I know I’m probably tempting fate, but as the hydrangeas have been so good this year, with all the rain we have had, I’ve been and bought another one, this time Hydrangea paniculata Candle Light.
Hydrangea paniculata Candle Light.
H. Candle Light.
The flower heads on H. paniculata varieties are cone shaped and rather large in some cases, here they are about 12 inches from top to bottom.
H. Candle Light.
The real flowers are tiny, you can just see some pink buds in between the large creamy white sepals.
H. Candle Light
At the tips of each cone, there are far less sepals and lots more buds of the real flowers for the bees and butterflies to find.
H. Candle Light.
The real flowers are so tiny, you would wonder how they would be found, in amongst the large sepals.
H. Candle Light.
Paniculata varieties of Hydrangea need cutting back each spring as they flower on wood produced that year, like buddlejas. This also means that the shrub shouldn’t get too tall or wide and I should still be able to use the path through the rhododendron bed to see to any weeding that is necessary.
H. Candle Light
We have now planted H. Candle Light with lots of lovely compost and leaf mould, so I hope it will be happy in its new home. It was also well watered in, then an hour later we had thunder, lightning and torrential rain for a couple of hours and all night into the next day, it is still raining every day, so it shouldn’t be thirsty for a long while!
At the top of the post I said that I was asking for trouble buying another hydrangea, the weather this summer has been perfect for hydrangeas, lots of showers with sunshine in between, what’s the betting that next year we will have a drought and I will be having to water all the hydrangeas by hand!
That is such a beautiful hydrangea. The problem is I see them growing so well in your garden and for other bloggers that I almost convince myself that I should grow some – almost but not quite unless I can provide at least the shade they need here. I always remember seeing H. paniculata growing at Wisley years ago and thinking how superior they were to the others.
Yes, it is lovely isn’t it Christina. While looking at them in the garden centre, there were so many different varieties of H. paniculata, I was almost spoilt for choice. H.paniculata Limelight which has an A.G.M was there, but I thought the flowers were so big and heavy, I thought the flowers of Candle Light were lighter and better with more proper flowers and less sepals. As well as some shade, they do need a moist soil in the summer, when we do have a drought, the Hydrangeas are the first to show that they’re struggling, with their leaves hanging down vertically.
Oh what a splendid addition to your garden Pauline. I had been contemplating ‘Limelight’ but a visit to the Southport Flower Show last week resulted in a change of heart. There was one stall where ‘Limelight’ was displayed next to ‘Candlelight’. The flowers of the latter glowed and were a so much softer colour. I didn’t buy as we had gone to Southport by train but ‘Candlelight’ is now on my list. It’s great that the weather gods have obliged and have given your new planting a head start.
I’m so glad you agree with me Anna,I just felt the flowers on Limelight were just too solid and heavy compared to Candle Light, which would mean that with the least bit of rain, they would be lying on the floor. We’re having heavy rain each day at the moment, so Candle Light is very happy indeed!
If it comes to it the hand watering will still be worth it, it’s a beautiful variety.
Watering one doesn’t worry me, but it’s the other 13 that I’m thinking of! If one needs watering, then I assume the others will too, but yes, it will be worth it.
I have a very similar one called Silver Dollar and a greenish one, Limelight. I love these paniculata Hydrangeas. Even in a dry summer, which we have had here up until yesterday, it is worth any effort to keep these beauties happy.
There are some really lovely ones in the garden centres at the moment, I really was spoilt for choice when I went the other week. We usually have to water once or twice in a summer so that the camellias and rhododendrons don’t lose their buds for the following year and the hydrangeas get watered at the same time, but this was not needed this year. With being on a water metre, all watering is done from the water butts, I will have to make sure that I have plenty in future for the hydrangeas!
What a beautiful hydrangea, I really must look out for one. The flowers are gorgeous, here’s hoping the weather suits them all next year too!xxx
I agree Dina, it is a gorgeous Hydrangea, I’m so glad I was able to find it at the local garden centre. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for the right weather next year, but I don’t think my neighbours will be pleased!
I love the paniculatas (but I’m a total sucker for any and all hydrangeas); I have one called ‘pink diamond’ which also has the most spectacular autumn foliage. They are just all-round lovely shrubs
I too love all Hydrangeas Matt, they more than earn their place in the garden, providing so much colour for months through the summer. Pink Diamond is a very pretty one, I hope my new one has autumn colour like yours!
Gorgeous hyrangea and great photos!
Thanks Natalie. at the moment Hydrangeas are my favourite flowers, there is so much variety.
Great idea to add another hydrangea Pauline. This one is lovely.
While I was moving some Hemerocallis, I was left with quite a large space which needed filling. It made sense to put the new Hydrangea there, where we can see it from the house and it will provide interest for a good 4/5 months.
Your hydrangea is a beauty! It will certainly add to the glory of your garden. My own Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ is a nonstop bloomer from midsummer into fall. It takes more sun and a bit less water than other hydrangeas. I saw a paniculata at a nursery yesterday with incredible blooms as large as a soccer ball!
There are so many wonderful hydrangeas for sale at the moment Deb, but some with such huge heads, the stems can’t hold them up properly. Hydrangeas here are still flowering into Oct/Nov before they go brown, they certainly earn their space.
Welcome to the club! I also bought a ‘CandleLight’ hydrangea this summer. I certainly have a thing for paniculata hydrangeas and have quite some. Even today I bought one – ‘Diamant Rouge’ – nice red coloured cultivar!
What surprises me is that now we are on the same lane – our hydrangeas are blooming in full too!
What a coincidence Tistou, that is amazing! I haven’t seen a red one, it sounds lovely, like you I find the cone shaped flowers really beautiful.
Hydrangeas seem to be the plant of the moment and rightly so, I love them and it seems to have been a good year for them like you say, I’ve spotted one with star-like flowers which I’ve set my heart on!!
Your star like hydrangea sounds lovely, I wonder which variety it is Annie.
I love hydrangeas too, especially paniculatas but haven’t heard of Candlelight, it looks exquisite. Its wonderful to see how they change colour from fresh limy white to pink as the flowers age. I find they take more sun than macrophylla or the lace caps, and I’m told the blooms get bigger in proportion to how hard they’re pruned. Is that so?
Mine is now turning pink Kate and it doesn’t seem to mind the afternoon sunshine. I don’t know about the flowers getting bigger if you prune it hard as it is so new, I’ll be able to tell you next year!
I see happy hydrangeas. I have several in the garden as I love them to bits, but they are not flourishing like yours – or maybe they are just slower to get established than I imagined.
I think our hydrangeas are happy because our soil is heavy clay which holds onto the rain water. Even though I have improved the top layer, deep down I think there is plenty of moisture to keep them happy. They are the first plants to look stressed when we have a drought and a good indicator that the camellias and rhodos need watering if I don’t want to lose their flower buds for next year.