It’s Fall in Alabama and the hydrangeas are on their last leg. This is the Limelight bush after I cut them, but right now is a great time to go out and save some for drying before they completely dry up and wither for the winter. I clipped off the leaves, cutting the stems long enough to group together. I actually did this about 2 weeks ago in October.
I’ll stick them in this urn and leave them in the garage for awhile and then they will be ready for a pretty container inside. These have turned brown for lack of rain I think, but I like the brown and green combo, so it’s OK with me.
My other hydrangea, however is putting on a Fall show that’s pretty spectacular. Guess that’s why they call it Endless Summer!
It’s November, people and she’s still putting forth some beautiful buds.
And since we haven’t had a frost yet, the impatiens are still going too.
I managed to clip several stems off this one too for drying. I’ll show you what I end up doing with them when I get to that point too. If you happen to have some hydrangeas blooming (or know someone who does) get out there and harvest them before they are gone! They are so pretty to look at all year round when they’re dried. 
{ 54 comments… read them below or add one }
I haven’t done this before…may have to try it this year. My mom has some beautiful ones!Just stick them in a planter in the garage???
I can’t wait to have my own hydrangeas. Perhaps next year.
Can’t wait to see what you do with them. I love that brown and green combo, too.
Rhoda, they are beautiful. I will have to remember that endless summer. It is spectacular.
Those are stunning! I need to plant a hydrangea bush. I have the queen’s lace variety…but I like the kind you have better! Do you ever put your dried hydrangeas into your Christmas tree?
Wow! Your Hydrangeas are still stunning. These have to be my favorite flower and unfortunately they just don’t grow here (they don’t like the ground). Drying them out is a fabulous idea. They’ll look great.
I hope that you are having a wonderful week,
Jen
So pretty! Hydrangeas are my favorite! My Endless Summer have small flowers on them, yours are so much bigger. I just cute my hydrangeas and let them dry where ever I put them (like the ones on top of my china cabinet). I don’t usually do the hang upside down thing.
Manuela
Are you not IN LOVE with your limelight hydrangeas? I bought two last year, and they have been total performers! I can’t wait to make “babies” from mine!
Hi Ms. Rhoda..Hydrangeas & geraniums are my fav outdoor flowers. We have an Endless Summer & a reg. Hydrangea and neither of them did as well as we had hoped this year…too HOT, I think.
BO
These are one of my favorite flowers. Love them. I have some that I dried (years and years ago) that are from my hubby’s grandmother’s yard. I keep them in a china cabinet because she gave them to us before she died so they’re sentimental. They are still a deep blue.
Yours have wonderful color, too, Rhoda. Are you going to use some in your new blue room? They’d look great in there. I saw some in Edgartown (Martha’s Vineyard) several years ago that were the deepest shade of blue I’ve ever seen… must be the soil difference. I wish I had pictures to share, but my sweet husband took pictures of boats, lighthouses, and my cousin’s house instead. We got home, and I said, “Let’s see all the gardens,” and he replied, “Well, I didn’t take any in MV.” He had gone out one morning and shot photos. They were good, just not floral.
Next time, I’ll hang onto the camera!
Sheila
Hydrangeas are my absolute favorite flower! I can remember my Granny having huge hydrangea bushes out beside her house while I was growing up. And a little less than a year after she passed away, I got married and hydrangeas were my flower of choice, not only because they are my favorite, but in remembrance of my sweet Grandma.
Every house my husband and I have lived in has had a hydrangea bush already planted in the yard before we even moved in and I take it as a sign that my Granny is there with me too. I know that may seem silly, but it helps to keep her memory alive.
Hehe! No, my trees are decorated for fall. I had Halloween stuff on them, too. After Thanksgiving, they will get the Christmas treatment!
)
my very most favorite flower!
Beautiful flowers, one of my favorite.
Thanks for reminding us how to harvest them.
Blessings-
Those are just beautiful!
How beautiful!! I’m envious. Sally
Hydrangeas & peonies are my absolute favorite flowers! They are so feminine & full! I love dried hydrangeas. The dried ones have even more amazing colors and last a long time. Wish I had a green thumb but mine is black!
So glad to see you are enjoying your Endless Summer!!! It is a beauty. I just had leave you a comment, since I work for Bailey Nurseries in MN…and we created this plant. I personally know the man who found it in his backyard. Just a part-time employee with a huge garden at home…who woulda thought! Anyway, happy fall!
Lisa
Oh, I LOVE hydrangeas! I have not been able to grow them on our property, but my Mama sure could. Our neighbors have beautiful ones too. But my roses always bloom again in November.
We have had frost 4 times already! I am further south than you, so it surprised me to read that y'all haven't had any yet!
But the past few days have been veyr warm again. It's always up & down in AL. I'm ready for the coolness to stay!
Have a great day!
I can’t believe how beautiful your “endless summer” is right now. Thanks for sharing!
I’d love to have hydrangeas – I think I’ll do this next year. Your’s are beautiful! Thank you for your sweet comments, too.
That blue hydrangea is absolutely gorgeous!
