The stunning Oak Leaf Hydrangea. They grow wild everywhere or wherever you feel like planting. We’ve go two growing beside our mailbox. This one is at Saab Pond in .
It never ceases to amaze me when I see images and find sources about the plants that grow native in their rightful habitat – especially since here, where I am, not far from Montreal, Quebec, Canada – we have to bring these plants in and let them acclimatize and grow – but they never grow wild and free. Lovely image 🙂
Hi Pat, I am from Vermont & used to travel to Montreal quite often as a teen/young adult. I loved the city. In Vermont there was always black eyed Susan, daisy & Queen Anne’s lace growing wild everywhere. I don’t remember there being things like the Oak Leaf Hydrangea ever growing there. Birmingham, Alabama is very much like a sauna April until October, we are covered in growing things. Thank you for your lovely comment & compliment. ~amy
Nice to meet you Amy 🙂 I spent many a childhood vacation traveling to different parts of Vermont – absolutely delightful state.
Oak leaf hydrangeas, like most of their cultivar buddies, aren’t native at all to the upper northern US states or Montreal. Imported and used as specimens in gardens, mostly, or as hedges – purely decorative and the like. It always makes me wonder about plants, their origins and how a climate can make all the world and difference to them.
I’ve never traveled to the southern states , apart from Florida, but I do know several who pass those parts often, and indeed, they echo your sentiments about it being sauna like – which, as you’ve said, can be great for growing – a unique hot house effect 🙂
I will forever consider, Vermont, home. Nothing like it. I travel home as often as I can. I grew up in Montpelier & moved to Burlington at 19.
The one specimen that does grow there & not here, & is a great love of mine, is the Lilac tree. I have missed it- until last year. I found a type that can grow here & while it doesn’t look the same, it smells the same & its blossoms are the same color. I planted it in my garden b/c it is very limited in size. It didn’t do much last year, this spring brought back about 20% of it (I lost quite a bit maybe during the winter vortex) & what did come back, blossomed. I could barely wait until I could smell it & think of home. I explain to my Yankee friends that Alabama is opposite of Vermont. In Vermont winters, we would run from the heat of house to heated car to heated buildings with very limited time to the cold (after the age of 18 🙂 In Alabama, when June comes, it is the South’s turn to run from a/c house to a/c car to a/c store. It is an uncomfortable thing to walk outside into a physical wall of wet heat. Another difference is native Alabama people do not ever have their windows rolled down in their cars. So all the air they breath is filtered. I roll my windows down whenever possible. It was a MAJOR adjustment to move from the hippy/liberal/organic Vermont to the extreme opposite. Although, thankfully, natural food chain supermarkets are beginning to change that. So I fit in a little more, it only took twenty years! ~amy
Thanks for your history 🙂 Fascinating to be sure – especially as you note, it’s difficult for others to appreciate the extremes of weather if one has never actually lived it.
I can only imagine the wet heavy mugginess of the Alabama heat and humidity. I too prefer fresh air to a/c but sometimes, there is just no choice.
I’m glad you have found a species of Lilac to remind you of home – there is nothing quite as delightful as lilacs. 🙂
Well, time may march on slowly, but at least it moves forwards. I’m glad there are changes that make it easier for you to feel more “at home.”
I am very lucky. After I posted the photograph, my Alabama husband informed me it was the States “wildflower” The Camellia is the State flower. Oops. The oak leaf hydrangea grows everywhere. Thank you, Janicead. ~amy
2me4art 
I love hydrangeas and this is such a great photo! So fresh, so green. with little white florets.
LikeLike
Great light. I asked the sun to shift show it laid a gentle blanket of gold across this opening blossom. 🙂 Thank you, Karen. ~amy
LikeLike
It never ceases to amaze me when I see images and find sources about the plants that grow native in their rightful habitat – especially since here, where I am, not far from Montreal, Quebec, Canada – we have to bring these plants in and let them acclimatize and grow – but they never grow wild and free. Lovely image 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Pat, I am from Vermont & used to travel to Montreal quite often as a teen/young adult. I loved the city. In Vermont there was always black eyed Susan, daisy & Queen Anne’s lace growing wild everywhere. I don’t remember there being things like the Oak Leaf Hydrangea ever growing there. Birmingham, Alabama is very much like a sauna April until October, we are covered in growing things. Thank you for your lovely comment & compliment. ~amy
LikeLike
Nice to meet you Amy 🙂 I spent many a childhood vacation traveling to different parts of Vermont – absolutely delightful state.
Oak leaf hydrangeas, like most of their cultivar buddies, aren’t native at all to the upper northern US states or Montreal. Imported and used as specimens in gardens, mostly, or as hedges – purely decorative and the like. It always makes me wonder about plants, their origins and how a climate can make all the world and difference to them.
I’ve never traveled to the southern states , apart from Florida, but I do know several who pass those parts often, and indeed, they echo your sentiments about it being sauna like – which, as you’ve said, can be great for growing – a unique hot house effect 🙂
LikeLike
I will forever consider, Vermont, home. Nothing like it. I travel home as often as I can. I grew up in Montpelier & moved to Burlington at 19.
The one specimen that does grow there & not here, & is a great love of mine, is the Lilac tree. I have missed it- until last year. I found a type that can grow here & while it doesn’t look the same, it smells the same & its blossoms are the same color. I planted it in my garden b/c it is very limited in size. It didn’t do much last year, this spring brought back about 20% of it (I lost quite a bit maybe during the winter vortex) & what did come back, blossomed. I could barely wait until I could smell it & think of home. I explain to my Yankee friends that Alabama is opposite of Vermont. In Vermont winters, we would run from the heat of house to heated car to heated buildings with very limited time to the cold (after the age of 18 🙂 In Alabama, when June comes, it is the South’s turn to run from a/c house to a/c car to a/c store. It is an uncomfortable thing to walk outside into a physical wall of wet heat. Another difference is native Alabama people do not ever have their windows rolled down in their cars. So all the air they breath is filtered. I roll my windows down whenever possible. It was a MAJOR adjustment to move from the hippy/liberal/organic Vermont to the extreme opposite. Although, thankfully, natural food chain supermarkets are beginning to change that. So I fit in a little more, it only took twenty years! ~amy
LikeLike
Thanks for your history 🙂 Fascinating to be sure – especially as you note, it’s difficult for others to appreciate the extremes of weather if one has never actually lived it.
I can only imagine the wet heavy mugginess of the Alabama heat and humidity. I too prefer fresh air to a/c but sometimes, there is just no choice.
I’m glad you have found a species of Lilac to remind you of home – there is nothing quite as delightful as lilacs. 🙂
Well, time may march on slowly, but at least it moves forwards. I’m glad there are changes that make it easier for you to feel more “at home.”
thanks for stopping by and have a great one 🙂
LikeLike
Have a great week & I hope to catch up again soon. ~amy
LikeLike
thanks – you too Amy 🙂
LikeLike
Have a great week & I hope to catch up again soon. ~amy
LikeLike
How fortunate for youl I was never successful in getting one to grow in my garden.
LikeLike
I am very lucky. After I posted the photograph, my Alabama husband informed me it was the States “wildflower” The Camellia is the State flower. Oops. The oak leaf hydrangea grows everywhere. Thank you, Janicead. ~amy
LikeLike