“Hydrangea Hideaway” — Southern Living, June 2011
What can you do when caring for your woods is too much work? When a Mountain Brook, Alabama homeowner got tired of keeping her woods all neat and weeded, so she approached Troy Rhone of Integrity Landscapers. For her, the woods were actually more work than taking care of a lawn. She wanted to entertain guests and give her grandchildren a place to play. So, together they came up with a plan to make her landscape design more livable—it centered around replacing woods with grass and hydrangeas garden design.
After removing trees and brush, solid ground was added to even the terrain out. Troy designed a rectangular 20-foot by 60-foot lawn framed by ‘Nikko Blue’ French hydrangeas. While Southern magnolias and arborvitaes were planted at the far end to help screen the neighbors, this hydrangeas garden design essentially consists of only grass and hydrangeas. In fact, the lawn is hidden as you enter the backyard. From a rear terrace by the house, a narrow stepping-stone walk provides just a glimpse of the surprise beyond.
A major concern for homeowners considering French hydrangeas garden design is pruning. What’s the best way to prune French hydrangeas?
Read the full article in Southern Living to learn more. In this article, Troy Rhone shares 4 Tips for Pruning French Hydrangeas. Also included are helpful insights on how to change the color of French hydrangeas in your garden.