Pale pink flowers strung along an entire stem, large conical panicles drifting from white through green to pink, and a lollipop-shaped stem small enough to stand in a living room: the newest hydrangeas look nothing alike. Most ask only for part sun and light soil, and the ground itself sets the colour, acidic soil turning the blooms blue.
Focus on three special ones…
Three very different newcomers: one flowers along the whole stem, one shifts through pastel shades, and one is a miniature tree for indoors. Here is what separates them.
| Variety | Flowering | Size and habit | Where to grow it |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Bolero® | June to September | Shrub with pale pink flowers all along each stem | Part sun, in the ground or a large pot |
| Hydrangea paniculata Pastel Green® | June to September | Over 5 feet tall and wide (1.5 m), large conical panicles | Full sun or part shade, light soil, back of a shrub bed |
| Magical Color® ‘Amethyst’ and ‘Revolution’ | April to August, about 150 days | Single stem, 18 to 20 inches tall (45-50 cm) | Indoors, room temperature under 20°C |
Two are shrubs for the garden, the third is a short-lived ornament for the living room.
The “French Bolero®” is a new hydrangea variety that belongs to the recent 2019 “Remarkable Innovations” selection of the Promesse de Fleurs horticulturist. They own the rights to sell and share the plant, which they’ve been doing since 2019.
This is a French-bred hybrid that was also primed in the IPM international horticulture festival in Essen, Germany, in early 2019.
What makes it so unique? Its pale pink flowers bloom along the entire length of each stem, not only at the tip. Flowers appear from June to September. In acidic soil, their hue switches to blue.
This particular hydrangea is actually thought to be the “pink” version of the Runaway Bride Hydrangea, which stole the show and earned the “Plant of the Year” title during the 2018 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
All in all, a very romantic shrub, a new hydrangea hybrid that will work wonders if you plant it this fall in the ground or in a large pot on a terrace. Part sun is best, and make sure it’s in your line of sight so you can admire its elegance and uniqueness!
This magical hydrangea paniculata won’t stop changing its colors as it blooms from spring to summer!
From June to September, it intensifies its colors, unfurling clusters of white, pink and green flowers that range from very pale to quite intense…
Each conical flower panicle grows pretty large, and as a shrub it will top 5 feet tall and wide (1.5m).
It loves full sun as long as it doesn’t get too hot, but also does well in part shade. In all cases, light soil suits it best. Magnificent at the back of a shrub bed.
Usually, hydrangeas form dense, large shrubs in the garden. This outlier is a stunner: a single tall stem… that is happiest indoors!
The Magical Color “Amethyst” and “Revolution” are the first blooming tree hydrangeas that were designed for growing indoors.
Available in either pink or blue, they change colors as the blooming advances, and reach about 18 to 20 inches tall (45-50 cm).
This short-lived plant ornament will only last about 150 days, from April to August.
No care at all is needed as long as room temperature stays under 22°F/20°C, but if it gets any hotter, it’ll need just a little watering every day to stay fresh.
A miniature blooming tree that’s perfect for the living room!
Claire Lelong-Lehoang
