Happy Independence Day to all, with a special thank you to all of those who made our Independence possible!  It is a great day to celebrate our freedom, and one of my favorite ways to mark an occasion such as this is by planting something special in my garden.  You’re in luck, as I know just the plant!

A few years ago, I found a beautiful plant at a nursery-a Shooting Star hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Hanabi’.  This is a lace cap hydrangea of pure white, double, flattened flower heads shaped like a star.  Very much like fireworks in your own garden!  Like any hydrangea, you’ll need to plant it so that it is shaded from the hot sun and drying winds.  They require frequent watering to keep it lush and beautiful, so you don’t want it to dry out.  Plant in a slightly acidic soil that offers good drainage (if you have clay soil, you’ll want to keep it amended with compost).  After 4 years, my plant is about 3’ tall and wide.  However, they can grow to about 5’, so be sure to give it room to breathe and grow.

So go out and find a shooting star hydrangea and plant it to honor our forefathers!