Dear Hydrangea enthusiasts,

It is Superbowl week!  That means BaconFest at the VanHoose house.  Basketball pre-playoffs, Seahawks in the Superbowl, kids are back to school, all these winter storms across the country – the crazy times in our hydrangea world are back.  I am ready for spring to kick off.   I hope you are, too.  Start planning for hydrangeas in your garden today.  We have some exciting new offerings now on the website!

 

What’s Happening…

We’ve been super busy here at Hydrangeas Plus® in case you are wondering what is going on in Hydrangea Heaven.  Our 2015 Hydrangeas Plus® catalog is in the final edit.  We are going a little crazy this year with the color but I hope you will love it!  Cost is $5 or will be free in any $10 or more order.  We can send it via email for free when the catalog is complete.  I increased the font a tad, too.  New labels are in the works and uber plans for garden expansion and design!  Watch for our progress on Facebook!

 

We are dusting off the moss and fir needles as we speak in preparation for our many open dates this year and including a few summer dates in hopes you can visit and see some of the hydrangeas blooming.  We are thrilled to join a group of family-owned, specialty nurseries’ group called the Cascade Nursery Trail.  Visit the group’s new website is available to view at http://www.cascadenurserytrail.com.  We are holding four group events, three of which happen at our individual nurseries but share a common theme. See our schedule later in the newsletter and check this website and http://www.HydrangeasPlus.com often.  We also have a Cascade Nursery Trail Facebook page for the group to share photos and tips.  Don’t forget to check that out, too.  A few members of the group can ship their wonderful plants!

 

Social Media

Can’t wait for my next newsletter?  Don’t wait for Hydrangea Heaven news!  Visit our Facebook page at to http://www.facebook.com/hydrangeasplus or just search for Hydrangeas Plus from Facebook.  I post specials and photos so visit often.  We are boasting but we have over 85,000 fans on Facebook, now.  Come see what all the fuss is about.  Not much going on with the page right now with dormant hydrangeas but still like to share with you articles, photos and events happening.

 

Schedule for 2015 (Well, as much as we can schedule…)

Subject to change.  Remember, we are not open to the public on a regular basis, just on these scheduled events.  Appointments and plant pickup times are available.

January 26th – shipping resumed, inventory is updated
March 27th & 28th   – Hydrangeas Plus® open house and Annual Spring Break Sale at nursery
April 11th – Gardenpalooza (Fir Point Farms in Aurora from 8am to 4pm)
April 25th – May 9th – Annual Overstock Sale at Hydrangeas Plus®, daily from 10 to 4pm
May 23rd – 25th – Cascade Nursery Trail Event – Spring Fever Open House, 10am to 5pm

June 14th – Annual Summer Sale at Sebright Gardens, Salem Oregon 10am to 3pm

July 14th – 16th – 2015 Hydrangea Conference, Cape Cod locations -  MA

July 25th & 26th – Cascade Nursery Trail Event – Nursery Crawl, 10am to 5pm

August 22nd – Jewel Box Plant Sale – Sebright Gardens, Salem Oregon, 9am to 3pm

September 26th & 27th – Cascade Nursery Trail Event – Colors of Fall Festival, 10am to 5pm

 

New Varieties

We have added four new varieties for 2015.  Check them out on the website.

 

Hydrangea Macrophylla Decatur Blue: Winner of Decatur

Whether you are in Illinois, Alabama or Georgia, (each state has a Decatur) this hydrangea will be a faithful and early bloomer for you.  Spectrum of colors are vast, from electric blue to soft pink, summer color will be in full glory.  This truly remonant blooming variety came to us from the Center of Applied Nursery Research in Dearing, Georgia.  Like the story for other amazing reblooming varieties like Penny Mac and Sadie Ray, this variety is all over the city of Decatur, Georgia and flowers prolifically every year.  One of the remonant hydrangeas that is similar to Endless Summer(tm) the original.  Blooms age green and red during the summer for an antique look.

