For far too long, a neglected corner of my backyard has yearned for attention. Today, that changes. While I’ve already tackled a few home improvement projects, like upgrading the front chain-link fence to a charming wooden one, my latest endeavor has been transforming this forgotten nook into a vibrant corner garden. I’m thrilled to finally share the initial glimpses of its exciting transformation with you!
The Spark of Inspiration: A Gift Card and a Trusted Brand
This garden journey began, as many DIY projects do, with a stroke of serendipity – a gift card. As a diligent DIY enthusiast and budget-conscious homeowner, I pride myself on making every dollar stretch. This particular opportunity to rejuvenate my little outdoor nook arose thanks to a generous sponsor. Fortuitously, this sponsor represented a brand I was already familiar with and had used in my yard before, making the partnership feel incredibly natural and exciting.
I absolutely cherish these lucky coincidences. They provide the perfect impetus to tackle projects that have been lingering on my mental to-do list. Rather than indefinitely procrastinating, having a tangible timeline and a sponsor’s support lights a fire under me to get things done. This is where Endless Summer® Hydrangeas entered the scene, offering both inspiration and the perfect plant choice.
Why Endless Summer® Hydrangeas Steal the Show
If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you might recall my previous mentions of Endless Summer® Hydrangeas. I’ve been cultivating their Original variety in various spots around my home for several years, and their consistent, vibrant blooms truly transform both my front and backyards. If you missed those posts showcasing their stunning beauty, here’s a little reminder of their gorgeousness:
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The Magic of Reblooming Varieties
I wish I could take all the credit for their splendor, but honestly, these plants are remarkably forgiving. They are perfect for those of us (and yes, I include myself here!) who might struggle with traditional gardening but want to build confidence. My absolute favorite feature of Endless Summer® varieties is their incredible ability to bloom repeatedly throughout the season, not just once. Unlike typical hydrangeas that only bloom on old wood (meaning you need to be careful with winter pruning to preserve next year’s buds), Endless Summer® hydrangeas bloom on both new and old growth. This flexibility means you can be a bit lazier with pruning, as I often am, allowing them to thrive without the worry of accidentally cutting off future blooms. After August 1st, I typically let them be, ensuring that new buds for the following year have ample opportunity to form. This extended blooming period, stretching into autumn, produces truly breathtaking colors that often differ dramatically from their spring and summer hues.
Discovering BloomStruck®: My New Obsession
For this new corner garden bed, I had a specific vision and a particular variety in mind: BloomStruck®. From the mesmerizing images I’d seen online, these hydrangeas promised to transition from pink to blue, much like my existing varieties. However, the color saturation in BloomStruck® appeared deeper, richer, and decidedly more moody – precisely the aesthetic I was aiming for in this special garden nook.
Crafting the Vision: A Serene Garden Nook
My ultimate goal is to create a picturesque, inviting space. I envision these magnificent BloomStruck® hydrangeas encircling a petite, white-flowering tree. In front, a small area will be designated for gravel and a charming bench, offering a tranquil spot for relaxation. In my mind’s eye, I see this:
And what emerges from this dusty corner is a gorgeous, serene garden nook. Imagine a small, elegant white-flowering tree standing proudly, surrounded by a profusion of deep, purplish-pink flowers from the BloomStruck® hydrangeas. There will be just enough space to settle onto a quaint bench with a good book, enveloped by nature’s beauty. Beyond their outdoor appeal, these blooms will provide an endless supply of stunning bouquets for inside the house, especially when mixed with their lighter-hued Endless Summer® counterparts, creating a diverse palette of colors.
The Hunt for the Perfect Plants: A Nursery Adventure
Armed with my vision and enthusiasm, I headed to my local nursery (you can easily find a retailer near you). I inquired about the BloomStruck® hydrangeas, though, to be honest, I probably didn’t even need to ask. Endless Summer® has a brilliant marketing strategy: all their plants are potted in distinctive large blue containers, making them incredibly easy to spot amidst the green sea of other nursery offerings. It’s a simple detail that makes a world of difference for a busy shopper.
With a cart overflowing with blue-potted beauties, I proceeded to checkout. To my amusement and surprise, the clerk offered me a bag of ladybugs—yes, live ladybugs!—to take home and release into my new garden. It was a delightful novelty!
An Unexpected Companion: The Ladybugs!
While I loved the charming gesture, in my excitement to get planting, I promptly forgot about my new insect friends for a little while. Don’t worry, I later remembered and released them! Ladybugs are fantastic natural pest control agents, diligently feasting on aphids and other garden nuisances, making them an eco-friendly addition to any thriving garden.
