The Ultimate Guide to 25 Stunning Hydrangea Varieties for Your Landscape
Hydrangeas are beloved for their stunning flower heads and range of sizes that can suit any garden, from containers to expansive outdoor landscapes. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore 25 of the best hydrangea varieties that will elevate your outdoor living space.
The Top 25 Hydrangeas for Your Garden
Big Leaf Hydrangeas
Lace Cap
– Cherry Explosion
– Double Delights ‘Wedding Gown’
– Endless Summer ‘Twist-n-Shout’
Mophead
– Big Daddy
– Cityline Paris
– Edgy Hearts
– Endless Summer ‘The Original’
– Everlasting Revolution
– Everlasting Jade
– Harlequin
– Nikko
– Tilt-A-Swirl
Mountain
– Tiny Tuff Stuff
– Pink Dynamo
Oak Leaf Hydrangeas
– Gatsby Pink
– Ruby Slippers
Panicle Hydrangeas
– Berry White
– Bobo
– First Editions ‘Vanilla Strawberry’
– Little Quick Fire
– Pee Gee
Smooth Hydrangeas
– Annabelle
– Incrediball
– Invincibelle Limetta
Climbing Hydrangeas
– Petiolaris
Big Leaf Hydrangeas
Big leaf hydrangeas, known scientifically as H. macrophylla, encompass three main groups: lace cap, mophead, and mountain.
Lace Cap
Lace cap hydrangeas offer a unique floral structure, with a flat “corymb” of blossoms surrounding a center of small buds. These varieties thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 and above, such as:
1. Cherry Explosion
Cherry Explosion features cherry pink/red blossoms surrounding a center of pale pink buds that burst into tiny stars. It is cold-tolerant and blooms on both old and new wood, making it a showstopper from spring to fall.
2. Double Delights ‘Wedding Gown’
Part of the Double Delights™ series, ‘Wedding Gown’ showcases a double ring of blossoms surrounding a double-bud center. This compact beauty thrives in Zones 5 to 9 and prefers light shade for optimal growth.
3. Endless Summer ‘Twist-n-Shout’
Endless Summer® ‘Twist-n-Shout’ is a blue lace cap variety that transitions to pink in less acidic soil. With outstanding heat and cold tolerance, this variety blooms from summer through frost, making it a versatile addition to any garden.
Mophead Hydrangeas
Mophead hydrangeas are the classic image of fluffy ball-shaped blossoms in shades of blue, pink, or purple. Varieties like Big Daddy and Cityline Paris offer stunning colors and textures to your garden.
4. Big Daddy
Big Daddy boasts enormous flower clusters measuring up to 14 inches across, available in pink or blue depending on soil acidity. With a mature height of 5-6 feet, it is a fast-growing variety that blooms from early summer to fall.
5. Cityline Paris
Cityline® Paris is a compact hydrangea with deep pink/red blooms in alkaline soil, transitioning to purple in acidic conditions. Ideal for containers and borders, this variety thrives in Zones 5 to 9 and requires minimal pruning.
6. Edgy Hearts
Edgy® Hearts features pink petals edged with white, resembling hearts in a unique floral display. With a mature height of 2-4 feet, this variety blooms on old wood from early to late summer, making it a versatile choice for containers and hedges.
Mountain Hydrangeas
Mountain hydrangeas, scientifically known as H. serrata, offer smaller lace cap-style flower heads and leaves similar to big leaf varieties.
7. Tiny Tuff Stuff
Tiny Tuff Stuff™ is a dwarf hydrangea with reblooming blue lace cap flowers that turn pink in alkaline soil. With cold hardiness and an average growth rate, this variety blooms on both old and new wood, making it a fantastic choice for small gardens.
8. Pink Dynamo
Pink Dynamo™ is a mountain hydrangea with vivid pink florets surrounding a center of fertile pink-purple buds. With consistent flower color across all soil types, this variety thrives in Zones 5 to 9 and offers an attractive addition to borders and containers.
Stay tuned for the remaining 17 stunning hydrangea varieties in the following sections…
[Continued below…]
