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This hydrangea is going to change everything. Zone 4 hardy and it blooms on first year growth. No more missing the flowers for a year at a time because of cold weather (I have not seen flowers on my Nikko Blue for two years and do not expect any after this Connecticut winter we are having). Even on forced plants the bud count is amazing; when the blooms are done, shear the plant and the next set of buds will show up in a few weeks! This plant has effectively rendered a lot of other hydrangeas obsolete...

Sorry for bringing up a thread so buried in the past but...

So these Endless Summer hydrangeas are really the best? And didn't I see someone say that hydrangeas are better to purchase when you can ensure they've not spent their whole lives in a pot? See, our local Lowe's just got a whole slew of a few kinds of hydrangeas - Endless Summer included - and I want to make sure I make a good purchase (I plan on getting a couple to augment the side of my house).

I definitely want an Endless Summer or two... but I want to have the other varieties as well in my garden.

I don't know about not wanting a plant that lived its whole life in a pot - so long as it isn't pot-bound, I don't see why it would be a bad thing?

Yea, the pot thing is off base...

Yeah, I think I didn't word the phrase right. They also mention something of what I was getting at at that hydrangeashydrangeas site.

But anyway, so I got a couple and planted them on the south side of our house. Granted, they're kinda backwards in the suggested shading zone - they get little morning sun and a bunch of afternoon sun (I've asked others around here and say that Endless Summers' actually do well most anywhere you want to put them. Have actually seen one couples' place where they have a new and old bush out in the middle of their front yard with no shade all day and those are doing great). Now, my one problem seems to be that the blooms are a little fungus(?) infected. A big clump of blooms in the middle of a few of the mops turned black. Is that fungus, or something else? I understand the heat may be a little unfriendly to them and our dog has a habit of digging in this new garden throwing the dirt (clay) all over the plants, but they get watered practically every day (sometimes twice) and the dog has actually all but quit her digging. That should get even better if and when I decide on what surface mulch to put over the garden bed.

That's a fungus alright and you have Fido to thank; probably came from that soil he threw up on them...cut them off and you'll have new ones soon. Can't say that about ANY other hydrangea out there...

HG

Well, I guess I'm bringing this one up from the past now. I got Endless summer two years ago now, and just want to say that it is extremely hardy - has come back without any covering or anything, and is blooming too! In the past, we have had the choice of two other hydrangeas up here, PeeGee and Annabelle which I have, but really am happy to have the "changing color" hydrangea! We have a lot of -30, sometimes - 40 weather, so it's a good one!

Val are you Zone 3? That plant is rated for Zone 4, but I'll tell the folks at Bailey's if you are regularly bringing it through harder weather...

HG

I am in a very tiny pocket of Zone 4A set in the middle of Zone 3. They call us the "banana belt" We often get a night or two of -30 and maybe a -40, but otherwise it falls in 4A guidelines.
But yes, Endless Summer has survived two years now, with no special care, as has the one I gave my father two years ago. Very healthy, sturdy plants! Mine's blooming it's head off right now!
VAL (Grandpa's Rose)

I just got an endless summer today on a total whim! Went on base to the px to get some t-shirts for my husband and I saw some water lilies (we just put in a pond) and decided to get one so then we decided to just go outside and browse around. I wasn't very impressed with their plants, they aren't taking care of them. But then we came up on the hydrangeas and a few were sunburnt on the top rows because they have them in the full sun. But on the bottom rows the plants were all very healthy. We saw the endless summer and really liked how it looked, our old neighbor had one. So we decided to get it.

We just put in a semi shade garden that gets sun until around 10 to 11am abnd then after that its shade (due to oak branches) to some areas of indirect light (where there's gaps in the branches). We have a big area there that I didn't notice when I laid out my plants. So thats where the hydrangea is going.

I can't wait to plant it tomorrow! We gotta go the local nursey for some mulch and stuff (more plants lol) since we have very sandy soil that does't seem to hold water very well.

Hey Fairydust! You at Ft. Dix?

Your spot sounds like a hydrangeas dream home. Read this and have a ball; it's a great plant!

Scott

The Helpful Gardener wrote:shear the plant and the next set of buds will show up in a few weeks!

Mine looks about ready to bloom. I have read that you should just cut off the old blooms. How much are you saying to cut it back?

The Helpful Gardener wrote:Hey Fairydust! You at Ft. Dix?

Your spot sounds like a hydrangeas dream home. Read this and have a ball; it's a great plant!

Scott

Yep I'm right outside the Ft. Dix gate to Browns Mills. My hydrangea is doing really well so far! Its starting to bloom, but apparently I must have alkaline soil because they are coming out a yellowish/pinkish color instead of blue. The tag says in Acidic soil they come out blue and in Alkaline soil they come out in a pinkish cream color. Is there anything I can add to make it a bit more acidic around the hydrangea so future blooms will be blue? Some of the petals have a little bit of blue on them and I do fertilize with an organic fish fertilizer thats 5-1-1.

gjrhine wrote:

The Helpful Gardener wrote:shear the plant and the next set of buds will show up in a few weeks!

Mine looks about ready to bloom. I have read that you should just cut off the old blooms. How much are you saying to cut it back?

What does sheer mean, should I cut off the old flower? Sorry I am VERY new to gardening not sure of all the terms just yet.

I think Scott means to prune the plant back with some hedge trimmers but, I don't know. Unfortunately he is currently away and only here intermittently at the moment.

From the Endless Summer Web site -

Another unique feature is that this hydrangea will continue to set buds and bloom throughout the season; deadheading the spent flowers will encourage this. Feel free to cut the blooms for drying or fresh cut in vases because you will actually encourage the plant to produce more blossoms.

Thanks G!

My Endless Summer has been blooming! It is so gorgeous! I took this picture about 2 weeks ago with my camera phone (my digital camera is broken).
[img]https://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g150/Antisocial2173/Hydrangea2.jpg[/img]

Mine looks exactly the same...beautiful.

Is it ok to buy and plant an Endless Summer this late in the year without fea rof it dying over the Winter?