One of many of my hydrangeas in my garden, brillant blue.

A Happy #SublimeSunday and a #BeautifulSunday indeed. Both of these wonderful hashtags are inspired by @c0ff33a and @ace108.

I thought today's Sunday post would be me enjoying the Sublime of my Hydrangea. I'd say I'm obsessed with this particular shrub and flower, but I think, in some ways, if you live in New England, particularly anywhere along the coast, it is simple des rigueur you have them in your garden. They surely are in most gardens on Cape Cod and we're lucky with our soil.

The Hydrangea is a great litmus test for soil PH. The brilliant almost unbelievable blue we can get our hydrangeas are from the high acid soil common along the sandy shores. If the PH of your soil is below 6 , which is high acid, you'll have blue flowers.

** I plant my Hydrangea with my other favorite plant, Hostas and ferns.**

We grow hosta for their amazing foliage. Their leaf color goes from blue/green to high yellow/gold and all the greens and various mottling, striping, and patterning in between.

Hydrangea macrophylla with "Brother Stefan" hosta

For those who live where the soil is not conducive to acid, you will get various shades of pink. I actually have a pink in my garden, but it was given me as a friend. It is a variety that is NOT affected by soil acidity so it remains pinkish. But you can see that our soil still pushes the shades to cool pink and when the buds are young they have a purple tinge to them.

My Pink Hydrangea with another host variety

My grandfather used to bury rusty nails in his hydrangea beds, as it was said to make them blue. This is because the rust from the nail, I believe, the iron will affect the PH. Many will grow hydrangea in pots so they can control the soil thus the color of the blooms.

Most of my hydrangea are Hydrangea macrophylla or Mop Heads in my garden they live next to the Shade garden. There is an area with morning sun and they get enough sun until 1 and then happily enjoy the cool shade otherwise, they tend to wilt in our seaside sun.

A purple tone hydrangea

This particular variety I usually get vibrant purple blooms from. I bought them specifically for that tone, but these are planted where I let the grey water from our kitchen empty (I had to waste water and to fill our septic with clean water from laundry and dishes) I use natural soaps for laundry and dishes and hands, so I'm not worried about chemicals, but it might be affecting the ph here. I still love the color tho.

The hosta I plant amongst the hydrangea tho grown for their foliage, can have some amazing flowers. The blooms are not that exciting but the buds before they open can look like alien pods I think.

A large bud on a big leaf hosta getting ready to open. It has the look of a waterlily out of water.

There are other variety of Hydrangea, another favorite of mine is the "lace cap" or Hydrangea macrophylla Serrata

A Hydrangea macrophylla Serrata amongst the cinnamon ferns in my shade garden

I love how the larger flowers float about the center cluster ,like butterflies or fairies. These tend to really do well in the deep shade of my shade garden. As you go along this bit of garden there is less sunlight for most of the day, so they look a treat with my other favorite plant the fern.

There are other types of hydrangea and one type, which actually doesn't mind the baking hot sun, is the Hydrangea paniculata they have a cone shaped flower cluster that is beautiful. I'm actually considering getting some for the sunny seaside borders I've been working on. I've put them on the 'wish list' for next year and want to plant some around our honeysuckle tree variety by the seaview.

This image is not from my garden, but it is of the Pinky Winky Paniculata hydrangea from Proven Winners that is on my wish list.

There are other types of hydrangea, as well, such as the Oak leaf, climbing (which I have at my little cottage in Sandwich) and of course the giant old fashioned Shrubs that makes one think of Victorian grandmother's is the Hydrangea arborescens they are Glorious. I've seen big estates with these giant white blooming beauties lining the long drives of the house. They are magnificent. I'd love these as well and would love to plant them randomly in our little woodland.

Not my photo but had to show the immense beautiful white bloom of this variety of hydrangea

Well, I hope you enjoyed today's #SublimeSunday and #BeautifulSunday here in the shade garden. Now, for the rest of today, I'll be heading to the sunny side of the house, seaside.

Wild and naturalized planted grasses in the wildflower border

Here we have SO much to garden that each year I don't mow a section and let the natural wildflower and grasses grow. I usually add wildflower seed as well in Spring. This will one day be a more structured border but for now the insects birds and small mammals LOVE this overgrowth and it does make a nice spot to sit and watch the harbor. You can tell it's Summer as all the neighbours have their boats on their moorings. Summer has begun on Cape Cod.

Thank you for joining me and why not join in as well :) Share photos and the story of them with us for a #SublimeSunday and a #BeautifulSunday, it's such fun.

I hope all of you find a moment in your day to indulge in your own passions, whatever they may be.

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