Thursday, October 26, 2006

HYDRANGEAS & AUTUMN DECORATIONS

I get my fair share of pleasure from the hydrangeas I grow in my garden. They love the acid soil this area has, so mopheads and lacecaps alike, grow prolifically in almost every garden around.

I have some of them growing in pots and others along the driveway and having recently discovered they prefer to grow in ‘light-shade’ I am now establishing a few more bushes in a patch I wouldn’t have previously considered suitable.

Some of the bushes I have growing in my garden are ones that we brought with us on our move from Gloucestershire to Wales. The soil in our Gloucestershire garden was very clay and the hydrangeas flowers always came through pink, however, since they have established themselves here in Wales in acid soil, the flowers are now blue.

This time of year is just perfect to gather the flower heads for drying and bringing indoors to enjoy throughout the winter months. They keep their colour exceptionally well, especially if they are placed out of direct sunlight.

I like to make them up into bunches tied with string and hang them along the beams in our house. The ones in the picture above are actually a year old and yet still look colourful, so much so, that I shall leave them for another year, I just give them a bit of a dusting occasionally.

As well as decorating our home, I’m always pleased to give hydrangeas from our garden to be used as part of the decorations in the church for Harvest Festival.

I’ll not be blogging for a few days now as John and I are taking a little holiday on Saturday for a week, we shall be staying with our friends in Olney, Buckinghamshire. It will be so good to see them as its been a year since and not only that, a few shopping trips have been planned, I’m particularly looking forward to visiting Ikea.



16 comments:

Dawn said...

Your hydrangeas are just gorgeous!!!
Enjoy your holiday with friends and with one another.

JacquiG said...

The hydranceas are beautiful. I should try them out in my garden, may next year. I love beams in the ceiling ... I have them in my own living room!

The old fashioned phone in the third photo ... is it a working phone or for decoration? You have such a lovely home.

Enjoy your trip to Bucks. I have family in Milton Keynes. In fact I grew up in part of Milton Keynes while it was still small communities. I have very fond memories of Bradwell, Wolverton, Stoney Stratford and Bletchley!

Jackie in ON

Susie said...

Your hydrangeas are beautiful and you've arranged them so attractively!
Our soil is mostly adobe (clay) and mine are bright pink!
Enjoy your holiday and happy shopping.
We have an Ikea near us...

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Marion, do you spray your flowers with anything? I have tried to grow them but I do not do well although so many of them grown here in Savannah with the clay soil..blue ones. They just do not grow well for me...must be just me. Beautiful!! One of my favorites. You have a great vacation. I will miss hearing from you..Sandy

Lisa Oceandreamer Swifka said...

Marion,how wonderful - hydrangeas are my FAVORITE flowers and I just don't know how to grow them once i have a pot of them from the garden center. I would also love to know the proper way to dry them, like when to do it etc. I will have to pick your brain when you return from your holiday - it sounds like fun!!
XOXO

Anonymous said...

Beautiful. I love hydrangeous. It is too co,d for them in my garden.

Lynda (Granny K) said...

Thank you for visiting my blog. What a gorgeous cottage you have! Such a treat to see all your lovely pictures.

Annabelle said...

Marion you’re doing it again; I'm in love with your Welsh cottage, the antiques and most especially the hydrangeas….oh the colors are gorgeous, all my favorites combined. They are with roses and sunflowers a few of the many favorite flowers I love. But hydrangeas and roses especially because those were the flowers my grandma grew in Italy. I only have a few Annabelle, Angel and Pee Gee but the mop head and lace I don't have. I'll have to try growing some next year; they won't be as large as yours thou. I love using them in my Christmas tree and fireplace mantle. Have a great holiday and look forward to seeing what you find on your travels.

Annabelle = ^..^ = xo

Anonymous said...

I have planted two hydrangeas this summer so if they survive our winter, I hope to enjoy their blooms next year.
Your cottage is the perfect setting for the dried flowers, they look lovely on the beam.
Enjoy your trip and as well as shopping, don't forget to rest and relax.

Lis vom Lindenhof said...

I love hydrangeas too and your decoration with them are very beautiful

patsy said...

great photos as usual. love to visit you and your country.

Sigruns German Garden said...

Oh, what a nice idea to decorate with the hydrangea-flowers. I will do also, I have a lot of blooms.
Have you got my two mails?

Sigrun

Tea said...

Your arrangements of hydrangeas are lovely! I`d like to plant some next spring.

tea
xo

Boxwood Cottage said...

Beautiful Marion! I'm also a hydrangea lover and your post has reminded me to go out and harvest them today because they've forecasted frost for Thursday and Friday night. Have a happy Halloween day today!

Ms. Kathleen said...

I had no idea. I have only seen hydrangea bushes that were white in Nebraska. They must be hardy type and the winters are bitter cold there. You flowers are GORGEOUS! I just love them! I wish you could fly some on over here to the Black Hills!

It is amazing what we can learn while blogging!

Rosa said...

Oh Marion, those hydrangeas are so lovely. Blue and green are my favorites. Everything else is beautiful too. I have to apologize for not visiting. I'm so glad to see you back. Looks like I have a lot to catch up on!!