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Landscape Design Hydrangeas

Please help me pick a spot for my new limelight hydrangea

3 years ago

Hi

I ordered a limelight hydrangea in the hope of planting it in my front yard. Would like to get the expert advice from this group. The plum tree is no more, so the front of the house is pretty empty.

Thanks in advance!

Featured Answer

NHBabs z4b-5a NH

3 years ago

I would likely plant it about 5’-6’ from the edge of the yard about half way back towards the house, preferably in a planting bed with other shrubs, perennials, or ground covers. This is a large, full plant, typically somewhere near 10’ Tall and wide within 10 years, and it isn’t easy to control size with pruning because it regrows quickly every year but often is floppier with more pruning due to large, heavy bloom heads. You don’t want it where it will interfere with sight lines to the road from the driveway, so not near the road or even close to the sidewalk. You also don’t likely want it marooned by itself in the middle of the lawn or blocking sight lines to the front door.

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Comments (11)

luis_pr
3 years ago
Where are you located?
crozzroad thanked luis_pr
hyed
3 years ago
I might have picked LL TREE
crozzroad thanked hyed
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I agree with Dingo about sun exposure. H. arborescens doesn't much like full or western sun, though it wants some sun to bloom really well, so it should be fine in the exposure you described above. H. paniculata in my garden is fine in full day sun, though farther south it benefits from some shade, but with the bright shade involved here, it still should bloom and grow well with morning sun. I have a friend with Bobos in part shade, part sun and they look happy. One difference between the two is that H. arborscens suckers some, so for my Annabelle, I have to remove suckers once or twice a year (ususally fall and then in spring for the ones I missed) if I don't want it to overtake the surrounding shrubs. I don't know if all H. arborescens are quite as vigorous as Annabelle. H. paniculata doesn't sucker so in my garden is less work. I had an injured knee that made much garden work difficult to impossible for about three years, and here's my Annabelle, unchecked for all that time, but if kept maintained it is a lovely plant.(windowsill sits at 4' to give you height.) I would look at the summer color and fall color of various H. paniculatas and H. arborescens in your size range along with the shape and density of the flower heads and how upright the branches are. Only you can decide which appeals to you the most. They should all bloom well for you.
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crozzroad
Original Author
3 years ago
@luis_pr - My zone is 5b.

@hyed I hear you, seeing the lovely pics .. but now i think it is too late .. the shipment is already on its way
PRO
Yardvaark
3 years ago
In the middle of the yard, in front of the entrance, is not a good spot. Stand near the curb, lined up with the center of your house, and take a series of slightly overlapping pictures that pan across your house and yard. Include space beyond each end of the house (at least 20'). Or, if you have a pan feature on the camera, use it to do the same thing.
crozzroad thanked Yardvaark
crozzroad
Original Author
3 years ago
@Yardvaark sorry are you referring to the photo that I uploaded above?
PRO
Yardvaark
3 years ago
Haha ... did not click to enlarge so in my quick look completely misinterpreted the picture.

I don't see a place in the picture to put it. But the left or right corners of the yard just inside the city walk are two possible places where it could go ... as a centerpiece in a quarter-circle bed.
crozzroad thanked Yardvaark
crozzroad
Original Author
3 years ago
Lol! You mean something like this ? marked in orange color? Please note that the plum tree is no longer there .
PRO
Yardvaark
3 years ago
No, Positively not the corners of the driveway. The corners of the YARD (which are not visible in the photo.)
crozzroad thanked Yardvaark
crozzroad
Original Author
3 years ago
@Yardvaark ok got it.. thanks a lot :-)
PRO
Yardvaark
3 years ago
By "at corners" I mean that an appropriate sized bed is at the corner and the plant is at the center of the bed, therefore, set back from the walk sufficient that it would not encroach the walk. I can't really see this plant anywhere else in the front yard, either as part of the foundation planting or as a solo in the "middle" of the yard. I'm guessing the back or side yards would be a better bet for location.

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