Hydrangeas, big blooms, all summer.
The shrub that carries a garden from midsummer into autumn - mophead Endless Summer, the lime cones of Limelight, oakleaf and paniculata forms. Bigleaf types even shift flower colour with soil pH. Sorted by difficulty, with light, hardiness zone and bloom time. There are 12 in the catalog.
Beginner Annabelle Hydrangea
Beginner Bobo Hydrangea
Beginner Incrediball Hydrangea
Beginner Limelight Hydrangea
Beginner Little Lime Hydrangea
Beginner Pinky Winky Hydrangea
Beginner Snow Queen Oakleaf Hydrangea
Beginner Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea
Intermediate Climbing Hydrangea
Intermediate Endless Summer Hydrangea
Intermediate Hydrangea
Intermediate Nikko Blue Hydrangea
Soil, mulch and fertilizer for hydrangeas
Hydrangeas grow easily in well-drained soil rich in organic matter, with a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch to keep the soil moist and its temperature even, says Clemson Extension. The same fact sheet lists containers on patios among their uses; in a pot, a bagged mix and a pot with drainage holes do the job of the garden soil.
Flower color. On bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) the soil pH sets the color: blue at pH 5.0 to 5.5, where aluminum is available to the plant, and pink at 6.0 and above, according to Clemson. For blue, it lowers the pH with sulfur or aluminum sulfate when new growth starts in April; for pink, it raises it with lime. Test the soil first, and again every 2 to 3 years, so you do not overshoot.
Feeding. Clemson feeds bigleaf hydrangeas lightly: a balanced 10-10-10 at 2 cups per 100 square feet in March, May and July, watered in straight away. Too much nitrogen is one of the reasons it gives when a hydrangea does not bloom.
| Product | Type | What the maker states | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espoma Holly-tone | Organic granular fertilizer for acid-loving plants | Contains elemental sulfur to help acidify the soil; hydrangea is on its list of plants; slow-release | See on Amazon · Maker's page |
| Espoma Soil Acidifier | Elemental sulfur and gypsum | Lowers soil pH; the maker says it turns hydrangeas blue; 6 and 30 lb bags | See on Amazon · Maker's page |
| Espoma Garden Lime | Pelletized dolomitic limestone | Raises soil pH; the maker says it turns hydrangeas pink; safer than hydrated lime | See on Amazon · Maker's page |
| Dr. Earth Acid Lovers | Organic granular fertilizer, 3-4-3 | For acid-loving plants, hydrangeas among them; feed containers every 6 weeks; OMRI listed | See on Amazon · Maker's page |
| Espoma Organic Potting Mix | Potting mix for containers | For indoor and outdoor containers; peat moss, perlite, humus, limestone and organic nutrients with mycorrhizae | See on Amazon · Maker's page |
| Shredded bark or pine bark mulch | Mulch | Any organic mulch laid 2 to 3 inches deep, as Clemson advises | See on Amazon |
How we put this together. The soil, pH and feeding advice is Clemson Extension's, linked above. The products are compared on what each maker states on its own product page, checked on 26 October 2026; we have not trialed them. Clemson's color advice is written for bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla). There are no prices here: the Amazon links search for the exact product, and we may earn a commission if you buy through them.
Garden basics
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