Our Annabelle Hydrangeas

When I started growing plants and trees and flowers in my yard, a little piece of me regretted it. I know it's somewhat of a trial and error process and I did not want to get attached to anything living and growing in my yard only to see it wilt and die. 

These pictures are not from Pinterest. Or a Google image search. They are from my camera because these lovelies ARE GROWING IN OUR YARD!! Apparently they are indestructible because after what happened to them last year plus a brutal winter, I didn't dare hope that I would ever see them bloom. But they did. They make my heart sing. And sometimes I ask Danilo to drive around the block so we can approach our house from the opposite side and I can see what they look like to passers by.

P.S. If you have ever considered growing hydrangeas, apparently this is the variety to go with. Unlike other types, they do well in Utah, they can handle extreme heat, extreme cold, and recover from neglect. I am so happy that trial and error worked in my favor this time. :)

A Sad Story

One week ago we brought home some Annabelle hydrangea bushes from the nursery. They really, truly looked like this. They were gorgeous. Our plan was to have some mulch delivered the following day and go to work planting. Knowing we had a wedding in a couple of days, I decided to postpone the planting one week.

About three days ago, all the beautiful blossoms started to wilt and the leaves too and got worse day after day. It made me ill to look at them. It makes me sad and embarrassed that something so gorgeous went so downhill under my care.

We got them in the ground as promised yesterday, mulch and Miracle-Gro and all, and I am literally praying for them. I have shed tears over these hydrangeas (Danilo's just happy it's not over something he did :). I have heard that plants in distress will do better if you lop off their blossoms so the energy can go to saving the plant. The man at the nursery said over the phone he agreed and that he's fairly confident I can bring them back. So I chopped off all the once-popcorn-ball-sized-now-wilting-near-dead blossoms with a pair of scissors and I'm reporting it here so you can hopefully share in my joy when they bloom again.

OUCH

(There are four of them total.)


Thanks for listening.

On a happier note, look at our lovely lawn!! I am so proud of Danilo!