Comments on: ‘Endless Summer’ Hydrangea: Does it live up to the hype?

By: Kathy Purdy

Kathy Purdy — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 12:23:05 +0000

John, I highly recommend Hydrangeas in the North: Getting Blooms in the Colder Climates. Tim Boebel has done a lot of research on these hydrangeas and has a whole chapter on growing them in containers

By: John G

John G — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:14:51 +0000

Hi Kathy,

I live in St. Louis, MO (Zone 6) and I am going to plant my Endless Summer in containers. When you move your container hydrangea to the garage do you mulch and how frequent do you water. Any tips for over wintering in a container would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

By: Kari Olson

Kari Olson — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:54:54 +0000

My ES is in its 2nd summer with me, and is loaded with blooms… Last year it had some early then nothing after. This looks more promising.
But we are having 95 degree weather and its wilted…. not liking the heat. I watered it deeply last night so that isnt it. It is in mostly sun, shade late afternoon… maybe too sunny if hot.
My Twist and Shout looks even more sad about the heat…and it wsa just starting to bloom. It has a little more shade, but still gets afternoon sun.

Hopefully it will cool off a bit..tomorrow only 85.
Zone 4 Mid Wisconsin

By: Bonnie June

Bonnie June — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:07:20 +0000

Go figure. My 3 ES–now 4 years old–are loaded with blooms for the first time ever. Before, they produced very few flowers — all at the bottom of the plant. This winter I was secretly hoping they would die so I could put in something else. They are in a prominent place in an island garden where they’ve been boring big green blobs in the past.

The ES are in full sun in zone 4-5 in Western Maine. Last spring I inadvertently pruned them (don’t ever pick up the pruners after two glasses of wine) and they did not bloom at all. This year I dumped a pile of 10-10-10 on them thinking perhaps that would kill them. Now this–a blossom-heavy beauty. I don’t get it.

If plants have personalities, this one is devilishly perverse.

By: Janness

Janness — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:15:48 +0000

As a garden designer I’ve learned to stay away from the “newest and greatest” coming out of the laboratory, and are so impressive at the garden center … later to prove … unworthy. Endless Summer is one of these. I believe they are over fertilized to look great in the pot, but when they are planted, do poorly … year after year. As far as Hydrangeas go, I stick with the Hydrangea paniculatas. There are some newer smaller varieties, such as “Little Lime”, “Little Lamb” and “Bombshell”. The paniculatas are more reliable with more blooms year after year. (Especially in Zone 5) The “Endless Summer” should be called “Endless Disappointment”, as coined by one of my growers!

By: kathy jung

kathy jung — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:51:00 +0000

Well, it is with much sadness that I write, after a WONDERFUL year last year of blooms….my Hydrangea died over the winter.
I had it for 6 years and it brought me such joy! Oh well, off to nursery to see what is new for the season!!

By: Rhanda

Rhanda — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:23:50 +0000

I’ve had the Endless Summer variety for several years now (probably the year it came available) and it did bloom impressively that year, and partially the next year…but never again! We live at about 6500 feet in Colorado. Half were in dappled shade, and they grew the biggest leaves and looked the most healthy; the other half got part sun (afternoon). All were irrigated and fertilized regularly. None got any sign of blooms after that second year. Recently I dug them all up and relocated them to see if they would perform again elsewhere. They were in the a showcase area of the landscape so they have been taking up valuable space for several years but with no show. I have found that many of the plants labeled “proven winners,” are overworked in the laboratory, and look great in the nursery, but fail miserably once planted. I spent quite a bit on a weigela (about 15 plants) that was variegated and claimed to be the perfect plant for our zone, but all but one died the next year. I will no longer pay more for plants like these that seem to need perfect conditions in order to perform, or, their creators don’t know what their doing.

By: Hydrangeas that Thrive in a Cold Climate — Cold Climate Gardening

Hydrangeas that Thrive in a Cold Climate — Cold Climate Gardening — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 04:41:59 +0000

[...] Click on the photo for a list of plants Hydrangea arborescens, Hydrangea anomala, and Hydrangea paniculata are three terrific hydrangeas for cold climates. Remember those names. Write them down on the inside of your arm with a pen if you have to before you visit your local nursery, so that you will not be seduced by the flashy macrophyllas calling to you from every endcap. You know who I’m talking about. [...]

By: Kari

Kari — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 21:09:03 +0000

Hi,
In response to Bev T’s response to my June question … my Endless Summer blooms did turn blue on their own… and I added some Miracid for fertilizer afterwards, the blue was very nice… Its a nice little bush!

By: Kathy Purdy

Kathy Purdy — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:39:42 +0000

BevT, your Endless Summer looks fantastic! Mine doesn’t even have buds on it at this late date. Perhaps mine doesn’t get enough sun? Though it has bloomed well in other years. Kari, I am wondering if yours wound up turning blue, or did they stay white?