hydrangeas your space

Hydrangeas are low-maintenance shrubs grown for their large, beautiful flowers. But there is one feature that limits their use in small gardens: their size. Many hydrangeas are large, crowding out other nearby plants. But plant breeders are hard at work creating smaller hydrangea varieties that still offer spectacular blooms.

Most of these small or dwarf hydrangea varieties are three or four feet or less, so they are easy to fit into tight spaces. Use them in containers on a patio, porch, or balcony, or as low hedges or foundation plants. Added to a perennial border or the front of a mixed shrub border, these small hydrangeas provide months of non-stop blooms. There are many different types of hydrangeas, including bigleaf, panicle, and oakleaf hydrangeas. Each has its own special features, but no matter which type is your favorite, there are smaller varieties. Here are 18 fascinating options.

1. Compact Bigleaf Hydrangeas

As the name suggests, large leaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) have large leaves. They produce large flowers that can be either ball-shaped mopheads or more delicate-looking lacecaps. Flower color is largely dependent on soil pH – an acidic soil will produce blue or purple flowers, an alkaline soil will produce pink flowers. These hydrangeas grow best in morning sun and afternoon shade. They are hardy in zones 5-9.

'Mini Penny' is a reblooming mophead hydrangea that produces flowers from summer to frost. Flowers are pink or blue depending on soil pH. It has a mounding habit and grows about 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. It is very disease resistant.

'Pistachio' (shown above) is also sold as 'Harwak'. It has multi-colored mophead flowers – they open chartreuse-green but turn bright pinkish red or purple with some chartreuse highlights and pale blue centers. They bloom on both old and new trees, so there is a continuous colorful flower display from late spring to fall. It grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide.

'Venice Raven' is part of the German-bred Cityline series of dwarf hydrangeas and is sometimes sold under the name Cityline Venice. Its mophead flower clusters, which bloom on old wood in mid- to late summer, can reach 6 inches across and are pink or blue depending on soil pH. Growing up to 3 feet tall and wide, this plant has a compact habit.

'Rhythmic Blue' is part of the Let's Dance series and will withstand harsh winters. It is a regenerant, so even if the stems die to the ground, it will produce flowers on the new growth. While its mophead flowers are bright pink in alkaline soil, this hydrangea has deep, true blue flowers in acidic soil. Its mature size is 3 to 4 feet tall and wide.

'Endless Summer Pop Star' is a new addition to the Endless Summer hydrangea series and is also grown for cooler winter areas. It blooms earlier than most varieties and produces flowers until frost. Lacecap flowers are electric blue in acidic soil and bright pink in alkaline soil. It grows about 3 feet tall and wide.

2. Mini mountain hydrangeas

Native to the woodlands of Japan and Korea, mountain hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata) is similar to large-leaf hydrangea, but with smaller, more delicate leaves and flowers. Its long-lasting blooms are typical of lacecaps and bigleaf hydrangeas, whose flower color is affected by soil pH. It grows best in light, open shade and is hardy in zones 5 to 9.

‘Tuff Stuff’ (shown above) is a compact hydrangea that has pink lacecap flowers with cream centers in alkaline soil; They are lavender-blue in acidic soil. It's a resurgent, so it bears fresh flowers all summer and its serrated leaves turn burgundy in the fall. At maturity it reaches 3 feet tall with a similar spread. It's perfect for mussing in front of tall bushes or trees.

'Tiny Tuff Stuff' bears flowers similar to 'Tuff Stuff' but on more compact plants 2 feet tall and wide. It is an excellent choice for growing in a container or adding to the front of a border garden.

3. Petit panicle hydrangeas

This species is native to Asia but is hardier than most hydrangeas, doing best in zones 3-8. In the wild, panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) are large shrubs, sometimes reaching 15 to 20 feet tall and 12 feet wide. They produce large clusters (panicles) of white flowers on new growth from July until frost. They often turn pink when the weather cools; Flower color is not affected by soil pH. They grow fully to full sun.

'Bombshell' has a more compact habit and has rounder creamy white flower panicles than the species. The strong, tough stems prevent the flowers from hanging on the plant and as the flowers age, they often develop a pink color. They make wonderful cut hydrangea flowers both fresh and dried. This miniature hydrangea has a dense, mounding habit that reaches 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity.

'Bobo' (shown above) is another spectacular bloomer that produces large cone-shaped panicles of white flowers that are pink or pale purple on sturdy stems. From mid-summer until frost, the plant is covered in flowers. It grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide with an upright, mounding habit.

'Firelight Titbit' offers the same white flowers on an even smaller bush. Its flowers are similar to those of 'Bobo', but turn bright pink to red as they age. At 2 to 3 feet tall and spreading, this small shrub works well in containers or in perennial borders.

'Flare' has a rounded habit and bears panicles 6 to 10 inches long on upright stems. Flowers open white, becoming very bright pink; As the weather cools in autumn the flowers turn reddish pink. Tolerant of both heat and cold, it grows 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.

4. Small delicate hydrangeas

Gentle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) is native to eastern North America. It is an erect, multi-stemmed shrub with a loose, open branching habit. Its flat clusters of 2- to 6-inch-wide greenish-white flowers appear in late spring through summer. It grows best in zones 3 to 9 in partial shade.

'Mini Mauvet' (shown above) is a smaller selection in the Invincible series, but instead of the typically white flowers, it produces deep mauve-pink flowers in rounded clusters that are great for cutting. Can be planted in full sun in cool weather; Plant in hot areas where it gets afternoon shade. It tops out at 3 feet tall and wide, making it a good small shrub for hedges, containers or perennial beds.

'Invincible Wee White' is a dwarf version of the much-loved 'Annabel' hydrangea. Its mophead flower clusters emerge pink and fade to pure white, a constant display from early summer until frost. It forms a neat mound 12 to 30 inches tall and wide.

'Invincible limetta' is another dwarf selection from the Invincible series. Its flowers open pale green before turning almost white, then darkening to bright green as the season progresses. It matures to 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. It makes an exceptional flowering shrub for a low hedge.