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Monday, June 21, 2010

What is This?


No, really, what in the hell is it?  It was here when we got here.  It dies back every year and comes back again in the spring.  It just got going, otherwise, it would be in full bloom.  Speaking of blooms...


That's what one of the blooms looks like after it's gotten itself going.  They end up pink like this, but start like this...


Notice the blooms are slightly purple.  That's how the start before turning pink.

I just have no idea what it is.

10 comments:

  1. I don't know what it is, but I like it. It looks good!

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  2. Dear Turling, It looks to me very like a lace cap Hydrangea, but I could, of course, be completely wrong. The flowers, turning from blue to pink, would suggest this, as do the serrated leaves, but it is difficult to be sure from the photographs and without some idea of the size.

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  3. Ms. Hope, it stands roughly three feet tall and just as wide at the moment. It may go another foot, but that will be it.

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  4. Definitely a hydrangea, but there are so many varieties available these days, it's difficult to say exact type. If you look way down on the stem toward the ground, maybe you'll get lucky and the previous owner forgot to remove the tag? Don't laugh...two years after we moved here I identified a mystery rhododendron that way :P

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  5. You have got my kind of humor!! Found your site off Sherlock Street--and caught myself laughing out loud several times!! I have 4 kids myself--so TOTALLY felt your pain a few weeks ago--hope life is better now!

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  6. It's nice to see my garden blogging friends are getting acquainted.

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  7. Curbstone, I shall venture out tomorrow evening, cocktail in hand, to search for the potential name.

    Diva, thank you for stopping by. I do my very best, glad to know it's appreciated.

    Sherlock, thank you, the check is in the mail.

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  8. I think you already found out that its a Hydrangea. I don't know if its the same where you are but here in the UK we leave the flowers on all through the winter even though they will be dead. This is supposedly to protect next years buds from frost but also the old flowers can look nice with frost on them. This is just a personal choice however, if you can't stand seeing dead flowers all winter then prune them back in Autumn. Then in spring when the new buds show you need to cut back the old dead flowers to a new green bud. There should be several on each stem, it doesn't really matter which you cut back to. Obviously the long the stems you leave the bigger the bush will be therefore the bigger the display.

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  9. Shayla, thanks for stopping by. After reading your comment a few times, I think I get it. Last year, I cut it all the way back to the ground, which is probably why it's so small. I think I'll take your advice, leave the flowers and only cut back to new growth next year. Thanks, again.

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  10. You will find it easier in spring cos it will all look dead exceot for green buds along the stems so just cut back to one of those and away you go. You don't want to be cutting it down to groud level that is to harsh.

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