Her account exploded almost instantly . Now , over 200,000 people adopt her account . Completely self - taught , Skye has had moments of feeling out of her deepness . “ I ’m not a master gardener or a landscape painting architect , ” say Skye . But her dedication to learning , hone her expertness , and willingness to share her knowledge with others is what makes so many gravitate toward her for garden advice and breathing in .
Incrediball hydrangea bust into bloom in former summer , creating the storybook - garden ambiance Skye dreamt of as a tike . In late summer , flowers begin to take on a greenish shade which persists until late fall . Photo by : Skye Hamilton
Now , in the same way the pages of the Good Book she down as a child sparkle creative thinking within Skye , she is bring home the bacon that spark for gardeners all around the commonwealth . There ’s a circle of workplace that goes into creating the garden she has today and divvy up it with such a large hearing , but for Skye , doing the piece of work is therapeutic . “ It ’s something to put my brain to , ” she says . “ I ’m building the life history I want to live in . One where I can walk outside and be surrounded by flowers and smasher . ”
SKYE’S TOP 6 HYDRANGEA GROWING TIPS
After years of experience with hydrangea and sharing the cognition she ’s learned with the mass , Skye has realize the well - deserved title of “ Hydrangea Queen . ” Here , she liberally shares her top six hydrangea - growing summit for those just starting out .
1. Start with an easy variety.
Limelight hydrangeas underplanted withSupertunia Vista ® Jazzberry ® andSupertunia Vista ® Paradiseflank the steps leading up to Skye ’s back porch where Wriggly Fluffybottom Hamilton ( Rigg for short ) lounge . Skye love that these beauties come back twelvemonth after twelvemonth . Photo by : Skye Hamilton
If you ’re Modern to raise hydrangeas , Skye advocate picking a panicle ( Hydrangea paniculata ) or liquid hydrangea ( H. arborescens ) diverseness to protrude . “ Hydrangeas are n’t the chintzy plant life . It ’s not like buy a gang of seeds , ” pronounce Skye . Panicle and smooth hydrangeas , which are live for being hardy , are a great place to set out . Panicles can handle a mediocre amount of sun and suave hydrangeas are fertile , reliable bloomers .
Skye advise starting with one of these audacious assortment , then , if it cash in one’s chips well and you are up for more of a challenge , go for a bigleaf or mophead ( H. macrophylla ) , oakleaf ( H. quercifolia ) , or climb hydrangea ( H. petiolaris)—one of the divas . “ When people depart with bigleaf hydrangeas and do n’t select the perfect spot to put it , they ’re almost arrange themselves up for nonstarter , because this is a finicky hydrangea . ”
2. Know the variety and your area.
Starting with one variety and get word about that particular character is one way to arrange yourself up for success . When Skye start with hydrangeas , she prefer for all Incrediball , which are a liquid variety . Photo by : Skye Hamilton
Since each variety of hydrangea has a specific set of need , there ’s a lot of misinformation out there . Advice and tutelage tips for one type of hydrangea do not apply across the board . That ’s why Skye give notice that gardeners new to grow hydrangeas find fault one variety to start with , learn the basic indigence of that particular type and how it will get in your area . See how that goes before you add more into the mix . “ You do n’t need to see how to care for every hydrangea at once , ” says Skye .
3. Never plant hydrangeas that have blooms and come in foil wrappers.
Skye with a florist hydrangea . exposure by : Skye Hamilton
Those raw to hydrangeas sometimes make the mistake of engraft “ florist hydrangeas ” in full bloom that they ’ve received as a gift , often purchased from the market fund . “ When you put those in the ground , they hardly ever bloom again because they have often been given so many hormone and forced to blossom artificially , ” says Skye . or else , she recommends prefer for plants from dependable growers such asProven Winnerswho trial their plant in different climates to see how they ’ll do . The best time to set a hydrangea is in give or light when it ’s sticks and bud and leaves . Skye parcel that because hydrangeas are one - season bloomers , whatever is currently growing on the plant is what you ’re going to get that season . See Skye ’s video recording on florist hydrangeas here .
4. Observe what successful local gardeners are doing.
Skye instruct a hydrangea workshop .
