By Anita Garner
Hydrangeas are my favorite flowers but I’m not sure the feeling is mutual. It’s a mystery, when I drive past a falling-down building in the wine country with giant old hydrangeas still marching up to the roof line, while I’m lucky if mine grow to be knee-high. I’ve planted every color and every variety and tried suggestions I find online. Still, they don’t really flourish for me.
I’m indulging in a few hydrangea fantasies today. These for instance are not my flowers, not my picket fence. A girl can dream.
These are from The Greenery Nursery and garden shop in Turlock, a bit south of me, in the center of California.
These are from High Hand Nursery & Cafe, Loomis, California.
I’ve never been able to grow the white ones. These are showing off at a Colin Cowie-designed wedding. 
Ta da! These are mine. From a pocket-sized Mill Valley back yard. It’s a sweet little bouquet for the kitchen table, but this is almost the total crop from one plant. Only a few more blossoms appeared later. Sigh.
I have high hopes for this year. I’m off in search of new planters and new baby hydrangeas.
It’s your soil. You must amend it and nourish it. The PKN ratio must be correct for each color. If flowering is slow, add N. If the growth isn’t vigorous, try draining the soil by amending with perlite or peat moss to lighten it up and increase drainage. Have your soil analyzed professionally. It isn’t expensive.
Forgot to add make your own compost. The compost you can buy isn’t worth a damn.
Thanks, Leslie. I’m going to take your advice and use a planter to control the soil.
Thanks!