It is October 9th and the grounds and gardens are still in full bloom, all dancing blithely along. And speaking of dancing, it is this time in the fall season when a 114′ hedge of stunning blousy white hydrangeas blooms along the stucco wall, inspiring this annual blog. But not just any “white,” this cultivar has a luscious lime-green shade that inspired their garden name, ‘Limelight’ hydrangeas. Falling in love with them years ago when they were first introduced, I chose to use them as a hedge, highlighting a fortunate intersection in the center of the gardens where architectural details can be seen to full advantage. This last point (which I hadn’t considered when we first planted them) becomes more and more integral to the experience each year!
First, as seen from my second floor office studio overlooking the Fountain Garden and the Green and White Garden (Feature image).
The hedge starts at the glass enclosed porch and runs the length of the stucco wall to the yew hedge fronting the Woodland Garden.
A favorite “capture” is looking across the four beds of ‘Hally Jolivette’ standard cherries in front of the Orangerie, with their view of the sunroom bow window. And one of the key points here–the hydrangeas are pruned to be just the right height to be seen in all their glory from this vantage point in the sunroom.
The delineation is clear when looking from the Fountain Garden across the hedge to the northern part of the gardens around the pergola.
Look at this luscious shade of green !
Twelve individual shrubs were planted just the right distance apart to create a thickly voluminous, healthy and happy ‘Limelight’ hedge. We’ve developed a special pruning schedule so that when the hydrangeas bloom about the third week in September, the height and neatness are assured (rather than the wildly out of control new branches that detract from the overall tidiness).
With a little planning we can also have the gracefully elegant white Japanese anemones blooming in the Green and White Garden at the same time.
The sun can also play tricks with the shade of green later in the day…they’re not called ‘Limelight’ for nothing.
And those blue skies cap off this 2025 issue of Parterre’s magical ‘Limelight’ hydrangea hedge blog.
In the cheese plate photo labeled “It’s a social world join us” , what are the dark objects dusted white beside the grapes? What cheeses other than Brie?
O, those “Limelights!!” Mine are carrying just the faintest shade of pink…course, these orange, pink & yellow sunsets provide their magic. franki
All of the photos of your glorious Limelight Hydrangeas are spectacular, but one in particular should be fodder for a painting- it’s the closeup of the magnificent pale gray green white blossoms with the stucco wall beneath as they cast a gorgeous pale, muted gray lavender shadow.
Gorgeous!! Planted and trimmed perfect. White and green speaks to me in the garden.
I love Limelight hydrangeas. I used them in a project because of their beauty and because they stand up well in the heat and dry times..
LOVELY LADY,
IT WOULD SEEM, AND – IN REALITY … ‘IS’ – A GIFT AND BLESSING, THAT …
THE ‘gods’ – FOR WHATEVER REASON, CHOSE – TO PLACED YOU IN NEWPORT.
LUCKY … 4 – ALL OF US.
FONDLY,
TOM
Makes me feel sad for the one & only hydrangea I planted this year to see how I (and it) would do! Mine needs more friends! Just lovely Bettie! What an inspiration!