As summer progresses, you’ll see these buds in colours ranging from crisp white, pale pink, red to even deep blue – opening up further and further in many gardens. The Hydrangea – popularly known as hortensia– is one of the most popular plants in the UK. And rightly so! This versatile and extremely strong plant is a must have for every florist!
The Hydrangea is a beautiful ornamental shrub which is loved, both in the ground, as a pot plant and as a cut flower. As a cut flower it stands beautifully on its own in a cheerful vase, but also in a summer bouquet it always does well. In addition, the hydrangea is easy to dry, so that the customer can enjoy it all year round. The hydrangea is a versatile and trendy eye-catcher in your store!
Hydrangea as a graceful cut flower
The hydrangea as a cut flower is gaining more and more ground in floral art. The popular fresh flowers are available from March to September and the coloured flowers from June to November. Both the Verena rose and the Snowball are increasingly seen in bouquets. The Snowball hydrangea (Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’) is the most popular hydrangea in the UK.
Fan of blue flowers? Then go for the Verena blue (Hydrangea Macrophylla). Or would you prefer popular purple? Then the Ruby Aubergine is the perfect choice for your bouquet. No matter which colour or type of hydrangea you choose, they are all equally beautiful in a summer bouquet!
Enjoyment for an extra long time
Did you know that cut hydrangeas keep the colour of the moment they are cut off? They no longer colour after cutting. The nice thing about these cut hydrangeas is that they easily shine in a vase for three to four weeks! Does the flower no longer absorb water and do the leaves hang a bit limply? Then you can also choose to dry this ornamental shrub – for example, as decoration at the back of your store. To do this, remove the water from the vase and remove the leaves from the flower stems and put the flowers back in the vase without water. Endless amounts of pleasure from this beauty!
Hydrangea as a desired outdoor plant
Caring for a hydrangea is anything but difficult and with the right care your customer enjoys this exuberantly flowering outdoor plant every year! They are not susceptible to diseases and enjoy an exceptionally long flowering period. Both as a hedge, in a border or pot they are in their rightful element. The beautiful ornamental shrubs love water and prefer not to stand in full sun. In a clay-like and moist soil, they do extra well.
The striking thing is that the acidity of the soil affects the colour of the hydrangea. Acidic soil allows the hydrangea to turn blue, and in a more calcareous soil the flower turns pink. For example, the customer can ‘play’ with the colour by adding more lime or gardenturf and aluminum sulphate to the ground. There is always a hydrangea fitting the customer’s request… In short: this hardy plant is a must-have for every florist!
All photos in this article are from the new summer issue of the inspirational magazine 365-Day Flowers. Have you discovered the latest summer trends yet?
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