 

Hydrangea Macrophylla Marissa: Lots of enthusiasm in this new sport

Just like our spunky second daughter, Marissa, never a dull moment with this beautiful plant.  Ayesha-like blooms start the season when the bloom first opens.  Deeply pigmented and cupped petals slowly open.  Quickly the curly-edged Ayesha similarity is gone when petals open to strong sturdy bloom heads. Strong stems and deep green leaves make this a real show-off in your garden.  We found this sport in our nursery.

 

Hydrangea Macrophylla Merveille: A Legendary Hydrangea

This medium sized plant was introduced in 1927 by Henri Cayeux of France.  Hydrangea experts say this introduction changed the hydrangea world forever!  It was the first bred hydrangea that had intense colors, strong sturdy leaves on a small statured plant.  Merveille was wildly successful between World War 1 and World War 2 but is actually lesser known and less available than its most famous sport, Merveille Sanguine, one of our favorite dark pigmented hydrangeas that we call ‘Brunette’.  Don’t miss this special plant and collector’s item.

 

Hydrangea Macrophylla Ticino: Italian, Swiss with a touch of German

Perhaps named for the Ticino River or the mountainous Swiss Canton bordering Italy, we love our quaint Ticino hydrangea.  It is probably one of the favorite container hydrangeas in our collection.  This dwarf still performs like its larger cousins with vigorous growth and colorful pink, purple or blue blooms.  Bred in 1969 by the Friesdorf Research Station in Germany, this is a great collector's hydrangea.  (You really need to lookup Ticino!  It is now on my list of places to visit when I grow up!)

 

Here are the great ones to consider from last year, too.  Hopefully, I’ll have more to sell this year. 

 

Hydrangea Macrophylla Atlantic – This is a beautiful medium sized mophead hydrangea that has large blooms on a strong and sturdy plant habit.  This faithful pink to blue blooming hydrangea has fantastic foliage that can take a little bit of sun up here in the northern gardens.  Atlantic has great pigment changes as the bloom ages, too.  Atlantic is a great cutting hydrangea so buy one for your garden today!

 

Hydrangea Macrophylla Oak Hill – This new hydrangea is a great cultivar that blooms on new and old wood.  This faithfully blooming plant has striking pastel colored petals layered against big heart shaped leaves.  Like the other new wood blooming hydrangeas, colors fade to antique greens, reds and pinks when pigments age in the late summer months.  Oak Hill blooms pale pink to lavender to pale blue, depending on the pH of the soil.

 

Hydrangea Macrophylla Sensation – The picotee petals on this exciting plant are just stunning.  Sensation has white edges rimming hot pink, purple or royal blue pigmented florets, depending on the pH of your soil.  Strong stems and sturdy leaves contribute to the statement this unusual plant makes in your garden.  It is a medium sized plant that will need shade to keep the petals from the sun.

 

Hydrangea Conference 2015

Finally (but probably the most exciting news) is a conference is scheduled for July in Cape Cod.  Insert happy face here.  Dr. Michael Dirr and local Hydrangea legend Mal Condon have spearheaded a fantastic program July 14th, 15th and 16th.  The first two days of conference programs will be held at the Cape Codder Resort and Spa in Hyannis.  The last day of programs will be held at the Heritage Museum & Gardens in Sandwich (which has many Hydrangeas Plus® hydrangeas!)  Register now and save! Dr. Michael Dirr is the keynote speaker and many world renowned hydrangea people.  I can’t imagine a more suitable stage for this conference. http://www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/hydrangeas2015

 

Housekeeping

We have updated our website and the login procedure.  In case you have ever had trouble with this, now – we have it fixed!  Hurray!  Your login will not be your email address.  If you have a moment, please login and update your information.  Be sure to change any addresses to just a 5 digit zip code for the site.  If you have trouble, just let me know and I can go in and fix it for you.

 

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Sincerely,

Kristin VanHoose

Hydrangeas Plus®

http://www.hydrangeasplus.com