Ryan Gainey Hydrangea

If you are a Hydrangea lover like we are here at Nature Hills (and if you aren't, you should be!) then you have encountered the most frustrating thing about Hydrangeas - floppy stems from the weight of the huge, gorgeous flowers! Introducing the Ryan Gainey Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Ryan Gainey'), a sturdy and adaptable Smooth Hydrangea that easily solves that problem!

Atlanta garden designer Ryan Gainey has introduced a gorgeous native American Hydrangea that has strong stems, dark foliage and exceptional winter hardiness. The white blooms are held high on the strong dark stems are very strong and they bloom profusely! They don't like too much shade. The weight of the big flowers, which can reach up to 8-inches across, won't make them flop over, even in the rain. Backed by a mid-sized mound of gray-green foliage, Smooth Hydrangea are wildly adaptable to moisture levels, soil types and climate, weathering everything in their path with grace and ease!

The blooms appear on new growth, too, so even if Ryan Gainey dies completely to the ground in a harsh winter - the blooms won't be affected! But it will be rare for these shrubs to die back because they are incredibly cold-hardy! Tolerating USDA growing zones 3 and up to hot zone 9, there's not much these resilient bushes can't handle! Plus there is no worry about soil acidity or alkalinity, these pristine while blossoms won't change color until frost!

Planting and Application:

These white snowball blooms look lovely in romantic cottage borders and as low property definition, adding gray-green foliage as a backdrop to Rose gardens or perennial beds alike! Create lovely rows along your drive or the sidewalk, or in front of a fence to create screening and low privacy. Birds and butterflies adore these flouncy shrubs, so create groups for sheltering songbirds or add these ornamental flowering bushes to your pollinator and cutting gardens!

You'll love the big bouquets you can make from these mophead blossoms! They remain pristine white all growing season, turning a lovely botanical tan for fall and winter interest! Snip a few of these blooms for dried winter décor both indoors and out! These are also carefree specimens and anchors, adding lacy finery to foundation plantings and softening corners of hardscapes and outbuildings. The root systems of these shrubs make them ideal for erosion control and higher moisture areas, Rain Gardens, HVAC unit cover-ups and wildlife gardens in the shade near water!

• Pristine White Mophead Blooms
• Tough Flowers & Strong Stems Won't Droop
• Resilient & Adaptable Native Cultivar
• Mid-Sized Shrub & Vigorous Grower
• Hedges, Wildlife, Pollinators, Erosion Control, Screening & Cut Flowers

#ProPlantTips for Care:

These are part shade shrubs, but bloom even more if you plant them where they get a little direct morning sun. Appreciating afternoon shade, especially in the hottest of its favored climates. Ryan Gainey doesn't mind poor soils or dry conditions, as long as they aren't too dry. Regular watering is key. Best in average moisture and well-drained organic soils, though these natives can tolerate a lot! They will show you they're thirsty by a dramatic droop that perks up equally dramatically when they are happy. Mulch the root zone very well to insulate the roots and keep moisture levels in check.

• Partial Shade/Part Sun
• Moderate Moisture & Loves Mulched Beds
• Cold & Heat Hardy Woody Shrub
• Prune Early Spring Before New Growth Appears
• Tolerates Clay & Shallow-Rocky Soil, Dry & Wet Soil

This is a fairly rare Hydrangea on the market and is challenging to find for sale, which makes Nature Hills pleased to be able to bring the Ryan Gainey Hydrangea to you! Don't wait until we're sold out this year to add this native to your garden. You will be glad you did!