Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
mehearty

Please tell me all you know about Blushing Bride

mehearty
12 years ago

Received one today as a MD gift (I think it's a 5 gallon pot), and it's absolutely beautiful! I read some old threads here, and it seems that BB really prefers less sun than ES. Does that seem about right? I have a few different spots where I could plant it, but I'm really partial to a spot that gets just a few hours of morning sun and some light, dappled afternoon sun. I know ES wouldn't much care for that. This is outside my bedroom window, and I would love to look out and see this lovely plant every morning. Hubby says that grass has a hard time growing there because it's so acidic with all the pine trees. I think there's just not a lot of sun, but he's the lawn man so I defer to his judgement. There's a lot of moss growing naturally back there. The sun went behind some clouds just as I grabbed the camera, it's not always this dark.

{{gwi:1002229}}

I could plant it in sunnier spots if necessary, though.

Any idea how big this guy really gets? Even though I'm in a colder zone, my ES's don't die back. My Nikkos do, but ES is just hardy enough.

Thank you in advance =)

Comments (38)

  • DDhydrangea
    12 years ago

    Hi mehearty, if you type blushing bride into the search window you will find lots of info. I have 3 endless summers planted in a row and I was thinking about pulling up the middle one to plant a blushing bride for contrast. But after looking at my ES's that are budding nicely I don't have the heart to pull up the middle one and throw it into shock. That would mean no flowers this year :-(

  • luis_pr
    12 years ago

    Here is some information from the developers...

    Here is a link that might be useful: Hydrangea Blushing Bride

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    I dearly love mine ~ mehearty & I'm willing to bet she'll win your heart as well. She dresses up in burgundy in the Fall ~ simply gorgeous & occasionally throws off a small baby even as she changes color!!!

    She is in part shade ~ AM sun & again as sun goes over (5PM) 3'-4' round!!!

    Have lots of fun!!!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you Ditas! Your posts made me realize what a gem I have. About how many hours does your get? I have spots perfectly suited for hydrangea (6 hours morning sun), but I want to place her out back where I can see her from my bedroom and breakfast nook. That area gets mostly dappled sun.

    So she get's wider than taller? Hmmmmm that would be quite pretty in front of that rock wall in the pic. Again, just dappled sun. *sigh*

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    HI again mehearty ~ Perhaps this album I have on file will tell why I love her. I think dappled sun might be fine ~ you'll love watching her every move as I did.
    It was hard sorting through all the photos I have on file ~ she commands attention & my trigger finger! LOL Midnight Duchess is another beautiful lady I photograph'd as much ~ her dark limbs ~ awesome!

    For M'Day I got Twist & Shout ~ another to watch closely!!!

    Here is a link that might be useful: My best loved ES ~ BB

  • DDhydrangea
    12 years ago

    I love that idea of putting the BB in a pot, I think I will give that a try and nice eye candy Ditas you have a beautiful garden.

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Oh Ditas, your beds are to die for! I particularly love your north wall. As Ostrich would say, you have many lovelies in there! I almost selected a Twist and Shout for MD. The only thing that stopped me was that I already have plenty of blue hydrangeas. I wanted to try white for a change.

    Ack! Picking a spot for a prized hydrangea is harder than selecting a paint color. I know where I want it, but I don't think it will do well there. I've noticed this week, that it would only get about 40 minutes of direct sun there. *pout* I keep moving it around, but the spot I pic'd above is viewable from every window in the back of my house. I should probably put a viburnum there, but who wants to look at a viburnum when Blushing Bride is around? Decisions! Decisions!

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Thank you DDh~~ & mehearty! This *Piece of Soil Under Iowa Skies* (I ended up calling) my Oasis in constant progress for 35+ years ~ have gone thru much from neglect to coddling ~ but just the same likened to a *gramma-quilt* ~ pieced together by trial, error & love as well as the charm it lends.

    GardenWeb and all the Gurus we listened to, became our inspiration, right? (Ego45)-George's heaven in CT & Hayseedman's *OverWintering tutorial* as well as Chelone's patient tutorial on H Petiolaris were invaluable!!! Not to forget Ostritch's love & fun ~ Luis & Gardengal & few more ~ patient w/ our constant bugging ??? ... we're here & learning something new each time we log on & enabling each other to boot!!! LOL

    I still think dappled shade will work as long as she gets a bit of Mighty Sun! I was out & paying atten to BB's exposure that has already changed much due to leafing out of the grown trees cutting AM sun quite ~ she now gets the full noon sun for an hour w/ some dancing shades from old Ginkgo tree ~ she'll have bright shade & sun again from 5PM 'til sunset. Some blossoms do get scorched a bit only (noon sun)

    These *lovelies* are tough & real troopers if they need to be moved (I've done it a few xxx) ~ should you wish to go w/ your first choice of site ... I would!!! Have fun!!!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you Ditas. You've got me really excited for this hydrangea!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    5 days of rain coming (woot!), so I've got to get this baby into the ground today. The first spot is bugging me too much. It just doesn't even feel like enough dappled light. I've found a similar spot by the rock wall, however she will get a good 4-5 hours of direct sun starting at 8 am. I hope that's not too much sun! My other choice is next to a Katsura tree. That spot is the best light (hydrangea will get east light for a few hours and then true dappled sun). I worry that Katsura's roots will compete too much with the hydrangea. Katsura loves her water! I also worry that it will be too close to wear the boys play soccer.

