Hydrangea heaven

Sidi Limehouse has collected hydrangeas since digging up some from his grandmother's yard 20 years ago. In two decades, he has collected more than 3,000 plants. He hesitates when asked to choose a favorite, simply saying that he likes them all.

The hydrangea, usually thought of as a Southern plant, actually grows all the way up the East Coast, says Limehouse, who grows them locally at Rosebank Farms on Johns Island. The plant is a flowering shrub that grows from 3 to 8 feet tall and as much as 6 feet wide.

Limehouse mainly has old French hydrangeas, mopheads and lacecaps, which have their origins in Asia and were introduced into France during the late 1700s, he says. But new varieties are popular, too, including the Endless Summer series, which has repeat blooms, and the Cityline series, dwarf hydrangeas designed for the urban dweller with little time prune or space to plant.

Mopheads have plump, round flowers and are the most common hydrangeas in home gardens. Lesser known but equally appealing are lacecaps, which have a flatter, platelike flower. Both belong to the species macrophylla, which means "big leaf."

To distinguish, mopheads are identified botanically as Hydrangea macrophylla macrophylla and lacecaps as Hydrangea macrophylla normalis.

Also popular in the South is the native oak leaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, cataloged in Georgia by famed botanist William Bartram in the 1770s. It features cascading cones of creamy white blossoms and large oak-shaped leaves that can turn red, orange or purple in the fall.

Limehouse, whose annual Hydrangea Festival takes place next weekend, has planted red, pink, purple, blue and white hydrangeas. Most of them, however, grow to become one color.

"In a few years, it will be blue because we have acidic soil. There is nothing you can do about it. The only ones you see pink are in a pot in neutral soil or potting soil. There is a white one. And a white one is a white one is a white one. It's a true hydrangea; it just does not have any pigment in the flower."

All hydrangeas are fairly pest-free and must have some sun every day, but never full sun, Limehouse says. Once established, they require very little care.

Most hydrangeas that Limehouse grows start to bloom about May 10, peak in the middle of June and continue blooming until early July, he says. "Limelight" is a very pretty, prolific one that comes out green and turns white. It starts to bloom in mid-July to early August and continues until frost.

Tara Guerard of Soiree frequently uses hydrangeas as centerpieces for weddings, she says. The wedding designer also has used hydrangea in wreaths, hanging flower centerpieces, flower baskets and as tiebacks for curtains.

"June is our favorite time of the year to use local hydrangeas," Guerard says. "They have white, pink blue, lavender and purple, and longleaf, which are mainly like a green and cream. I think they go with anything from roses to Queen Anne's lace. All on their own, they make a fabulous statement."

When cut, hydrangeas should not be placed in direct sun and should be placed in water, the wedding planner says. How long they last after being cut depends on their age. Sometimes older ones can be a bit stronger.

"My favorite way to use them would be to cut them with some leaves and stick them in a vase of water so they look really natural," she says. "They make a big statement."

As for talk that they last longer when you add sugar to the water, Guerard says hers lasts three to seven days whether she adds sugar or not.

If you go

What: Hydrangea Festival.

When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 12 and 13.

Where: Rosebank Farms, 4455 Betsy Kerrison Parkway, Johns Island, just before the Kiawah/Seabrook traffic circle.

Details: Co-owner Sidi Limehouse and local horticulturists will answer questions about hydrangeas and give advice on growing them. More than 500 established hydrangeas, new and old standby varieties, will be available for sale.

Cost: Advice and tours are free.

Lunch: A lunch of whole hog barbecue and Rosebank vegetables will be available noon-1:30 p.m. both days. Lunch is $12.

For More: 768-0508, e-mail@RosebankFarms.com, www.rosebankfarms.com.

Reach Wevonneda Minis at 937-5705 or wminis@postandcourier.com.