Hello gardeners!
We are keen to plant hydrangeas in our front yard and I like both the smooth hydrangea and the mophead hydrangea. We live in Melbourne, Australia.
We have two garden beds. One is under a very large gumtree and gets morning sun and afternoon shade. The other garden bed gets only dappled sun.
Which species of hydrangea (mophead or smooth) would be suited to the garden bed under the gumtree (given that the tree will suck nutrient and moisture from the ground)?
Which species of hydrangea (mophead or smooth) would be better suited to the garden bed with only dappled sun (mostly shade)?
Thank you in advance!
Both Smooth and Mophead hydrangea have similar needs, well drained soil, regular watering particularly in summer, sun and partial shade. A position with morning sun and afternoon shade/ partial shade is perfect. The Mophead is likely to do better in partial shade but both will flower less without sufficient sun. The Eucalypts will take much of the water and nutrients, the only answer is water and fertilise more than you would plants that are not competing with large trees. Use a general fertiliser in Spring and Autumn. You will be able to tell if the plants are needing more water by the leaves which become flaccid if the soil becomes too dry.