A fabulous serrata Hydrangea, 'Preziosa' is a compact deciduous shrub with small, rounded clusters, up to 4 in. across (10 cm), densely packed with sterile florets constantly changing color. Opening pale green, they quickly change to yellow, then cream, and finally white, before turning pink, cherry red, and finally wine-red. These color changes occur regardless of the soil pH and can be obtained in most gardens. Blooming from mid-summer to early fall, the profuse blossoms appear on a compact, bushy plant, adorned with serrate leaves which emerge purple-tinted, mature to green, and turn deep red in fall. 'Preziosa' is happy in sun or shade and is a perfect choice for the shrub border and containers.

Native to Asia, Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris (Climbing Hydrangea) is a vigorous, large, deciduous climber that clings by aerial rootlets along the stems. Masses of fragrant white flowers held in flattened clusters, up to 8 in. across (20 cm), appear in late spring to early summer. Resembling lacecap flowers, each cluster consists of tiny, creamy-white to greenish-yellow fertile flowers in the center surrounded by a ring of showy white sterile flowers. Unfurling in spring, the foliage of heart-shaped, shiny, rich dark green leaves, up to 4 in. long (10 cm), keeps its fresh look throughout the summer and turns golden-yellow in the fall. Exposed in winter, the trunk is equally attractive with its reddish-brown exfoliating bark on mature stems, adding a much-needed splash of color to the winter landscape. An extremely versatile vine with year-round interest that looks terrific climbing up a wall as it clothes it with its pretty foliage and delicate lacecap flowers. A very popular and elegant landscape plant. USDA 4-9

A favorite of many gardeners - and deservedly so - Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' (Smooth Hydrangea) is an outstanding flowering shrub. In early summer, this small, bushy deciduous shrub produces huge, rounded flower clusters, up to 12 in. across (30 cm), that brighten shady areas and bring life to the garden. Blooming for up to two months, the blossoms open lime-green, mature to brilliant white, then back to pale green in late summer before switching to a tan shade in the fall. Prized for its excellent resistance to insects and diseases, Annabelle is a good choice for the mixed border. The flowers make great cut flowers, fresh or dried.

Noted for its long-lasting flowers, Hydrangea macrophylla 'Amethyst' is a compact mophead hydrangea with large and bold, rounded flower heads, packed with soft pink or pale violet-blue florets, depending on the soil pH. Blooming from early to late summer, the remarkable blossoms age to reddish pink with lime green markings and last for weeks in their final color, lime green. The foliage is medium to light green with large, glossy, serrated leaves. 'Amethyst' is perfect to create a low hedge and lovely in containers.

A unique mophead hydrangea, 'Ayesha' produces an abundance of large, compact flower heads, 8 in. across (20 cm), packed with cup-shaped sepals reminiscent of lilac flowers. Opening creamy-white, the thick and fleshy sepals change to soft shell-pink, sky blue, or pale mauve-lilac, depending on the soil pH. This creates a gentle two-toned coloring of stunning effect. Blooming in early summer for up to 6 months, 'Ayesha' is one of the few hydrangeas to have a delicate light fragrance. Its fresh green foliage of heavily textured, glossy, and bold leaves takes on red overtones in the spring and fall.

Regarded as one of the best blue lacecap hydrangeas, Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blaumeise' is a vigorous deciduous shrub laden with large flat flowers, up to 9 in. across (22 cm), from early to late summer. The flower heads are composed of huge cobalt blue florets radiating around a central cluster of tiny fertile Persian blue flowers. In alkaline soils, the flower heads turn a pleasant soft pink color. This lacecap hydrangea retains its brilliant color and provides a floral focal point in the summer garden. The profuse blossoms are beautifully framed by the foliage of coarsely toothed, glossy dark green leaves. 'Blaumeise' is an outstanding landscape shrub for lightly shaded gardens.

A tremendous, compact hydrangea for tough spots, award-winning Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lanarth White' features flattened, lacecap flower heads composed of large, pure white, sterile sepals radiating around a central cluster of tiny, mauve-pink fertile florets. Sometimes, the sepals are aligned in 2 rows and the blossoms almost resemble those of Mophead Hydrangeas. Blooming from early summer until fall, the profuse blossoms are beautifully framed by the foliage of broadly ovate, luminescent, pale green leaves. Perfect for small gardens and containers!