    So I've got to close my eyes and pick. lol

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Good AM mehearty ~ I vote for the *few more hrs of sun* for BB ~ she is really a tough bride! My BB's exposure changes dramatically as the trees fill up & the earth turns ~ at this point 5 y/o BB here gets 2 hrs of full noon sun & has not been phazed yet!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Good morning Ditas! I'm so appreciative of your advice and hand holding. I've never fretted so much over planting anything before. lol I just know this little girl is going to be a star.

    I popped into our garden center for some supplies the other day, and while I was paying, I asked the staff if they had any feedback on BB. They said they hadn't heard anything from customers yet, but the garden center owner absolutely loves BB, so that says a lot.

  • luis_pr
    12 years ago

    Choosing more or less sun? Hmmm. It would be interesting to plant two BBs in the same relative area but make one get a couple hours of sun and make the other get sun until 11am-12pm. It will not affect the plants but, I am curious what effect the extra sun would have on the light colored blooms of BB??? Limelight's blooms, for example, change from green to white faster if they get more sun. Would BBs white blooms age faster to pink if exposed to more sun?

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Anytime mehearty ~ BB has a great deal more positive attributes that the original one lacks ~ sturdier, more upright thicker legs alone to hold her lovelies ~ definitely a winner.
    I'm expecting the same w/ my yet to be planted T&S the added plus on this new girls ~ the blossoms are lacecaps ~ after my heart!

    Best wishes on your *dirt digging*!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Ha! Here I am procrastinating this dig. lol I love digging and planting in the beds, but this isn't a bed. It's a part of the backyard that I'm confiscating. I *hate* digging up grass.

    Interesting question Luis. I just may ponder that for a day or 2 before planting. =D

    Ditas T & S is next on my list. Why did they have to give it such a goofy name? I don't think that name befits such a lovely plant.

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Have no idea ~ since M'Day most of the T&S buds have flashed open & agree ~ I should rename her Pippa after my tinee-tiny Pom & Cates sis ~ gorgeous girl!!!

    If T&S ~ in your wish list, get a bit of rest after BB & start the site for her now mark w/ a 3gal pot. That's what I usually do!

    Well can you believe this ~ temps here dropped from sunny 90s down to rain & mid 50s w/ gusty winds!!! I'm off to have fun & sink #1 T&S & start #2's site ~ still waiting for minimum sun requirement ? I posted here for #3.

    Let's have digging-party fun ~ my tools of engagement all lined up!!!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Woo hoo! If you have alcohol at your digging party, I could use it. That was a 2 and a half hour ordeal that left my husband's lawn torn to shreds. First site had a massive rock that I couldn't dig out. 2nd site had way too many thick tree roost. Hopefully, the 3rd site will be the charm. It just goes to show that mother nature really does rule the roost.

    I hope you had an easier time Ditas!

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    First of all @ Luis ~ yes in deed about Limelight ~ (2009) put her in a 4gal pot while awaiting old Nikko's move to a better home (protected & part/shade site in Sept) Limelight was happy in a sunny & dappled while parked in the pot & finally moved to Nikko's emptied site in Sept. In 2010 under full/sun she does turn pale sooner ~ too bad ~ I love her in lime!!!

    Alone for my digging party but mission accomplished w/ very little fuss for T&S#1 as her ideal site had been in ready since 2010!
    T&S #2 site in a sm island was another story ~ I forgot that it was the very heart of an old small ornamental Plum Tree (reached life span) we took down in 2005 & the very spot I set in a bird bath. Moved bbath ~ dug I did & ran into large remnants of the old roots ~ still as tough as Steel ~ out came my axe & determined to clean out the site! I can't believe after all these years ... but I did get a good 2'x2' wide & deep hole.
    Then I got to thinking ~ should consult my nursery guy if I should treat the old dead roots first before sinking lovely T&S ~ I saved some of the big chunks of not so rotted roots to show if OK ... to be cont tom'row!

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Mehearty ~ wonder how she'd do in a big pot or planter-urn on roller caddy & take her where it would be ideal for her to bloom please-fully!!! At least for a year or 2 until such ideal site presents itself!!!

