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dwk001

H. serrata 'Woodlander' in bud

dwk001
14 years ago

I've praised the performance of the lacecap 'Woodlander' in my garden in the western suburbs of Chicago several times on this forum. Here is a link to a picture of just one of my 8 Woodlanders covered in tight flower buds on old wood after a winter with NO protection in which we hit -22F on 2 occasions. This cultivar's performance in Z5 is impressive indeed. I'll post pix of it in bloom later in the season.

Comments (14)

  • sarabell
    14 years ago

    Beautiful! I can't wait to see the bloom pictures.
    I bought one on your recommendation last year! :) Mine looks to be at about the same stage for blooming!

  • dwk001
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    sarabell, glad to hear that your Woodlander sailed through the winter here, too!

  • dwk001
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Here are some photos of the lacecap 'Woodlander' blooming in my Z5 yard after our -22F winter, with no winter protection. In the last photo, you can see how the leaves in more sun take on a reddish cast, similar to other serratas.

  • roseberri, z6
    14 years ago

    dwk100 where did you get Woodlander? I am in OH and have not heard if it before your posts. I have White Dome and Limelight and they are great but my Blue Billow and Blue Wave won't bloom for me here.
    roseberri

  • ditas
    14 years ago

    Hi dwk100 - Thanks for sharing - Blue Billow & Woodlander are the 2 I'm considering for a shaded site I just opened, right beside my Big Smile. How old & how large of a shrub are they? How long do the blossoms last? I'm getting the urge to dig up some old Hostas in appropriate sites for more H serratas!

    TIA! D

  • lsimms
    14 years ago

    That is just adorable, thanks!

  • dwk001
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    ditas, the beautiful Blue Billow lacecaps (up to 8" diam) in lsimms' recent photo are about twice the size of my Woodlanders' lacecaps (up to 4" diam). I've had the oldest of my 8 Woodlanders for 6 years, and the youngest, for 2 years, and they are in a range of shade conditions, from full shade to several hours of direct sun. Razorback33's (Z7) favorite lacecap is Woodlander, reaching 3-4' in height and up to 7' in width in Z7 (from a posting a couple of years ago). Mine here in the Chicago area are all in the 2-3' height range, with widths up to 4'. The lacecaps physically last all summer into fall and winter, but I haven't paid enough attention to when the color fades out; so, I'll post again later in the season about this.

    roseberri, the wholesaler Monrovia markets Woodlander. If you know of any retailers in your area that sell Monrovia plants, talk up Woodlander and ask if they would order some next year. Here in the Chicago area, I only know of 1 Monrovia retailer that carries Woodlander--Sid's in Palos Hills and Bolingbrook. I've not grown Blue Billow, but I have 2 Blue Waves that have never bloomed for me (even with some serious winter protection); hence, I relegated them to permanent "green meatball" status in a heavy-shade area a few years ago.

  • ditas
    14 years ago

    Thank you so much for the very detailed info which helps a great deal since we are in similar zone & conditions (my son lived in Naperville for a few years & I've picked up a few delights, from a nursery in Batavia).

    Your Woodlander looks quite a bit like my Big Smile ... largest bloom, about 6"x6" with 9 serrated sepals (avg: 4-5" w/ 6-7 sepals). I love the green & pink (dip n' dot like) fertile centers that gradually fuzzes up to more pink ... sepals mature to more pink in center & edges, eventually matures to merlot as they turn over & the fertile centers finally drop ... all foliage dropped before her famous Fall color change due to early arrival of Winter'08! Â:( I love observing these ephemeral, nuances that make our hobby worth all the toil!!! Â;)

    Blue Frost - 2nd season - is another that has similar look, with smooth sepals as your Woodlander ... blooms are about same size & absolutely floriferous of assorted pinks, lavenders & blues (just to compare with Big Smile, I tried counting - stopped at 52 on 2/3rds of shrugs)!
    ... shrub is 20" tall 4'x3.5' spread. He is planted between 2 lg hostas, that I think should be dug up to allow for more freedom for this amazing shrub!