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Merritt's Supreme' is a compact and dense mophead hydrangea with huge, rounded flower heads, packed with intense, rich purple-blue to deep rosy-pink florets, depending on the soil pH. Blooming from mid-summer to early fall, the bold blossoms are held aloft on thick stems. They turn a lovely plum color in the fall, further extending the season of interest of this plant. The foliage is dark green with large, glossy, serrated leaves. 'Merritt's Supreme' is perfect as a specimen or in small groupings, anywhere in the landscape that gets morning or filtered sun. Great cultivar for containers too!

Hugely popular - and deservedly so - Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue' features large, rounded flower heads, up to 5 in. across (12 cm), densely packed with rich, deep blue florets. Blooming in early summer for up to 2 months, 'Nikko Blue' is very floriferous and produces new flower stems throughout the summer. The foliage is medium green with large, lustrous, serrated leaves. A classic name in mophead hydrangeas, it has become the standard against which other blue hydrangeas are measured.

Slow-growing, Hydrangea macrophylla 'Pia' is a dwarf mophead hydrangea with small, rounded flower heads, up to 4 in. across (10 cm), densely packed with pink to purple-red florets from mid to late summer. Unlike other bigleaf hydrangeas, the flowers will retain their pink color regardless of soil pH. The foliage is dark green with large, glossy, serrated leaves. 'Pia' is perfect to create a low hedge and lovely in window boxes or containers.

Deservedly popular, Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora' or 'PeeGee' is a large, upright, deciduous shrub or small tree with conical flower panicles, up to 18 in. long (45 cm), packed almost entirely with sterile florets. Showy, the creamy-white florets become pink-tinged as fall approaches. Blooming profusely from midsummer to fall, the charming blossoms are so heavy that the branches bend over with their weight. The foliage of ovate, serrated, dark green leaves shows hints of yellow to reddish-purple in the fall. Introduced from Japan in the 1860s, 'Grandiflora' is an excellent subject for the mixed border.

Incredibly popular, Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' is a robust, upright, and spreading deciduous shrub boasting huge, luxuriant conical flowers, up to 6-12 in. long (15-30 cm). Held upright on sturdy stems, they are well distributed, making a very attractive plant and display. As an added bonus, they change color as they mature, gradually turning from lime-green to creamy white in late summer to a rich, deep pink before finally fading to beige in fall. As the flower show fades, the oval, dark green leaves turn to lovely shades of red for a breathtaking autumn display. Persisting well into winter, the panicles provide additional winter interest.

One of the latest hydrangeas to bloom, Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva' features upright, sharply pointed, conical panicles with the bulk of their sterile flowers loosely packed near their base. Showy, the white, sterile flowers slowly turn purplish-pink as they mature. Blooming profusely from late summer to fall, the charming blossoms contrast nicely with the foliage of ovate, serrated, dark green leaves, which turns yellow to purple-tinged in the fall. Vigorous, 'Tardiva' can develop into a big bush and is a real gem in the late summer garden where its magnificent fountain of blooms extends the season interest of the mixed border.

Noted for its distinct, boldly lobed leaves and very showy blooms, award-winner Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen' (Oak Leaf Hydrangea) is a deciduous shrub which provides a long season of interest. Named after the shape of its beautiful leaves, this Oak Leaf Hydrangea features dense, conical flower heads, up to 8 in. (20 cm), packed with large, white ray florets taking on delightful pink tinges as fall approaches. The blossoms are not excessively large, and they remain upright. In the fall, the foliage of deeply lobed, oak-like leaves, turns bronze-purple to red. A fabulous Hydrangea to be used as a garden focal point or combined with other shrubs or perennials.

Noted for its distinct, boldly lobed leaves and superb double-flowered blooms, award-winner Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snowflake' (Oak Leaf Hydrangea) is a vigorous deciduous shrub that provides interest almost all year round. Named after the shape of its beautiful leaves, this Oak Leaf Hydrangea features large, arching, conical flower heads, up to 12 in. (30 cm), packed with double blossoms layered on top of one another. On display from late spring to midsummer, the long-lasting grapes of creamy-white flowers gradually turn rosy-pink as they mature. In the fall, the foliage of deeply lobed, oak-like leaves, turns bronze, crimson or burgundy (if planted in a sunny location with a little afternoon shade). In the winter, the rich brown exfoliating bark becomes a real center of attraction. A fabulous Hydrangea to be used as a garden focal point or combined with other shrubs or perennials.