  • hokierustywilliamsbu
    12 years ago

    truely outstanding here in Virginia-though blushes Blue here more than pink--unless in a pot...

  • gardenscents
    12 years ago

    I've had a BB in a bed next to the house with a blue and a red ES hydrangeas. It's huge (4' by 4') and blooms pinkie white with loads of blooms. You'll love it. I do nothing to it - I even forget to feed that bed sometimes - and I'm always having to cut them back because they "interfere" with the path. No problem! Midday sun then late afternoon and all the hydrangeas there do fine. I'm in Midland SC.

    Good luck! You'll love this one!

    RuthAnne in SC

  • madeyna
    12 years ago

    My BB is in a large pot on the deck and its not leafing out as fast as the ES 15 feet away that gets some morning sun but it does beatifully under the awning with no direct sun. It just takes alot longer to bloom out with no direct sun. The color changes are wonderful and its great looking around here clear threw the end of nov. I,ve been tempted to buy another one for the deck thats already in bloom so I can enjoy it earlier. I do that with ES every year just so I have some color by the door as early as possible.

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Oh I'm so glad you have posted about keeping BB in container!!! How long have you kept her there & what size container? As you may have read above I suggested it to mehearty (w/o personal experience) just until she found a good site.

    This encourages me at the same time ~ been waiting for a response to my ? about the minimum sun requirement of T&S. I'm still debating whether to go ahead & sink her in my front bright/shaded foundation ~ it does get some dappling & perhaps a total of 2 hours of sun intermittently. She'll be in the company of MyM & MV (both H serratas) that I got to throw some blossoms!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    This is all great stuff! I'm so glad BB is a hit for you folks!

    Ditas, I did sink her in the ground last weekend. She went into the 3rd choice spot. Frankly, I think it will be the best for her, but now I've got to build a pretty bed around her. heeeeee!!

    We've had a lot of rain this week, heavy at times, and she hasn't drooped at all. I'm sure that has a lot to do with the nursery's expert pruning, but I'd also like to think she's just a strong girl. If I contort my neck just right, I can see her from more than one window. Yay!!

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Hi mehearty - Yeah-hay anyway! even if you have to crank your neck like an ostrich!!! LOL 'Cause she's worth it ~ but why be indoors when sun & temps are bidding us out (dirt digging for me)!!! Indoors is just my rest-home as I hate blowing dust (have given up the kitchen too!) when everything is greening out there & the birds have taken occupancy of most all of my 10 plus b'houses ~ they even chatter & scold when I scratch around under their maternity wards!!!

    I can't tell you the contortions I've done w/ me-self trying to dig 'n sink T&S#3 yesterday, in a tight fitting sq-inch of a piece of soil ~ the few little words not fit for a grand-ma's thesaurus ~ out loud - the worms scurried to the neighbors!!!

    Congrats!!!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Heeeee! I'm sure my neighbors heard all sorts of unlovelies coming out of my mouth last weekend when I dug down and hit rock. I had my iPod cranked, so I probably dropped a few f bombs louder than necessary. lol

    What conditions did you decide on for T & S? It's too bad you weren't able to get an answer beforehand. Murphy's Law says that now that you've got her in the ground, someone will come along with exactly the info you were looking for.

    BB continues to do well with all the rain. Now I must wait for hubby to bring home a bird bath for my new bed.

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Top'O the morn mehearty! I went ahead w/ my heart & set her in a skimpy little sq.inch of soil! LOL In a row with 2 Divas in my zone (Purple Tiers/MyM & Mariesii Variegata) not terribly great performers but very interesting! I think due to the minimum sun exposure. Since I have 3 T&S I want to observe how each would do in their settings.

    Right now I have a choice of later, relocating Clethra-16 Candles to allow 2 more inches for T&S#3. Clethra (Hummingbird Bush) will serve better in the back to bring in more Hummers. Another thought is to relocate white Bld'g Heart planted in front ~ a placement-error of eons ago. So far I'm pleased w/ my 2-day digging expedition!!! Let's keep our fingers X'd!

    Congrats on the coming b'bath I have 4 + 1 for butterflies that i enslave to ~ but Ohhh the fun!

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Hi mehearty - How's your young Bride coming along?

    This season is kind of strange over here ~ for all the bad-mouthing a few of us did to ES (the original) both of the 2 ladies here are looking great & beat BB to *who's first* to flash her color!

    We are still getting barraged by storms w/ damaging winds & hails even a couple of weeks ago ~ golf-ball size that covered our entire deck floor. Many young stems bearing cluster buds were broken & my beautiful Roses fully flashing got undressed! Took me a week to clean up & had to trim off the rose bloom remnants to speed up the next round of buds ~ whew!

