The gardening season has been the worst I recall for most of us in the country. The heat and drought just did not give us a break here. I lost lots of plants and the ones that are here did not do well. My Hydrangeas did not bloom as well as normal, I believe most of their buds just burnt up. I'm hoping next year is an improvement and I've just been glad for what I do have.
Hydrangea Pinky Winky. I love this Hydrangea. Nice big blooms this year so I expect it to get better as it matures.
Hydrangea Vanilla Strawberry. Love this one. Last year was the first blooms and I got I believe 3 on it. Still not mature but there are blooms everywhere. It's normally not this sparse of leaves but the heat and drought took it's toll on most of my Hydrangea and it lost most it's leaves, but it still put out lots of blooms.
Hydrangea Limelight. Thankfully can live through most anything. It didn't grow this year, but then nothing else did either. The blooms are smaller than normal but it does have them.
Hydrangea TarDiva. This one probably looks the worst for blooms. I have 2 and this one has the most blooms but they are very little.
Hydrangea Quickfire. In July and August going through it's changes of color. Unfortunately in this weird year, Quickfire started blooming in MAY, and the buds and blooms finally burnt up before we headed into fall.
The Caryopteris Blue Mist Shrub, in the Spirea family of shrubs is blooming well this year.
The burgundy Mums are doing ok as a rule, but a couple are pretty burnt up also.
Of course the trustworthy Yarrow. It grows and even blooms no matter the weather.
I've taken out almost 2 full garden beds this year. Between whirlygigs and droughts it's become a little much. Let's see if I regret this, although I do to some extent, I know it will be a little easier to take care of next year.
I've taken out almost 2 full garden beds this year. Between whirlygigs and droughts it's become a little much. Let's see if I regret this, although I do to some extent, I know it will be a little easier to take care of next year.
35 comments:
That looks good, my garden is a mess and I lost so many flowers.
Going to rethink my spring garden.
Have a good day!
So many sorts of hydrangeas! Lovely! I'm in northern KY, our drought was not as bad. Yours still look good, though!
Hello there!!! Sorry about your weather and loss of plants. The silver lining in all of this is that you can now figure out what did well and use more of it around your place. Some years are harder than others. Hopefully you'll have better temps coming your way:)
Your Pinky Winky looks so much better than mine. I struggled to keep mine watered enough and it shows. My Limelight out front is turning already but generally it did well. I think it's the most hearty of all the hydrangeas I grow. Looks like yours did well with your drought. I had a Blue Mist years ago but lost it due to an addition we put on. I like the color of their flowers. Looks like your Mums are doing well too. The yarrow is new to me but I'm so pleased to know it blooms so long! That's too bad you've lost so much of your garden- let's hope next year is much better!
Hydrangeas certainly don't appreciate droughts, but yours looks like they made it through. I really love the look of Quickfire. I bet they will be glorious next year! You have been working hard if you've taken out almost 2 garden beds! If you regret it, you can always put them back. I've been thinking about easier maintenance in my garden, too. The hardest part for me is no more unplanned purchases!
Those Hydrangeas are lovely toughies, blooming still despite the prolonged drought. And you have been busy too, digging up those two beds. I hope you'll have some respite from the heat and drought soon, and that next year will be better. Cross fingers for you Cher :)
Cher, you have so many varieties of hydrangea, do you have a favourite? I wanted to get Strawberry Vanilla this year but couldn't find it. The drought has caused my plants to stay small this year as well and many have dropped their leaves to conserve moisture.
Hopefully next year will be better.
Judith
My little hydrangea had a hard time this year too. What will you do with the empty beds? Low-maintenance shrubs? Ground cover?
The leaves on your hydrangea all look green and fresh. You've been watering! I love all the varieties - but the Limelight is my fav.
Hi Cher,
Wow, you have some wonderful hydrangea bushes! I finally planted one this year and it is doing great. Can't believe I didn't do it sooner. It means a lot that you stopped by to visit. Have a lovely weekend.
Your hydrangeas have done really well Cher. I am really disappointed in my Vanilla & Strawberry Hydrangea. Its blooms look nothing like the pictures. Your Blue Mist shrub is just so pretty. Love those tiny blue blooms in the late summer. This has been a tough year for the garden and the gardener.
