Most hydrangeas set their flower buds in the autumn, leaving the buds subject to winter kill. Now new introductions produce their flower buds on the new expansion of the plant in the spring, ensuring blooms each year even for those gardeners who live in oppressive Northern climates.

Pruning late in the autumn or in early spring will remove the developed flower buds of most hydrangeas. This new sort of hydrangea, like Forever and Ever Hydrangea, features blooms that develop on the new expansion, and will perform and bloom each year even if they are pruned at the wrong time. These new expansion bloomers have a longer season of bloom and are great for mass landscape, border plantings or container plants. The giant flowers may also be enjoyed as cut or dried flowers. Hydrangeas offer an incredibly colorful display in partially shaded areas. Hydrangea breeders have started breeding new varieties that incorporate these great new features. Forever and Ever hydrangeas, first introduced in 2005, feature 3 different colours. These mophead beauties, in pink, double pink and red, should be available at garden centers this spring. Depending on the pH composition of the soil in which they are grown, pinks could be replaced with shades of blue. However, if blooming as blue or pink, the result's the same-a powerful, pretty addition to any landscape or garden.