Friday, June 11, 2010

The abused hydrangea bush

A couple of years ago Bob decided to build a new brick pathway to our front porch. We have a rhododendron that had grown out over the old walkway. It was either cut down the rhododendron or build a new walkway. It would have been a criminal act deserving of a life sentence to cut down the rhododendron. Trust me....it is over 10 feet tall and a traffic stopper when it is blooming.


Sitting by the old porch steps was a massive hydrangea bush. It had to go because the new steps needed to go in that location. I talked Bob into trying to save the bush. He wasn't sure it would be worth the effort. I hated the idea of not attempting to save the bush.

He dug around the bush as best he could...while trying to avoid being impaled on a hydrangea stem. He ended up chaining the bush to the back of his truck and pulling it out of the ground.

The chances for survival looked bleak. The bush fell apart into several clumps. We planted the larger pieces and threw the smaller pieces into the woods.


And then I waited for spring and any sign of life. The first year was bleak. A few leaves struggled to make an appearance. It didn't look promising.

For the past two years, the bushes have settled in and added new growth...but no blooms. I think they were still miffed at us for dragging them halfway across the yard attached to a chain ;)

But this year they have exploded in blooms.

Even the bushes that were thrown into the woods are blooming. I guess they've gotten over the abuse and decided to show off this year.


1 comment:

Leah Adams said...

Hydrangeas everywhere are doing so well this year. I think it must be all the rain we had in the past year. Those are gorgeous!!

Leah