Hydrangea heaven

Sometimes one is a tad hesitant visitng a garden focusing on one plant variety..in this case a garden of Hydrangea's near Dieppe . The weather was good for the plants but less conducive for wandering around a wet woodland, Nevertheless Hydrangeas are quite an exciting variety.

 Being one who loves a good hit of clear fresh colour in a garden, there was plenty to enjoy. One particular group [ H paniculata ] sport big lozenge shaped flower heads, principally white but sometimes with some pink and often maturing to a dull crimson. A slighty shorter variety [H arborescens] has big pom pom shaped white flowers which when planted together gives a stunning white splash from floor to about 2-3m height.

From the bottom end of the property where these white hydrangeas were grouped one moved through to a woodland area, the canopy overhead lending an agreeable light sunlight filter , afforded by the leaves of Paulownia trees. Throughout this zone are wandering pathways flanked with huge groups of the more classic Hydrangeas, the tones of blues, purples, whites and reds merging together in a restful colour pallet. The light shading apparently means thast the flowers last almost three months, a site better than three weeks under full sun.

The garden is the outcome of Corinne Mallet's fascination for Hydrangeas accompanied by her husband Robert Mallet . One can safely say she is probably one of the world experts on Hydrangeas with a couple of well illustrated books published by Ulmer.

If you would like a tour of this and some other stunning Normandy gardens contact me at adam.hodge@oxfordbotanica.com  A three to four day trip will be an experience to relish !