Simply irresistible, Hydrangea serrata 'Beni-Gaku' is a compact, deciduous shrub laden with large lacecap flowers, up to 6 in. across (15 cm), that change color over time. The flower heads are composed of large, showy sterile sepals radiating around a central cluster of tiny fertile florets. Emerging white, the sepals mature to pink with deep red edges. The small fertile florets emerge dark purple and open to light blue. As the season progress, all these colors are present at the same time, creating a lovely tricolor effect. Blooming from early to late summer, the profuse blossoms are beautifully framed by the foliage of narrowly-ovate, pointed, mid- to dark green leaves tinged with red. Equally beautiful, the foliage turns bronze and reddish-purple in the fall.

Native to the Eastern United States, Hydrangea arborescens (Smooth Hydrangea) is a widely branched deciduous shrub, acclaimed for its creamy-white flower clusters that brighten shady areas and bring life to the garden. Blooming profusely from early summer to fall, the distinctly domed to nearly rounded blossoms open lime-green and change to brilliant creamy-white before switching to a tan shade in the fall. The foliage of broad egg-shaped, sharply toothed, dark green leaves turns butter-yellow shades in fall, extending the season of interest of this magnificent flowering shrub.

Native to Japan, Hydrangea macrophylla (Big Leaf Hydrangea) is one of the most popular hydrangeas in our gardens. This deciduous shrub features a rounded habit, large bold leaves, and attractive clusters of long-blooming summer flowers. The species is divided into two groups: the Mophead Hydrangeas with large rounded flower heads, mostly packed with showy sterile florets, and the Lacecap Hydrangeas with flattened flower clusters composed of showy sterile florets radiating around a central cluster of tiny fertile florets. Mophead flowers will bloom on and on through summer, between 3-6 months, until fall approaches, and they change color. Lacecap flowers will fade much faster, remaining superb for about one month. Perfect from foundation plantings to container plantings. Massed in a sheltered location or as an accent plant. Effective as a hedge, they make excellent cut flowers too! Perfect for seaside gardens as their tough, glossy leaves allow them to withstand wind or salt. USDA 6-9

Native to China and Japan, Hydrangea paniculata (Panicle Hydrangea) is a deservedly popular deciduous shrub. Tough, cold-hardy, easy-care, long-lived, it is laden with large, conical, snowy flowers from midsummer to fall. As an added bonus, they change color as fall approaches, gradually turning pink, and ultimately brown. Persisting well into winter, the panicles provide additional winter interest. As the flower show fades, the oval, dark green leaves turn to lovely shades of red for a breathtaking fall display. Panicle Hydrangeas are reliable bloomers as they form their flowers buds in spring on the tips of the new growth. Therefore cold winters will not spoil their blossoms. They require a few hours of direct sunlight to flower best and are not fussy about the soil type. Perfect for the shrub or mixed border, wonderful planted as a flowering hedge, excellent backdrop for your favorite perennials. USDA 3-8

Native to the United States, Hydrangea quercifolia (Oak Leaf Hydrangea) is a very handsome and versatile deciduous shrub that provides a spectacular show all year round. Named after the shape of its beautiful leaves, it produces a profusion of magnificent grapes of creamy-white flowers, up to 12 in. (30 cm), in late spring and early summer. Lasting about 3-4 weeks, the elongated flower clusters gradually turn pink as fall approaches. In fall, the foliage of deeply lobed, oak-like leaves steals the show by turning bronze, crimson, or burgundy, making this flowering shrub one of the most attractive shrubs for the fall garden. As the leaves fall, they expose the rich brown exfoliating bark. Best in partial shade in hot summer areas but they tolerate full sun in cooler, moist climates. It is a great candidate for mass plantings, hedges, and mixed shrub borders, as a backdrop or accent plant. USDA 5-9

Native to Japan and Korea, Hydrangea serrata (Mountain Hydrangea) is a deciduous shrub of rounded habit with delicate lacecap flowers with flattened clusters from early to late summer. Reminiscent of the Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), it is however more refined in habit and its flowers and leaves are smaller. Borne in great quantity, the elegant blossoms of some cultivars have the wonderful habit of changing color 3 to 4 times per season, a captivating process that will prevent your summer garden from becoming boring. Mountain Hydrangeas are vulnerable to cold but less susceptible to spring frosts than their mopheaded cousins. They prefer part shade but tolerate full sun if grown with consistently moist soils. Perfect from foundation plantings to container plantings. USDA 6-9