Cher, you can always count on yarrow even if nothing else is blooming. The spirea is hardy, too. I'm sorry that you had to take out two beds this year.
What a nice variety of hydrangeas you have, Cher. My limelight that I planted last year has smaller blooms than I expected even though I kept it watered all summer. At least it did not die, so I am happy and hoping next year will be better.
Dafür, dass es bei euch lange Zeit zu trocken war blüht es in deinem Garten ganz wunderschön.
Gruß Anette
It was a tough gardening year, wasn't it? I had a problem with disease with my impatience. I lost every one of them. Since I have so much shade, I'm going to really be sad if I can't find healthy plants anymore. I've enjoyed my visit, I looked around a bit and became a follower.
My gardens are a wild mess. Between the extreme weather and my surgery......I just want Jack Frost to zap it back. Do you water your hydrangeas deep, really deep? I have found they do much better when I pay close attention to how they are watered.
Hi Cher, It has been a disappointing garden year. I am sorry for the plants you lost, and those that underperformed. I think every gardener in the heat/drought areas had problems. I love your Pinky Winky and Limelight, and the Blue Mist shrub has lovely blooms. Enjoy fall, and let's all hope next year is much better!
Blessings, Beth
I'm so sorry for the drought--what a hard summer. Usually, SC experiences terrible droughts as well, but this year we've been lucky. Still, I think your blooms are lovely. My hydrangea did not perform as well as usual, and we've had plenty of rain. Perplexing. Wishing you a nice, soaking rain. Happy bloom day!
It's been a long hot summer, but we are finally getting some rain. Do hope you will be too.
I am sorry that the drought has affected your garden. It is good to see that some of your flowers have survived and are looking great. Enjoy the rest of your week Cher.
Goodness you have a lot of hydrangeas. I hear ya on the weather. I lost a lot of plants early on in the season. Hopefully next year will be better. So glad you came by to visit.
Dla Twoich kwiatów to był ciężki rok, jeśli była susza. Kwitły jednak i pokazały Ci swoje piękne kwiaty. Pozdrawiam.
For your flowers it was a tough year, if there was a drought. Flourished, however, and showed you their beautiful flowers. Yours.
Considering you've been through a drought, they look fine! I had to pull out my hydrangeas this spring since they were growing in a heat island and were frying. I miss them for sure.
Your flower plants are still blooming heaps even during drought times. Ours usually look dead or burn to crisp.
Your beds sure look better than mine! My surviving hydrangea only made it because I had to force myself to remember to water it every other day. It's too close to the house to get much rain, not that it would've helped since we had none LOL.
I don't think you'll regret taking out a couple beds. I'm sure it all still looks great and you will have less work. We are getting too old to be so ambitious!!!
Hi Cher, at least your hydrangea still blooms even if not at its most efficient capacity. Here we can't plant that at all, it only shows beautifully in our highlands where temps are lower. I hope you get the rains soonest! I know how it is with long dry season!
I so hate your garden got hit so hard. This year has been so weird, it's just crazy. I hope it survives and will be okay next year.
I'm discovering that the "Hardy Hydrangea" series is more about Winter survival than Summer. Mine are also showing distress. They apparently don't like too many days of temps in the high 90's and low 100's. But they do tolerate our sub-freezing Winters. Your mums sure look happy!
Just found your blog and so glad I did. It is a feast for the eyes. I hope your hydrangeas pull through and have a glorious season next summer.
~willa~
So sorry about the drought. Hope things will get better soon and you'll have a lovely fall season. I am struggling with too much rain.
Hi Cher,
Your yard really looks pretty good considering this hot & rainless summer we have had. I always stop by to check to see if you have added anything new. I do get educated through your blog. lol
Take care
Miło, że mnie odwiedziłaś. Dziękuję i pozdrawiam.
It's nice that you visited me. Thank you and best regards.
Admire such beautiful flowers. I ran into you by accident. I secretly hope they'll let me stay longer. Monika B.
Admire such beautiful flowers. I ran into you by accident. I secretly hope they'll let me stay longer. Monika B.
Hi Cher, they don't look drought-affected at all. If you will see our garden during the dry season you will see the real drought, haha, they are all brown and dead!
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