A couple of decades ago, a new kind of blue hydrangea, called, "Endless Summer," came into gardeners' gaze.
And for some, the flowering shrub delivered. For many gardeners in our region, however, "Endless Summer" ended up being an endless bummer.
In the best conditions, this hydrangea flowers on both the old and new wood in summer. And even if the plant dies back to the ground, it will eventually flower again.
Read more helpful hydrangea info from Vermont Public:'The clue to keeping hydrangea happy is in the flower's name.'
What ends up happening in our region is that if the shrub does die back to the ground, it won't flower again until September or October and it doesn't produce many blooms.
Enter a new generation of reblooming blue hydrangea that do deliver lots of summertime flowers.
"Blue Enchantress" grows three to four feet tall and has hardier flower buds. This one seems to bloom reliably year after year. It also has purple stems, green leaves with beautiful blue flowers.
And blue hydrangeas are a coastal plant in Japan and Korea, which is why they grow so well in areas like Cape Cod and Maine.
Another Korean variety is a mountain hydrangea or hydrangea serrata - and is a bit hardier to our growing zones.
Called "Tuff Stuff," this hydrangea has a lace-cap type of flower that produces many blossoms and together, they look like a puffy pom-pom. And it is purple!
Another called "Let's Dance Can Do" is a cross between the mountain hydrangea and the regular blue hydrangea.
And if you do have the regular "Endless Summer" hydrangea planted in your landscape, cover it over in late fall or early winter with woodchips about a foot deep.
Q: This year, I'm thinking of using raised bed borders to delineate spaces in the garden, help control weeds and set up an irrigation system. Any thoughts on choices of wood to use and how to construct the paths? - John, in Lakeville, CT
A: There are a number of wood types that work well to make raised beds and kinds that you should avoid.
Steer clear pressure-treated lumber that still may have chemicals in it that might leach out into your soil.
Cedar is very rot resistant and lasts for a number of years. The downside of cedar is its cost.
Great alternatives include hemlock and spruce. These woods are not as rot resistant as the cedar but still work well.
Start by making sure you get two-inch diameter wood because it tends to last longer and it will be sturdier, too.
Build your raised beds out of cedar and hemlock and they should last at least a decade before you have to replace them.
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