Hydrangea macrophylla Magical® Elizabeth Ashley™

When we think about honoring someone special, we look back on all of their accomplishments, big and small; how the room lit up when that person entered, their loving-kindness, how bright and eager they were to learn, their insatiable thirst to experience more about this amazing world through books and travel… Elizabeth Ashley had all of these attributes and so many more. Her sweet spirit and warm smile brought joy to all she came in contact with. Elizabeth was tragically ripped away from the world she so embraced while on her way to her first week of college by a speeding, drunk driver. It is through this lovely Hydrangea that we honor her.

Cheerful, billowy flowers in taffy pink or soft blue (depending on the soil pH) form round flowerheads so dense, there’s hardly room for leaves. A compact grower with strong stems and hard flowers, this consummate gift plant will make an ideal transition from gift to garden. Flowers show their first hint of color in May/June and continue through summer with fresh, new blooms that replace the older ones. A Hydrangea that never stops giving, as flowers mature, they take on deeper, vintage hues of velvety-rose or violet-blue, both with green eyes. Much like its namesake, ‘Elizabeth Ashley’ will bring joy to any outdoor setting.

If you live in the North: Cut off any dead wood in late May, after the leaves have started to unfurl. If you live in the South: Should you see any dead wood, prune it back to live wood in early spring, after the leaves have started to unfurl.