Hydrangea serrata Blue Bird

Hydrangeas are perhaps one of the best known garden plants. Originally from Japan these robust and reliable plants produce a truly stunning display in summer and autumn. Hydrangea serrata Blue Bird is an old but very well proven, compact, variety and winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Flattened heads of beautiful, blue mauve flowers are produced in abundance from June to September and in autumn, the pointed, mid green leaves turn dusky red. On alkaline soils the flowers may become pink. If you have alkaline soil, regular watering with a Hydrangea bluing agent will help ensure bluer flowers. Very easy to grow, it can be grown in the garden or in a pot or container. In containers use a good quality John Innes compost as this plant will be there a long time and peaty types of compost eventually degrade, become too packed and choke the roots. Ensure you feed regularly as a hungry plant is a poor performer. We recommend Osmoscote pro 8-9 month applied in the early spring. One application gives all the nutrients the plant requires for the whole year. John Innes is a soils based compost. A vigorous grower that will need pruning. After flowering prune back to close to the old wood. If the plant becomes too large a more drastic pruning can be undertaken!