tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245573916328968050.post3471414625169977978..comments2023-06-14T16:07:43.173+02:00Comments on My House In Africa: Who Couldn't Love Hydrangeas?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02001869157864904557noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245573916328968050.post-81402999920984347612011-10-17T02:52:44.472+02:002011-10-17T02:52:44.472+02:00Hi Laura, I found your blog through Blotanical. Hy...Hi Laura, I found your blog through Blotanical. Hydrangeas are a wish-list plant for me too. I have an oak-leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) with white flowers, but the mop-head and lace-cap ones are hard to grow here. My soil and water are alkaline, and it would be almost impossible to grow blue ones, even with additives, so it has to be pink, but even they don't like as much alkalinity as I have, nor do they like drying out, as you mentioned, which is a problem in summer here in Australia. I have tried and failed a few times, but I'm going to try again with Hydrangea villosa, which is gorgeous and seems to take both alkalinity and a bit of dryness. I'll be interested to see your hydrangea progress!Lynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11627975259420138572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245573916328968050.post-18380008581025952072011-10-18T12:01:57.120+02:002011-10-18T12:01:57.120+02:00Like Lyn, I am in Australia...in the temperate/coo...Like Lyn, I am in Australia...in the temperate/cool south. I have frosts in winter, but they haven't done my hydrangea any harm...they are without leaves anyway. The buds didn't seem to be damaged and now, after a good prune in winter, it is a mass of young leaves. It gets morning sun and solid afternoon shade and is well watered. Good luck with yours.<br><br>Oh, and I found you through Blotanical...always on the look out for Southern Hemisphere bloggers.Hazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16577208643431414375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245573916328968050.post-81580440045745131702011-10-21T08:05:52.544+02:002011-10-21T08:05:52.544+02:00My Grandma (in England) used to put loads of rusty...My Grandma (in England) used to put loads of rusty old nails in the soil around her Hydrangeas. She said the iron in them made the colour more intense. I think it worked, since I remember how impressively deep pink/red they used to be.<br>P.S. I'm another Blotanical blogger (and I know Hazel well!)Mark Willishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04558305122821209520noreply@blogger.com