7 beautiful Lacecap Hydrangea varieties

Hydrangea - Hydrangea serrata 'Shojo'

Hydrangea serrata ‘Shojo’ is a very beautiful variety of hydrangea, with a striking contrast between the flowers and the foliage that colours in late summer. Its large, flat panicles, light as lace, are composed of sterile florets ranging in colour from pink to pale blue, surrounding pale blue fertile florets. The dark green foliage develops a magnificent reddish-brown colour after the summer.

‘Shojo’ is a cultivar of the species Hydrangea serrata, hardy, native to Japan and Korea. It forms a bushy, rounded shrub about 1 m across in all directions. It is distinguished by its dark green leaves, coloured in late summer, smaller and more ovate than those of Hydrangea macrophylla. Its flat, airy panicles open from early June, and fade in pretty colours. The sterile florets are pale blue to pink and surround the fertile, button-shaped florets, pale blue in colour.

Hydrangea - Hydrangea 'Runaway Bride'

Hydrangea ‘Runaway Bride’ was voted Plant of the Year 2018 at the Chelsea Flower Show in England. Uniquely, its flowers open not only at the tip of its shoots but also along the stems, in the leaf axils. They are white, often pink-tinged in neutral soil, and arranged in small, flat, delicate inflorescences.

Hydrangea - Hydrangea macrophylla Zorro®

Hydrangea macrophylla Zorro® is a vigorous and distinctive hydrangea. Its flat-topped blue-violet flowers are borne on striking black stems. The umbels consist of fertile flowers in the pale blue centre and blue-violet sterile flowers at the periphery. It forms a large shrub with a spreading habit, reaching a height of 1.8 m. Its large deciduous leaves, ovate, are dark green and measure up to 20 cm long.

Zorro® requires slightly acidic soil rich in aluminium sulphate to keep its blue-violet colour. Mix heather soil into your garden soil and apply aluminium sulphate (slate contains it) as soon as the colour turns pink. This hydrangea should be planted in shade or partial shade, sheltered from cold winds. Pair it with ferns, the dead-nettles or conifers for an attractive contrast.

This variety has received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Hydrangea - Hydrangea macrophylla 'White Wave'

Hydrangea - Hydrangea aspera 'Kawakami'

Hydrangea aspera ‘Kawakami’ is a magnificent bushy, large-growing hydrangea with broad, domed inflorescences arranged in a parasol, particularly dense, with a diameter of 35 cm. Fragrant, the fertile flowers, resembling small, button-like clusters, wine-red, open into tiny violet flowers, framed by white florets. This particular arrangement is known as Granny’s bonnet. They bloom from late August to September.

Hydrangea - Hydrangea serrata 'Grayswood'

Hydrangea serrata ‘Grayswood’ forms a bushy shrub 1.50 m tall by 1.20 m wide, with dark green, dentate leaves. The sterile flowers, initially white, then pale pink, contrast with the dark pink fertile buds at the centre of the flat inflorescence, 15 cm in diameter. By the end of summer, the entire bloom turns crimson. The colour of the flowers varies with soil type and the presence or absence of aluminium sulphate.

Originating from the montane regions of the Kuril Islands to Taiwan, and from southern China to eastern Japan, Hydrangea serrata thrives in montane climates. Hardy to -15°C, Hydrangea ‘Grayswood’ prefers drained, acidic or neutral soil, neither heavy nor waterlogged. It thrives in partial shade or sun, but should be protected from the hottest midday sun to avoid scorching the flowers. Use Hydrangea serrata ‘Grayswood’ in a border, as a specimen plant or in a pot. Be aware that the presence of a Paulownia is highly beneficial for hydrangeas, as its turgescent roots feed the roots of shrubs planted in the understorey.

Hydrangea - Hydrangea aspera 'Bellevue'