Cape Cod Hydrangea Display Garden

Colors range from white to pink, blue, or purple flowers, depending on the soil’s acidity. Blue flowers develop with acidic soil (a pH of 5.0 to 5.5) and pink flowers from alkaline soil pH (6.0 to 6.5). Aluminum sulfate can be added to acidify the soil, and lime to produce a more alkaline soil.

Oakleaf hydrangea’s year-long parade starts in spring when dark green leaves unfurl. Depending on the variety, the oak-like leaves can grow up to 12 inches wide. Flower buds form long, cone-shaped clusters that crown summer landscapes with color. The elegant clusters combine large, showy florets with small, budlike flowers. Unlike mophead hydrangeas, soil pH doesn’t affect the color of oakleaf blooms.

Very cold hardy from zones 3 to 8 and prefers full sun; the most drought tolerant of the species.

• Growth Pattern: typically strong growers, 5 to 10 ft. plus height & width in bush form; great specimen plants as standards (tree form)
• Very long-lived; some plants are 100 years old
• Flowers on new wood (buds form in the spring)
• Bloom color unaffected by soil pH

Panicle blooms feature clusters of flowers on a branch and typically open white with maturing shades of lime green to pink to mauve, flowering
from mid-summer to mid-fall.

A hardy species of Asian mountain origin, growing in the
forest understory. Cold hardy from zones 5 to 8, prefers shadier locations – at least a half-day of shade; prone to leaf spotting in high sun locations.

• Hybridizes well with h.macrophylla; often utilized in newer rebloomers
• Growth Pattern: Upright bush of rounded habit, 2 to 6 ft. height & width
• Mostly delicate lace cap flowers with only a few mophead choices; lace caps feature a set of smaller inner fertile blooms and larger colorful outer petals
• Blooms early in summer on old wood (buds form in the fall) with slightly subdued bloom color range – whites, pale greens, pinks, blues and some reds depending on soil pH and cultivar

The Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival is an annual celebration of the region’s blue, pink, and white signature flowers and everything gardens on Cape Cod! This ten-day festival’s main attractions are the daily tours of private gardens, each designed and maintained by the individual homeowners and carrying a unique charm. You are sure to enjoy such eclectic spaces, not to mention the good feeling of supporting a variety of local nonprofits which will benefit from the proceeds of each tour. To learn more, click here.