Hydrangeas are one of our customers' favorite flowering shrubs. With big, bouquet-sized blooms in shades of blue and pink to lime and white, it's easy to see why! Visit our Garden Center soon to choose from dwarf and full-sized varieties for shade or sun!

Hydrangeas for shade in the Charleston area include Bigleaf, Mountain, and Smooth types.

Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) bloom pink or blue (depending on soil pH) late Spring into Summer and are commonly described as mopheads due to their large, ball-shaped blooms. They have wide, textured leaves and sturdy, thick stems. These hydrangeas bloom on old wood, which means they form next season's flower buds on their stems before they bloom. Generally, it is okay to prune away spent flowers. However, to avoid cutting of next year's blooms, it's advisable to avoid pruning this type of hydrangea except for removal of dead branches in Spring once the plant starts to leaf out.

Mountain hydrangeas (Hydrangea serrata) bloom in Summer and are also referred to as lacecap hydrangeas as their blooms appear dainty and delicate like lace. Their leaves and stems look a lot like the bigleaf hydrangeas - in fact, it's hard to tell the difference when they are not blooming! These hydrangeas bloom first on old wood. Varieties in this category that rebloom form more flower buds on new growth and bloom again later in the season. If you're uncertain as to whether you have a variety that is reblooming, err on the side of caution when pruning - prune modestly during the growing season to remove spent flowerheads and then only to remove dead branches when leaves emerge in Spring.

Smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea aborescens) bloom in Spring with white or pink ball-shaped blooms. The foliage of these hydrangeas is thinner and more delicate than the bigleaf or mountain hydrangeas. These hydrangeas also have woody stems and bloom on new wood. This means buds form on the current season's growth, so it's okay to wait until the plant has gone dormant in the Fall or until early Spring to prune them.

All of these shade hydrangeas appreciate being shielded from intense, direct sunlight in the afternoon - especially during our hot summers. Gentle morning sun, dappled light throughout the day, or shade for the majority of the day are ideal sunlight situations for these varieties.

Hydrangeas for sun in the Lowcountry include Panicle and Oakleaf types.

Panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) bloom mid to late Summer into early Fall. Their flowers first arise lime-green to white, filling out to a full cone shape that turns blush to red as the weather cools down in the Fall. These hydrangeas have woody stems and thinner, narrower leaves than the bigleaf hydrangeas. Panicle hydrangeas bloom on new wood with their buds and blooms occurring in the same season, so it is safe to prune in late Fall or early Spring while the plant is dormant without risk of removing flower buds.

Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) are one of the more unique hydrangea types, offering showy, cone-shaped, white flowers in early summer. Oakleaf hydrangeas have woody stems, and as their name suggests, large, oak-shaped leaves. Like panicle hydrangeas, oakleaf hydrangea blooms take on rosy tones as the weather cools down in Fall. And, BONUS! Oakleaf hydrangea foliage turns a beautiful red as the shrub prepares to go dormant in the Winter. Oakleaf hydrangeas bloom on old wood, so take care to prune moderately, if at all, immediately after flowering for size and when new growth emerges in Spring to remove dead branches.

Of the sun hydrangeas, panicle hydrangeas are the toughest when it comes to full sun in our climate. Oakleaf hydrangeas come in second with the ability to handle full sun once acclimated.

When considering hydrangeas for your landscape, take note of the amount of space you have available and how much sunlight the area receives at what time of day. At our Garden Center, we carry dwarf hydrangeas and full-sized hydrangeas. Not sure which type is right for your landscape? Our Nursery Professionals will be happy to assist!

Spring is an ideal time of year to add new pollinator-attracting plants to your landscape! The Garden Center is full of plants with flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors, allowing for a wide array of combinations to suit various bed shapes and design styles. 

1.  Know Your Planting Location: Before choosing plants, be sure you know key characteristics about the area in which you are planting. Many plants for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds love sunshine. So, siting your butterfly garden in an area that receives a minimum of 6+ hours of sunlight will likely be ideal. Also, most pollinator-friendly plants will appreciate soil that is well-drained (i.e. not soggy). Of course, there are exceptions to these guidelines for sunlight and soil moisture. If you are working in an area of the yard that has more shade or moisture, our Nursery Professionals can also assist you in choosing plants that will work for those conditions as well.

2. Choose the Right Plants: Generally, nectar-rich flowers are key. And, including an assortment of bloom shapes will encourage a variety of pollinators to visit. It is also important to consider bloom season so that flowers are present early spring through fall.

​Have space to go bigger? Pollinators also love these flowering shrubs and trees:

3. Get Your Soil Ready: We highly recommend amending the soil in your planting area with Brownswood Premium Planting Mix as well as a starter fertilizer such as Espoma Organic Bio-tone® Starter Plus to give your new plants their best start. You can find our Planting Guide at the link below. It provides planting instructions and helpful information about watering and getting new plants established.​

4. Plant: Planting different varieties of plants in groupings of three or more will result in more blooms of any given flower type being available at once. Do keep in mind mature heights and widths of each plant for best spacing and arrangement. For example, if arranging in tiers, situate taller plants in the back of the bed and work forward. It may be helpful to sketch a layout of your planting area with rough measurements beforehand to ensure proper spacing. Water regularly as new plantings are getting established and provide a balanced fertilizer in spring and fall.

5. Enjoy! Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds are a delight for all ages to observe, adding a sense of wonder and excitement to the landscape. It may take a little while for pollinators to find newly planted flowers, so be patient... they will come!

​Espoma's other organic 'tone' fertilizers can be used after planting, throughout the growing season. These easy-to-use granulated fertilizers are typically applied around the plant at the soil level. (see application instructions on each product label for frequency and amount to use)