Gift that became an obsession — Climbing Hydrangea

Someone gave me Climbing Hydrangea as a birthday gift and I barely knew what it was. Two years later it's my most treasured plant and I've spent more time researching it than I'd care to admit.

The key discovery was training new growth to the support structure while still flexible — once that clicked, the plant transformed. dramatic seasonal transformations from bare stems to full cover is what gets mentioned every time anyone visits. I keep it in a pergola or arch creating a garden feature which works perfectly. bud break and rapid early growth in spring is when I understand why this plant has such devoted followers. slow establishment in the first season before taking off is the one ongoing challenge but it's worth the effort.