Looking for the perfect flower for your terrace? Try the hydrangea!
The hydrangea is stunning on its own, but pairing it with other summer flowers, climbing plants, or even houseplants can make your arrangements even more spectacular.
Summer vibes
The hydrangea’s pom-pom blooms bring the perfect summer vibe to a partially shaded terrace or balcony. The long-blooming ‘Magical Four Seasons’ varieties never fail to impress, changing color up to three times over the summer. A pink hydrangea can deepen into a vibrant red as the season goes on.
Here, a pink variety is paired with a maidenhair, whose slender reddish stems complement the color of the hydrangea flowers, especially in late summer. The rusty old container accentuates the lush green leaves and magnificent blooms, while the maidenhair perfectly balances out the arrangement.
Water both regularly, as they dislike drying out. Add liquid fertilizer to your watering can to keep the blooms going and help the maidenhair produce more shoots.
The prima donna of the balcony planter
The trailing silver nickel vine and pale blue hydrangeas form an irresistible duo. The silver nickel vine won’t mind when the hydrangea gradually shifts toward a reddish hue.
Give your bigleaf hydrangea regular watering and fertilizer to keep it thriving. The silver nickel vine appreciates the same routine. With proper care, its shoots can stretch to about a meter over the summer, creating a silvery cascade that flows over the edges of the planter.
A hydrangea is right at home in a romantic wicker planter. Hang it on the wall or on the balcony railing. Avoid windy spots, since the heavy blooms may sway so much the stems snap.
Light in the shade
White and lime! The lime-and-white hydrangea blooms shine in shady spots and even after dusk. A white pot enhances the bright effect.
Ivy goes beautifully with hydrangea. Feel free to combine white-variegated and vibrant green varieties to add layers of texture and color to your arrangement.
In autumn, you can remove the ivy from the arrangement and try overwintering it indoors. Place it by the brightest, coolest window you can find.
A breeze of fall
As fall settles in, pair the hydrangea with ornamental cabbages and cyclamen. The cyclamen’s flowers beautifully reflect the pinks in hydrangea.
Many varieties of the bigleaf hydrangea don’t handle cold well. Bring pots indoors on chilly nights. If you like, you can try to overwinter [in Finnish] your hydrangeas in a cool space, or outdoors appropriately covered, for example with peat moss and conifer branches.
Once the flowers fade, you can cut off the stems and dry them for beautiful winter arrangements.
Three-part harmony
These three plants make a striking, balanced arrangement: the lively green Chinese silver grass that reaches up and out, the trailing variegated ivy, and the star of the show, a white hydrangea that glows even after dark.
This trio looks especially good in a gray ceramic pot or a simple metal container.
The star of Africa
You can create an exotic arrangement with hydrangea, as shown here. Houseplants pair beautifully with the hydrangea. The peace lily’s white blooms repeat the light theme. Complete the look with white-striped ornamental grass and variegated ivy.
If your hydrangea stands alone in a pot, add decorative gravel on top to finish the look. Here, subtle earthy tones were chosen for the pots so the plants stand out. Add fun accessories to give the arrangement your own exotic twist—jungle hats fit perfectly!
Read more:
How to keep your hydrangea blooming all summer—check out these care tips!
12 ideas for a romantic garden [in Finnish]
Forgotten garden bursts into bloom—“For me, this piece of land was a slice of heaven” [in Finnish]