Digging In: The Planting Process and Practical Tips
With the truck I borrowed laden with supplies, it took me about a day and a half to get everything into the ground – and I’m still not entirely finished! The actual planting of the hydrangeas isn’t particularly difficult, but the preparation and finishing touches demand considerable time and effort. This includes meticulously planning out the entire new garden layout, ensuring optimal spacing for future growth, grappling with the notorious challenges of landscaping fabric, applying a thick layer of mulch, and thoroughly cleaning up the surrounding areas to achieve a polished look. Each step, from envisioning the space to getting my hands dirty, contributes to the overall success and beauty of the project.
Beyond Just Planting: The Art of Garden Preparation
An important part of my overall backyard vision involves covering the existing chain-link fence with more attractive fence panels. You can see them temporarily positioned in some of the photos. However, persistent rain over the past few days has interrupted this phase of the project, pushing it further down my to-do list. In fact, one of the fence panels unfortunately toppled over, narrowly missing and almost squashing all the progress I’d made! Thankfully, the resilient hydrangeas bounced back quickly. As a precautionary measure, I’m now safely storing the panels away from the new garden until the shrubs have a chance to establish themselves robustly. Once they’re settled and strong, I’ll return to tackle the fence upgrade.
Hydrangea Planting Made Easy
Planting the hydrangeas themselves proved to be the easiest part of the process. My method is straightforward: first, I ensure they are spaced evenly within the bed. Next, I dig a hole of appropriate size. While you can opt for enriched planting soil if you’re starting a new bed with poor soil quality, my backyard’s soil is currently quite good, so I primarily used the existing earth. Once the hole is ready, I gently place the hydrangea. I like to lightly rub the root ball to loosen the roots a little; this encourages them to spread out and establish themselves more quickly in their new home. Finally, after planting, I apply a slow-release fertilizer like Osmocote, which is my go-to for all my plants. In a future post, I’ll delve deeper into the fascinating topic of color-changing fertilizers specifically for hydrangeas.
Weed Control Strategies: Fabric vs. Newspaper
For garden beds that I frequently re-design or change, I generally prefer not to use landscaping fabric. It can be quite expensive per square foot, and finding the existing holes each year when making adjustments can be an annoying chore. In those cases, like my mailbox bed or front garden, I opt for a thick layer of newspaper, which effectively suppresses weeds and naturally breaks down over a single growing season. However, for this permanent corner garden, where I intend for the BloomStruck® hydrangeas to be the undisputed stars, landscaping fabric is an excellent, long-term solution. It provides superior weed blocking for all the surrounding areas – a crucial choice, given the abundant weed problem in my backyard.
Finishing Touches and Future Plans
After planting, I carefully positioned a new tree – a tea olive, which is technically a shrub but can be trained to resemble a tree as it matures – and bordered it with some leftover edging from another area of the yard. I then covered the entire bed with a generous, thick layer of mulch. This was a timely decision, as temperatures have been fluctuating significantly over the past couple of weeks due to consistent rain. The mulch has been invaluable in keeping the new beds happy and protected until I get a few more dry days to implement the next phases of the project. As summer progresses, I have high hopes that this corner will evolve into a truly stunning “before and after” showcase!
Harmonizing the Landscape: Extending the Hydrangea Theme
One side of my house already features several of the Original Endless Summer® varieties, thriving and adding splashes of color. To create a cohesive and balanced look around the patio, I used a portion of the gift card to purchase a few more of these familiar hydrangeas. This approach ensures a beautiful variety of colors, even though they are all the same plant type, simplifying care requirements across the board. They will all benefit from similar watering, sun exposure, and fertilization routines.
As you can observe from the impressive growth of the largest hydrangea I planted a few years ago, these plants require ample space to fan out and reach their mature size. While they haven’t demanded much of my time in the past, I’m eager for all the new additions to grow in as quickly and robustly as possible. This means I’ll need to maintain a consistent fertilization schedule. A helpful tip I discovered: there’s a text program available from Endless Summer® – simply text ENDLESSSUMMER to 73095 – that provides timely reminders to ensure proper upkeep, a perfect aid for busy gardeners like me!
A Blooming Future: The Vision Unfolds
Though not entirely complete, this revitalized area is already looking absolutely incredible for spring! I’m excited to share more updates throughout the summer as the garden progresses and the plants mature. As you can likely tell, I also have exciting plans for the fence, which will further enhance the beauty and privacy of this space. I genuinely believe that once all the finishing touches are in place, this corner will become one of my absolute favorite spots in the entire yard – a true testament to the power of vision and a little bit of DIY elbow grease.
As you may have gathered from the original title of this post, there was once an exciting giveaway for readers. However, please note that this giveaway is now closed.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Endless Summer Hydrangeas. The opinions and text are all mine.
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