Mophead Hydrangeas (2 of 3)

From “Stourton House” in Other People’s Gardens by Christopher Lloyd:

“Stourton House, near to Mere in Wiltshire, is next to the car-park serving the famous National Trust property of Stourhead. It couldn’t be more different: warm, personal, sometimes verging on the chaotic, but entirely lovable…. The garden is largely geared to the production of material for [Elizabeth Bullivant’s] dried flower (and fruit) business. I am told that you can hardly move, in the house, for the quantities of drying and dried flowers hanging up….

“Across the lawn is the woodland garden. From the outside you are chiefly aware of large old rhododendron bushes and a frieze of hydrangeas, somewhat jostled, in front. Hydrangeas are a principal theme at Stourton House, being greatly valued for drying. In her book, Elizabeth is at pains to describe exactly the right stage at which to cull them for this purpose. Half this garden — the half I have so far been describing — is on neutral or alkaline soil, which tends to produce pink or red hydrangea flowers (those that are not white), while the other half, mainly comprising the woodland, with its rhododendrons and azaleas and the bulk of the hydrangea collection, gives rise to blue or purple hydrangea flowers.

“At an RHS autumn show, quite recently, Elizabeth brought up a vase of ‘Hamburg’ hydrangea heads. This is a large-flowered, bun-headed hortensia. In colour, according to the age of the inflorescence, whether it grew on acid or alkaline soil and whether in sun or in shade, the flowers ranged from green to purple and deep bricky red, through deep blue and deep pink. All the colours were intense, but they varied to this amazing degree….

“Truly the hydrangea is versatile, especially when you add to its variability the differences between a bun-shaped inflorescence or a conical, and a head packed with sterile florets or a flat-topped lacecap wherein the sterile florets are arranged in an outer ring, while the central disc consists entirely of tiny fertile flowers.”

From “Hydrangea” in The Japanese Haiku by Kenneth Yasuda:

Underneath the eaves
A blooming large hydrangea
Overbrims its leaves.

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Hello!

This is the second of three posts featuring hydrangibles from my garden. You do not know what is a hydrangible, you say? Then you should read the first post in this series, Mophead Hydrangeas (1 of 3).

Thanks for taking a look!

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