Oh Rhoda so pretty I especially love that flower.
Kathy
I am drooling over your hydrangeas. Thank you for posting your pictures of them. However, I am so envious too! I have seven hydrangeas in the back yard and granted, they haven’t been there long, but mine peaked in early summer here in Texas. I thought we were watering them plenty, but I guess the heat was too much for them even though they are mostly in a shady area. Maybe next year mine will do better since they are all still fairly young plants.
I wish my hydrangeas looked like yours! Mine are half dead. They bloomed early in the summer and were quite pretty and then the Texas heat came and…pretty much just melted them and then fall comes and they start all over…they start to produce some blooms and really perk up only to have 30 degree temperatures come and freeze them until the spring thaw. I will enjoy looking at yours.
Wow, those are beautiful! I want to plant hydrangea buses when I move soon. I love your blog!
Miss Janice
As soon as we bought the shore house I planted a hydrangea bush. I LOVE them! Unfortunately they do not have the instant gratification my sunflowers did…That sad little shrub is going to take forever to yield a beautiful bounty like yours!
I am glad to know how to properly do this….It has been hit and miss for me. We have had a frost so ours are all gone in Ar. Yours are still gorgeous. I don’t think there’s a prettier flower.
I just need some hydrangeas, I love them and am going to buy some to plant
Sarah
Every time I see hydrangeas I sure miss my old bush, it was HUGE and just beautiful! Can’t wait to see what you do with them!
Blessings,
Melissa
Wow, that Endless summer hydrangea is gorgeous! Thanks for the tips on how to use the dried ones…wish I had some in my yard to do that with…maybe one day.
Susan
Your hydrangeas are beautiful! I planted a few bushes this year and they didnt do too well. I moved them in late summer and I hope they make it. Now after taking a look at yours I really hope they come back~ I cant wait to see what you have planned for them~
I have the most beautiful hydrangeas ~ except this year they did not bloom at all. I’m sure, without knowing, and without admitting, hubby trimmed those bushes. If he trimmed the prior year’s wood they won’t bloom. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it
Yours are beautiful, however, just keep hubby away from them with the trimmers.
I always have next year.
Blessings,
Sher
I planted my first hydrangea last spring and can’t wait till it gets big enough to cut a bouquet!
Those are spectacular, Rhoda. I love hydrangeas, though I’ve never lived in a climate suitable for them.
Hi Rhoda! Hydrangeas are just my favorite flower. I’ve planted a few bushes in my back yard before, but they don’t make it. I guess they just don’t do well here in our climate. But I can make myself pretty happy by going to the grocery store and buying a few!!
Thanks for sharing these beauties.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia
For some reason my hydrangeas didn’t do as well this year?? Bummer.
Hugs!
Kat
Those are so pretty. I want a bush in my yard, but I don’t know if they’ll do so well in our Rocky Mountain/desert land out here.
Wonderful idea. I have a question? If you cut off the blooms, does that reduce the number of blooms next year? I have always wanted to put them in my Christmas tree.
You are one of my favorite places to visit every day.
Those are gorgeous! My Endless Summer hydrangea is still blooming too and so are my impatiens! I’m going to hate to see them go! I’ll replace the impatiens with pansies when they do.
Hydrengias are my favorite flower, dried or not. They are beautiful to look at. I have some dried blue ones in an old brass pot that has tarnished brown with time. They are so beautiful in it. Very tres’chic!
I have missed you Rhoda. I hope all is well.
I just love these flowers! When my husband and I were newlyweds, and didn’t have enough Christmas ornaments to fill our tree, I put some dried hydrangeas in the tree to take up space. It was a beautiful piece of art! I haven’t seen a hydrangea bush around where I live. I miss them.
What could possibly be prettier than a hydrangea? Thanks for the informative post. On one of my ES hyds this year I only had 5 blooms but gorgeous greenery. Any ideas why it didn’t bloom more?
I promise you – hydrangeas are my favorite flowers! Followed closely by red geraniums… Do you hang your upside down or keep them upright to dry?
I so wish I could grow those…I have tried, but they always end up puny or spindly or some other fate such as that…
Yours are lovely and so are your photos on the beach!!
Looking forward to all of your Christmas ideas!!
Linda
Great post Rhoda!
There is nothing prettier than a basket of dried hydrangeas.
Unless maybe it is a CENTERPIECE full of hydrangeas!
Okay! So so lovely, I just want a piece with a couple of leaves, and it can go into my rooting bed! How wonderful your Hydrangeas are!
I just found your blog and I LOVE IT!!!
Hi – I wandered in by accident and found a wonderful blog with great pictures!
Hi Rhoda,
Hydrangeas are my favorite. However, they don’t grow in Phoenix… at all. So I just have to count on you Southern Bells to do lovely posts like this one…
Thanks for sharing!
~Liz
Oh My, what gorgeous photos. They lift my spirit. xoxo
this is such a lovely background
…I’ve been tending to my hubby, but still think of you often….
thanks for all of your prayers
Wow, Your hydrangeas are Stunning! Beautiful Colors!
I love hydrangeas! Yours are simply beautiful