    We do have several nurseries carrying Monrovia items, even the big box places carry them as well, but haven't yet found either one. My piece of soil is likened to a grandma's sampler quilt! LOL! May have to wait for next season - will dig a hole in the meantime ... I have a Nikko I'm ground layering to sink there to winterize.

    Many thanks again ... importantly the tip on Blue W!
    D

  • dwk001
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Just noticed this week that color in 3 of my 8 Woodlanders is starting to fade.

  • ditas
    14 years ago

    Hi dwk - most of my serratas are now turning over ... I guess have done their jobs, luring the garden pollinators huh?!

    My Blue Frost has not stopped to amaze ... considering just his 2nd season - the fertile florets are now peachy color (underneath of those beautiful blues - which are now turning into their sagey green stages!!! Â;) There are still a few blue late comers!

    Big Smile - is turning over to her merlot ... also have some young'uns still holding on & just flashing!

    Mym's spent blossoms, tho quite sparse, are quite alluring in that green-pink stages hiding underneath, the growth of canes!

    M.Variegata - was a late bloomer & is just now going to start the serrata habit, of turning to their back side!!! LOL

    M Duchess is the lady that rules ... as beautiful now & still just opening up her late comers!

    LOD - did not produce ... can't wait to see in her 3rd season - lovely variegated foliage tho!

    I think I'm going to compile photos of Serratas/lacecaps' 'backsides', what d'you think?

    Have a great day! Â;) ... Ma Nature gave us a beautiful July (tho a bit dry) we are now headed to real Mid-West summer!!!

  • dwk001
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Just an update on my 'Woodlander' hydrangeas in spring 2010. All 8 are once again covered in flower buds. This past winter's low of -11F and a late April frost (I covered them that night) were no match for these hardy serratas. I cannot over-praise this cultivar--winter hardy in zone 5 without protection, jewel-like color tones in the lacecaps, tidy growth habit, really low-maintenance (except for watering during dry periods)...totally reliable now for 5-6 years.

  • dwk001
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    After seeing the 8 Woodlanders in bloom in my yard last summer, a friend asked me to buy one for her this year at Sid's in Bolingbrook. So, I've been keeping an eye out for them at Sid's this season. I was there again today and asked if they would be getting Woodlanders this year. A staff person said they were not carrying them this year because they've had so many customers returning them dead. I was astounded to hear this, since all of mine have done fabulously for a number of years now, through -11 to -25F winters and late spring frosts. (All of mine are in amended, well-drained soil, whereas many of the returns might have been coming from the typical, unamended, compacted, heavy-clay soils of subdivisions around here. Still...) The staff person I talked with said they might have one left over from last year, and he found it tucked away, well out of sight, in the trees & shrubs yard. Its foliage looked great, with no stem-dieback evident, and it was covered in buds--one tough little cookie that needs no winter protection in the western suburbs of Chicago! Needless to say, I snatched it up for my friend, who has great soil in her gardens. I'm so happy I discovered Woodlander back in 2003, and I'm sorry to see Sid's not carrying it any longer. I know Sid's never knew what a gem they had, nor how to market it, although I told them so a number of times through the years (like every time I was there to buy more of them). Have I ever said how much I like this plant? :)

  • luis_pr
    12 years ago

    Sounds like you just need to find another Monrovia dealer close by!

  • dwk001
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Luis, there are a number of other Monrovia dealers in the Chicagoland area, but Sid's is the only one I know of that has ever carried Woodlander. Even at Sid's in past years, I would only ever see a max of 8 or so Woodlanders on the lot (usually fewer) compared with more Endless Summers than you could shake a stick at (and now more Bella Annas and Invicibelles). I can't see that I would need more Woodlanders in my own yard, but I wish more folks around here could have seen them shine! Sid's has never had their own demonstration gardens, like several other nurseries around here do, where customers could see what to expect of various plants. And for the past several years, Sid's has had a Monrovia "Boutique"--a Monrovia marketing tool for their dealers, with a pergola and shelving landscaped with Monrovia potted plants on display. Woodlander in bloom has was never been a part of the "boutique." It's too bad, because Woodlander reliably offers so much color and form for zone 5 gardens.

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