The good way to learn how to grow in your area ? See what gardener in your area are doing ! There are several places to find people to read from :
5. When in doubt, don’t prune.
Skye encourages gardeners to get it on their hydrangea needs before pruning , but if you ’re shy , err on the side of not pruning rather than cutting a works back right smart too far . Photo by : Skye Hamilton
“ There ’s no hydrangea that ’s die to be hurt by not snip , ” says Skye . In fact , she adds that you ’re more likely to get blooms if you do n’t rationalize than if you prune the wrong way . Skye also emphasise that if you have a gardener who cares for your landscape painting , do n’t assume that they cognise how to worry for your type of hydrangea . “ All too often , I ’ve hear the tragic fib of a landscapist bring down a hydrangea bush agency too far . ” On the shiny side , hardy hydrangea are typically able to bounce back from a too - abrasive pruning . See Skye ’s video on pruning particular hydrangea types .
6. Don’t fret about shade.
The Incrediball hydrangea in front of Skye ’s porch get sun and dappled refinement throughout the daytime , then full shade after 5 autopsy . How much shade your hydrangea need depends on the type of hydrangea and your zone . Photo by : Skye Hamilton
hydrangea are often referred to as shade plants , so sometimes gardeners without full - shade areas think they ca n’t grow hydrangeas . However , “ in realism , hydrangeas need a lot more sun than hoi polloi think , ” portion out Skye . “ Even oakleaf hydrangeas still need about four hour of sunlight to be really good bloomer . ” If you live on in a hot climate like Skye , she mark that panicles do well because they ’re the most drought tolerant , add that liquid hydrangeas often need a pile of water , peculiarly in the first year . Skye ’s rule of quarter round ? “ You ca n’t go ill-timed with morning or early afternoon sunshine and former afternoon shadiness . ”
See more from Skye , record book her as a loudspeaker , or contain out her hydrangea course on her website : HamiltonHouseInc.com .
HYDRANGEA RECOMMENDATIONS FROM SKYE
Of course it ’s unacceptable to foot a deary , but here are some of Skye ’s try - and - true that she recommends to those getting set out !
Photo by : Skye Hamilton
Incrediball® Smooth Hydrangea (H. arborescens)
“ These are my number one , ” says Skye . This is the variety that Skye started with back when she first strike to her place in 2015 — the one that moderate to her cacoethes for hydrangea .
Zones:3 - 8Exposure : fond to full sunMature size:4 to 5 foot tall and wideBloom time : Summer
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‘Limelight’ Panicle Hydrangea (H. paniculata)
Skye describes this kind of hydrangea as “ tried and true and true , one that comes back beautifully every year . ” She sleep with that their hardiness and expectant stature make a immense impact in the garden . By the end of summer , the pale - green and white bloom transmute to a cream and concert dance - slipper pink .
Zones:3 - 9Exposure : Partial to full sunMature size:6 to 8 feet improbable and wideBloom time : previous summer to fall
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photograph by : Proven Winners
Little Lime® Panicle Hydrangea (H. paniculata)
“ These are standardised to calcium light but half the size , so they ’re bully for under a window , ” tell Skye . She notes that you ca n’t make a hydrangea smaller than its mature sizing , so look for for a dwarf change of the type you like if you need something more compact . “ Considering size at the beginning is going to hold open you heartache , ” she say . “ Whatever big variety you care , there is most likely a small variety which make sense for most people ’s landscape . ”
Zones:3 - 8Exposure : fond to full sunMature size:3 to 5 ft improbable and wideBloom metre : Summer
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Let’s Dance® Series Bigleaf Hydrangea (H. macrophylla)
This is a relatively fresh series from Proven Winners . “ These macrophylla hybrids do n’t need as much baby as some of the older diverseness , ” sound out Skye . There are 11 varieties in the series that are fairly compact , ranging from 2 to 4 substructure improbable and all-inclusive .
Zones:5 - 9 , with the exclusion of Sky View ® , Can Do ® , and ¡ Arriba ! ® which are hardy down to Zone 4.Exposure : Partial to full sunMature size:2 to 4 feet grandiloquent and wideBloom time : Summer
BuyLet ’s Dance series hydrangeasfrom Proven Winners . ( rent ’s Dance Lovable ™ pictured )
Gatsby Moon® Oakleaf Hydrangea (H. quercifolia)
“ This one has really gorgeous bloom all summer long , and beautiful maroon foliage in fall . "
Zones:5 - 9Exposure : fond to full sunMature size:6 to 8 feet tall and wideBloom time : summertime
BuyGatsby Moon ® hydrangeasfrom Proven Winners .
