The beginning of summer brought us hydrangea season, mid-summer brought us our new everlasting varieties of hydrangea, and now, as summertime slowly ebbs into fall and the weather cools down, get ready for Antique Hydrangeas!
What are Antique Hydrangeas anyways? And how do they attain their kaleidoscopic appearance? After all, antique hydrangeas are not a separate species from our fresh Hydrangea macrophylla; they are the same shrubs we had earlier in the season. The simple fact is that the majority of hydrangea blooms will naturally reach this unique, antiqued look given enough time and, of course, proper care and atmospheric conditions. Antique hydrangeas are a season marker, and the change in weather helps make them what they are, which is why we have such success with them here in Northern Coastal California. After years of cultivation, we have found that the best antiquing varieties are Hamburg, Emerald, Opal, Diamond, and Revolution.
Towards the end of summer, as the nights get cooler, the air becomes drier, and the days get shorter, hydrangea blooms start their metamorphic journey to become antique hydrangeas. The blossoms transition from their bright summer colors into mingled layers of mellow greens, smoky burgundies, shimmering blues, amethyst, hazel, and others. No two antiques are the same, each change and morph in their own unique way.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Sun Valley Group's Flower Talk
