From Bloom to Bouquet

One of my favorite shrubs I bought from Behnke’s is this Limelight hydrangea. Each summer I would see a giant plant blooming at Behnke’s as I walked from the back parking lot to the selling area. I just loved it and finally decided I had to have one. I bought one and brought it home for my husband Jon. As we looked around for a place to plant it, I told him it needed sun and lots of room. Boy was that ever the truth.

Each November, Jon goes out and starts the job of pruning it back. This week, as he was working on it (and yes! I also got to help), I kept thinking about how beautiful the blooms on this magnificent shrub are. Each stage, from when the buds appear, to when the pretty lime green colors of the flowers turn into a stunning pure white ice cream cone shape. Then as the summer fades away, I watch the white turn to shades of pinks till finally drying to this autumn bronze shade.

As Jon took three full wheelbarrow loads full of trimmings away, I grabbed a few. With a few snips of the last blooms of different perennials around our yard, I decided to make my mother a fall bouquet for her grave. I think it turned out pretty good.

The weather–while we do need some rain in our area– has been just beautiful and perfect for those jobs that need to be done to get our gardens and yards ready for winter. I hope you have been able to take advantage of it.