The Hydrangea.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 4, 24 January 1912, Page 41

The Hydrangea.

The Hydrangea is one of those out of the way shrubby subjects that, by reason of its handsome foliage and large trusses of bloom, always attract attention. It is only in the warmer localities that it can be trusted to take care of itself to any extent in the open air; in colder districts it must be treated as an out door plant during the summer only, the plants being lifted and brought into a cool but frost-proof house in th* early autumn. But in some parts, especially near the sea, the Hj-dranges luxuriates in any rather sheltered spot in the open, taking care of itself, and increasing in size almost annually. The principal points in its culture are a good and fairly rich loamy soil, free drainage, and free exposure to light and air. Propagation is effected by means of cuttings consisting of almost any pieces of the young, half-ripened wood, but nice, ‘‘stubby’’ sideshoots, or strong, wellmanured tops, are the best. These may be inserted in sandy soil in a cool house or slightly-heated pit in the autumn—even a cold frame will do if frost can be excluded, or they will root in the spring in a gentle heat; in fact cuttings of a suitable character may be rooted at almost any time of the year, under favourable conditions. And once rooted, the plants will grow freely in any fairly suitable soil, and in due time produce their huge heads of white, pink, or bluish blossoms freely. Our illustration of a singularly prolific hydrangea is from a photograph of a specimen grown in Auckland.