Hydrangea Annabelle and Strong Annabelle

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by silu, Jun 13, 2015.

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  1. Sheal

    Sheal Total Gardener

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    My daughter-in-law is hankering after 'Annabelle' but she has no shade in her garden with summer temperatures rising to 38C/100F regularly. Does anyone think it has a chance of surviving please? I don't think so, although I know very little about Hydrangea's.
     
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  2. Verdun

    Verdun Passionate gardener

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    Very, very difficult Sheal. Digging in lots of water holding compost, mulching well and lots of summer watering is essential. Even then it will not look as it should.
    Always sensible to grow plants that suit your own conditions.
    However, may I suggest an alternative? The paniculata hydrangeas are superb....Limelight for example produces huge flower heads from mid to late summer and tolerates full sun very well if the soil has been enriched at planting time and mulched annually.
    My own Limelight has flowers about to open.....I will post a picture when it does. I love it :)
     
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    • Sheal

      Sheal Total Gardener

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      That's what I thought @Verdun. I try to direct her away from her choices of plant but it usually falls on deaf ears, but having said that she often gets away with it and they thrive with little attention. :doh::) Ahead of reading your post I have just suggested the paniculata's to her and hopefully they might steer her in a different direction. Thanks for the suggestion though. :)

      Yes, I'd like to see the picture of Limelight please.
       
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    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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      @Sheal is that the daughter in law that lives in Canada? If so, then it should be OK for growing Annabelle. It's pretty tough and can take heat as well as being very cold tolerant.

      It was originally discovered in Illinois where they can get very hot and humid weather. If she has hot and dry weather then she would need to water it regularly. It prefers to get the morning sun (doesn't mind too much about sun all day or even shade during the day) so siting it correctly would help.

      Our Annabelles are now coming into full flower. One problem with them is that they don't perform too well if rainy areas. They love the water but because the flowers are so big the rain makes them droop to the ground unless they have a lot of support. This is also because, being an arborescens, they tend to grow on soft, new growth so don't have the nice firm woody stems. This can be alleviated somewhat by only pruning them down to about 30" - 36" instead of the normal 6" - 12" (above some growing nodes).
       
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      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        I've just taken some photos in the early morning sun

        P1340292.JPG

        P1340293.JPG

        P1340294.JPG


        An excellent suggestion :dbgrtmb:

        May I suggest that she has a look at 'Phantom'. It does grow big and tall if allowed to but it tends to remain upright better than Annabelle. The flowers are not quite as large as Annabelle but not a lot less and, I think, are the largest of the paniculata flowers. They grow in a conical shape and have a lovely change of colour. Although basically a white, the young growth has pale green tops on the infertile flowers and the fertile flowers have a pink blush to them.
         
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        • Verdun

          Verdun Passionate gardener

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          Yes will post a picture.....maybe a week it will be in full flower :)
           
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          • Mark56

            Mark56 Super Gardener

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            Vanilla Fraise is my favourite, delicious flowers that fade from white to pink then red
             
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          • Verdun

            Verdun Passionate gardener

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            Mark, am I the only one not liking the flowers turning to pink, etc.?
            Limelight holds its white flowers longer than the other paniculatas I think......mine will start to fade in September. :love30: Still, I have the whole summer to enjoy the white flowers....not too bad :)
             
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            • Sheal

              Sheal Total Gardener

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              A good guess @shiney but unfortunately wrong. :) For the record.....

              Daughter #1......Isle of Man, British Isles
              Son - therefore daughter-in-law......Ohio, America
              Daughter #2.....British Columbia, Canada

              Thank you for the information and pictures of 'Annabelle'. :dbgrtmb: Their house and garden (1 acre) only has shade first thing in the morning as the ground is completely flat. This also applies to the area they live in - being surrounded by farmland. They have a number of trees in the garden but I don't think they will help much with shading. Further info....they have only lived there for just over a year and as non gardeners beforehand are having to learn quickly.

              My daughter-in-law loves the large white blooms of 'Annabelle' and her mind is definitely set on that. However, yesterday I gave her information on Paniculata 'Pinky Winky' and Macrophylla 'Glam Rock', she likes those too.

              Thank you for the suggestion of 'Phantom' and @Mark56 for 'Vanilla Fraise'. I will put those suggestions to her. :dbgrtmb:

              The irony of this is that I have never liked Hydrangea's of any kind! :doh::biggrin:
               
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