HYDRANGEAS
Beautiful Varieties in Home and Garden
Naomi Slade (2022)
Because I am a volunteer at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, I often see several types of Hydrangeas in bloom in late spring and summer. I have become interested in learning more about them. So, this summer, I searched for a book on the subject and found this book by Naomi Slade. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and I am sure you will too.
The book opens with a quote:
A FLOWER OF A THOUSAND FACETS, THE HYDRANGEA NEVER CEASES TO SURPRISE AND ASTONISH….
The author notes that hydrangeas have had low points and triumphs over their history as garden plants. But they have gradually built a reputation and a following. Slade states that throughout their history and even today, there are those people who have loved and those who have hated them.
The word Hydrangea is derived from the Ancient Greek words Hydor meaning water and Angeion meaning a container (like a pitcher), which was a description of the shape of the Hydrangea buds.
Ms. Slade describes Hydrangeas as “a genus going through a renaissance” with old faithful varieties joined by newer compact plants ideal for containers, new lacecap varieties, and Hydrangeas of all sizes from modest houseplants to grand shrubs and climbers.
Slade begins her book with the history and cultivation of Hydrangeas, noting that gardeners began to add Hydrangeas from North America and Asia to their gardens in Europe in the 18th century. Two species, Arborescen and Quercifolia, are found in the United States while there are even more types in Mexico and South America.
Hydrangeas are also native to a wide area of southern and eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea, the Himalayas, and Indonesia). The spread of Hydrangeas across several continents is thought to be due to the separations of land masses by continental drift. At the date of this book’s publication, the British Royal Horticultural Society listed 1876 varieties of Hydrangeas. But only a handful of these species are common in cultivation. You can read this book to find out which cultivars these are. The United States has three Hydrangea societies; one, the American Hydrangea Society, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Slade says that the first hydrangea to reach Western European cultivation was Arborescens which arrived in England in 1736. It was sent by John Bartram, a farmer and an explorer, in the United States. He and his son discovered the Hydrangea species, Quercifolia. Asian Hydrangea plants came from Dutch East India Company. Doctors often were hunters of medically useful plants and others.
The author provides a clear description and several flower-form drawings of the most common species and tells us how to recognize true flowers versus sterile sepals on these plants. There is also interesting information about color and color changes in both flowers and leaves of Hydrangeas in this book.
The rest of the book is concerned with specifics on handling cut flowers from Hydrangeas and growing and caring for these plants (particularly as applies to the main varieties) with additional information about buying, planting, propagating, pruning, and pests and disease.
This book is very instructive and thorough, whether you already have a garden or yard full of Hydrangeas or are interested in adding Hydrangeas to your landscape. I am sure you will really enjoy this book.
Reviewed by Holly Sparrow
Master Gardener