Hydrangeas for one and all

If I had my way every garden would have at least one hydrangea. What's not to love? They're easy, pest and disease resistant, have great foliage, and they add quiet, elegant charm to shady areas.

In case you're thinking "how boring" and "ugh" as images of giant blue mop heads come to mind, consider that there are lots of hydrangeas that don't fit the old stereotype. The delicate flowers of the lace cap hydrangeas, the upright, crisp white clusters of the pee gees that nod in the breeze, the sturdy oak leafs whose leaves fade to lovely reds and oranges in the fall. And don't forget climbing hydrangeas for that bare spot in the shade garden that you want to cover with handsome flat white lace cap flowers. Many actually do well in sun provided they get a little break from direct afternoon rays come summer...