Mophead, Lacecap, Oakleaf, Annabelle, that which we call a hydrangea by any other name would still smell as sweet. You guessed it! The hydrangea is my all-time favorite flower, specifically the blue hydrangea. I love them! In the Mophead variety, acid added to the soil produces a rich blue to blue-violet color blossom. Alkaline turns the blossom pink to pinkish-purple. A neutral soil gives a pale cream color. Annabelles are pure white, and the color can only be changed by their divinely created innate intelligence. No amount of ph tampering with the soil will change their white blossoms. 
The Oakleaf hydrangea is indigenous to the US and is also known as a native or wild hydrangea. They thrive with little or no attention or water, great for middle Tennessee where the oppressive heat already hitting triple digits in June makes it impossible to keep moisture in the soil. 
If you grow hydrangeas and want to harvest the blossoms for drying, allow them to dry slightly on the shrub before picking, anytime between August and October. The leaves will take on a green patina for a vintage look. Hydrangeas are easy to dry, simply pick and put in a vase with no water. It is not necessary to hang them upside down unless you just want to. Deadheading the spent blossoms will make the appearance of the shrub more attractive, but it does not promote the growth of new blossoms. 
In her book Creating a Charmed Life, Victoria Moran challenges her readers to “Collaborate with nature. Value beauty. Respect your intuitive inklings about colors, shapes, textures, and patterns that populate your personal world. Create an environment that entices fortune.” She never mentions hydrangeas, but that is exactly what I see when I read this passage. Inspiration for your Belles Lettres: 1. What is your favorite flower? Why? 2. How do you collaborate with nature and create an environment to entice fortune?
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Charm of the Carolines is participating in some linky love today. Join the fun!
Bloomin' Tuesdays
Tootsie Time
