Hydrangeas

On view: May–June

Once the weather warms and pollinators appear, a parade of hydrangeas transforms the Courtyard. Hailing from Asia and North America, these plants brighten the space through the fall, but it’s in late spring that they take center stage.

Their beauty is striking; colossal, cloudlike blooms sail over woody stems with saw-toothed leaves. Hydrangea macrophylla boasts a kaleidoscope of changing colors from shades of pink to violet to deep blue—the result of horticultural chemistry. Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea quercifolia offer soft, pastel cones to balance macrophylla’s cotton candy hues. Meanwhile, bright yellow wands of dancing lady orchids bring joyful movement into the space with delicate Virginia sweetspire and stoic oleander shrubs for company.

Please note that the Courtyard displays are part of a living collection and as such the actual flowers may be different than what is described on our website.