I’m falling in love with hydrangeas all over again! Every time I’m on Nantucket I’m reminded of their gorgeous colors, voluminous blooms and old-fashioned charm.

Here at Connecticut Country House, a few of my rhodis suffered some sort of blight, requiring us to cut them down to the ground and remove them. (Hard to write about it…still so heartbreaking!) To replace our beloved rhododendrons, we decided to have hydrangea shrubs come to the rescue.

Hydrangeas love moist soil and a location with morning sun and some afternoon shade. As for planting, it’s pretty simple: Dig hole as deep and a little wider than the actual root ball. Work in some peat moss. Place shrub in hole, back fill, and water well.

While we’ll miss our rhodis, we’re looking forward to mounds of flowers from mid-summer until fall, creating a bit of Nantucket heaven here in Connecticut.