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bellabloom_gw

Hydrangea Suggestions and Advice Needed Please!

14 years ago

I really want to plant some hydrangeas in my front foundation planting garden.

I am in Southeast Wisconsin Zone 5a/5b borderline. Close enough to the lake that in the winters we stay a little warmer than the 'inland' areas but then again it works against me in the springs and summers where we stay cooler than the 'inland' areas.

Our house faces northeast so in the morning it does get bathed in a fair amount of sun, but come 11'ish as the sun moves overhead the house casts a shadow over 1/2 of the beds. Obviously facing northeast, in the winters it does take a beating with cold winds so anything that is planted needs to be very winter hardy.

I would want the hydrangeas to be a background shrub behind some lower growing shade tolerant roses that I already have planted. A few of my neighbors have the ES hydrangeas and honestly I am not all that impressed. Low bud/bloom count and they tend to stay pretty small year after year growing no taller than 1 foot. I need something with a little more height than that. I am looking for something that would give me AT LEAST 4 feet in overall height.

I have seen Hydrangea Paniculata 'Quick Fire' and have fallen in love with it. I love the blooms and the color. But my only worry is how much sun does it need and would my site not offer it enough sun to flourish and bloom? Every site I have come across says it needs full sun.

What other very winter hardy taller Hydrangeas would do well and offer me spectacular blooms in that northeast location?

Thank you so much for any suggestions and advice!!!

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