    How about you & all your lovelies (as Ostrich would say)?!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    *sniff* I miss Ostrich. I'm loving BB, Ditas! Some of her flowers are beginning to blush a beautiful maroon (if only QuickFire could blush like that!). However, that color is probably more of a product of her original potting soil. It will be fun to watch her next year.

    Of all my "lovelies," ES won the prize for first to bud, followed closely by Nikko and QF. Considering how cold it;s been, I'm quite impressed with all of them.

    Did you ever find a spot for T & S?

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Boy half a zone difference make you guys so far ahead ~ just as George (ego45) reminded me! BB just flashed her virginal gown yesterday ~ 1 so far! QF opened tons on Pops' Day ~ so thrilled & tho both Orig ES did each a quick one, our gloomy/rainy/storm days interrupted the momentum ~ got everyone in a napsy mood & clusters are still just that! Today sun did show up ~ hopefully shake everyone up!

    Oh but Blue Frost Serrata even in his *dip 'n dot* stage is already giving hints on the trio of colors ~ blue, lavender, pinks & loaded!

    T&S1 ~ that came frost bitten, is the most advanced w/ all sorts of new canes & clusters - ready to flash soon ~ in the most ideal site, the hole I prep'd last Fall. I clipped all the blooms she came in to speed up these new ones! T&S2 & T&S3 are doing fine w/ new canes & new cluster finials tho nowhere close to T&S1's #s

    Luis - to answer our musings on extra sun exposure ~ definitely affects bloom colors IMO based on observations on these 3 T&S planted in 3 diff exposures ~ then again I'm also considering soil diff in their 3 sites!

    Sorry ~ for long chit-chat! Follow ups later. OK?!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    The only reason BB is ahead is because it was blooming at the nursery. My other hydrangeas are budded but not blooming yet. =)

    Sounds like a hydrangea party at your house! I'm envious!

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Right you are mehearty ~ the reason I don't usually count the planting year - simply because they were all so hormone loaded they often put on a show so shamelessly. The few that didn't the planting year, I consider as working on adjusting & root strengthening in their new home!

    The set back, many of mine are experiencing is due to getting barraged by 2 hail events that broke many bud bearing young branches & tips ~ the poor shrubs had to press their restart button. QF ~ fortunately was far ahead by the time we got pommelled down!

    All the rains & storms also washed all the bluing solutions & AM coffee I gave ESs & Nikko for drinks. I should have just sprinkled the granules around & let Ma Nature dissolve them - Oh well c'est la vie ~ at least they produced blooms ~ they could be drowning now!

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Just wondering how your BBs are coming along ~ would love to hear? ~(;)

    Mine so far produced much less, than in the past 5 years altho she may still come up with more as she always does! So far only 4 large virginal white clusters!

    Even the 2 Serratas in same site (LOD & MD) are behaving similarly ~ less bloom clusters so far! I wondered why so ~ on closer investigation when I decided to cut all the non-productive old canes (quite more than in prev years) they may have needed some watering in mid-winter w/c I didn't give them thinking that the snow, as in past years were sufficient! I have other Serratas that I treated similarly & they are so floriferous as usual! Well we have to take the thin-years & the thick-years in this hobby, right?!!!

  • vbnet
    12 years ago

    I've jumped in on the bandwagon. I bought one yesterday and planted it - 1 bloom going strong, 3 buds. Sometimes I wish I were privy to the hormones to keep them going. Wonder if we can work out a deal with my doctor, take some of these menopause hormones and distribute them to my plants. Hey, maybe we can make money at this! jk

  • ditas
    12 years ago

    Hi jk ~ Enjoy the nursery boosted blooms BB gives this season ~ allow your new babe a chance to acclimate to her new home & environment ~ develope strong root system & will reward you! Of course barring Mama Nature's Rule for the season.

    These Lovely Ladies in *My Piece of Soil Under Iowa Skies* are behaving according to Ma N's rules this year & doing their growth spurts ~ more little clusters are showing up ~ so who knows, we still have 'til Fall. BB here, has thrown up some caboose late in the season.

    To follow your pun ~ not all respond well to menopause *H* ~ I ouched a lot so to the garbage bin they went ~ besides babies don't hit the delivery-room ground & skip n' run, right?!!!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    This has been a banner year for all hydrangeas in my beds this year (except 1 nikko, the other 2 Niks are doing great). Even my Tardiva is starting to bloom. =-O So far, the new BB continues to rebloom. We've had a few storms, but not a lot of rain in those storms, and thus far, I've only given BB some extra water twice. It didn't show signs of needing it, though. It's a far cry from the diva behavior of ES. I love the burgundy and green blooms mixed with the white ones. With our acidic soil, I doubt those rich pink tones will be there next year, so I'm appreciating them for now. This plant is a definite keeper!

  • mehearty
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Ahhhhh, the older, burgundy/green blooms with a new bluish one: