Hydrangeas are always on exhibit at the Heritage Museums & Gardens – Kelli Rodda, Nursery Management Magazine

Published in February 2021

By Kelli Rodda

Cape Cod is home to many a hydrangeaphile. Landscapes in this historic and idyllic area of southern New England are adorned with some spectacular specimens. The Cape Cod Hydrangea Society is a lively and generous organization that has been educating the region about hydrangeas, what they call “the signature flower of the Cape.” And Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts dedicate an impressive number of man hours and space to hydrangeas throughout the grounds, including a display garden and a test garden.

Mal Condon is the curator of hydrangeas at Heritage. He’s been propagating and growing hydrangeas for 45 years. It only takes a few minutes chatting with Condon to realize he’s brimming with hydrangea knowledge and his love of this crop is genuine. With all of this ballyhoo surrounding hydrangeas, Cape Cod is a mecca of sorts for a crop that’s become quite valuable to the green industry.

“Hydrangeas are the No. 2 shrub behind roses, and I think they are so popular because of the magnificent flower,” Condon says. “With different species, you can have sequentially blooming shrubs and a summer full of hydrangea blooms. They are plants that home gardeners can handle very well and they get a lot of enjoyment from. I don’t see that changing.”