All Hydrangea, All Day

 

In keeping with our plan to visit nurseries in what would normally seem to be the off-season, we stopped by a hydrangea nursery to pick up a few additions for our (portion of the) yard. Who knew that they come in such a wide variety of colors? I guess, everyone but me. Here, we see that even the leaves and stems are in colors no normally expected.

Even in monochrome, the leaves have a character that makes them stand out.

There can be no photo essay on hydrangeas without color, however. And there are some really stunning colors to be found. I was surprised to see the range of colors to be found. This image shows green, blue, fuschia, yellow and bits of white, all with a background of green leaves. I find that pretty amazing.

Some put on their Christmas clothes in the summer and sport red and green all at the same time. To my surprise, there is still blue in the center. What really got me was that the image above and the next one below are from the same plant!

By comparison, this one seems to demure by only showing one color to go with the white central portion.

And this next one hides the special bits in a tiny kernel in the center.

This one seems to blush at the thought of being seen for who s/he really is.

Here we find the grizzled look of one who has been around the bend a few times.

I'll end today's offering with a look at a small flower that seems almost inappropriate after the large, brightly colored blossoms you've seen above.

Such a delicate color on such dainty petals reminds you that even among a fairly showy crowd, there can be humility. And in contrast to such exuberance, this unassuming character really stands out. Enjoy.