Marvelous Mopheads: Hydrangeas for Home and Garden

Harrison, founding president of the Cape Cod Hydrangea Society, offers a cheerful guide to caring for and decorating with mophead hydrangeas. Outlining ideal growing conditions, she notes that the flowers should be planted in late spring or early fall in a spot with “morning sun and afternoon shade.” If the mophead is to be kept in a container, Harrison recommends choosing a light-colored one, which will keep the plant cool by deflecting heat. A rundown of common varieties explains that the blue Danube “does well in containers,” the Générale Vicomtesse de Vibraye is a hybrid of otaksa and rosea, the parzifal “tends to be compact,” and the “vigorous” Hamburg is “known for exceptionally large flower heads.” Advice on making flower arrangements suggests cutting the hydrangeas early in the morning when they’re at their dampest, “conditioning” them by submerging them in water for an hour (which helps to retain moisture), and creating plant food from bleach, lemon juice, water, and sugar to extend the flowers’ shelf life. Though Harrison sometimes points out the obvious (“It’s helpful for the consumer when the variety of the plant is identified,” she writes on shopping for hydrangeas), she provides plenty of useful advice (increasing the acidity of soil can change blue mopheads pink). The result is a fun and valuable resource on hydrangeas. (Dec.)