YOUR DESTINATION FOR ALL THINGS ENDLESS SUMMER

ENDLESSSUMMERBLOOMS.cOM

Name our Next Hydrangea!

Gardening is Goodfor the Mind & Body

New Plants for FallFirst Editions®

Fall DecorInside & Out

2 | EndlessSummerBlooms.com

This Issue:

Gardening is good for the mind & body

Clip for Fall Color: Extending the beauty of your Endless Summer blooms

Regional growing tips & winter prep

Fall Ask the Expert

Show us your Endless Creativity - Naming Contest!

First Editions® for fall

06

08

10

14

16

18

3 EndlessSummerBlooms.com |

Welcome to our fall issue of Endless BLOOM. As summer draws to a close, it’s time to bring the warmth of summer into your home. We’ll also share with you the special relationship between people and plants.

Fall is a great time to enjoy the garden. Cooler weather and increased moisture in the ground make it the perfect season to plant perennials and shrubs. Check out First Editions®, a new plant collection inside this issue. Its packed with ideas to add color and texture to your yard.

4 | EndlessSummerBlooms.com

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bailmer’ PP15,298

• Hardiness Zone 4-9 • Partial Shade • Height & Width: 3-5 Feet • Pink blooms in alkaline soil, blue blooms in acidic soil

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘PIIHM-1’ PP20,176

• Reblooming lacecap • Hardiness Zone 4-9 • Partial Shade • Height: 3-5 Feet Width: 3-4 Feet/Upright Habit• Pink blooms in alkaline soil, blue blooms in acidic soil

®

Hydrangea arborescens ‘PIIHA-1’ PP21,227

• Hardiness Zone 3-9 • Partial Shade • Height & Width: 3-6 Feet• Pink blooms summer through fall

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Blushing Bride’ PP17,169

• Hardiness Zone 4-9 • Partial Shade • Height & Width:

3-6 Feet/Upright Habit• White blooms mature to

blush pink

5 EndlessSummerBlooms.com |

The Secret to Endless Bloom?

It's inside every Blue Pot!

Look for the collection at agarden center near you.

Zone 1

Zone 2

Zone 3

Zone 4

Zone 5

Zone 6

Zone 7

Zone 8

Zone 9

Zone 10

Below -50°

-50° to -40°

-40° to -30°

-30° to -20°

-20° to -10°

-10° to 0°

0° to 10°

10° to 20°

20° to 30°

30° to 40°

The USDA Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into 11 unique zones that can help you determine how plants will perform in your area. Each zone is 10°F warmer (or colder) than the adjacent zone during an average winter.

The Endless Summer® Collection of plants are incredibly versatile, performing well in zones 4 through 9. So you can expect great results from California to Georgia and from Minnesota down to Alabama.

Endless Summer® Sold Nationwide

6 | EndlessSummerBlooms.com

If you’re looking to burn a few extra calories (and really, who isn’t?!) head out to your backyard! Sprucing up your outdoor space can have a positive effect on your health and your environment!

7 EndlessSummerBlooms.com |

Working in your garden for 45 minutes can burn as many calories as 30 minutes of aerobics. Experts estimate that you can burn between 300 to 600 calories per hour working in your yard.

Trees, shrubs and flowering plants can speed up the sale of your home. Homes with well-landscaped yards sell up to six weeks faster.

Having a beautiful landscape not only increases your home’s curb appeal, it can increase the value of your home by 15%.

Shade trees can reduce utility bills for air conditioning by 15-50%.

Studies indicate that flowers, trees and shrubs help create feelings of relaxation and well-being.

In one year, an average tree produces enough oxygen for a family of four. That same tree can absorb the CO2 output from four cars every year.

Gardening can help you breath easier. Studies have shown that taking in the fresh air while gardening can lower your stress, improve your mental focus and increase your memory.

Watch this inspirational video now, “Plants Give back”.

8 | EndlessSummerBlooms.com

G Cut your blooms early in the morning & use a sharp pruner or scissors

G Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle

G Put the flowers into a bucket of water as soon as you cut them from the plant

G Use different colors and textures in your arrangements

G Put fresh water in your vase every day

G Every few days, re-cut the bottom of the flower stems

to keep freshblooms perky:

We’re often asked if it is OK to clip off the blooms of your Endless Summer® Hydrangeas. The answer is YES! Endless Summer® blossoms make beautiful bouquets, allowing you to bring the outdoors inside all season long. In the fall, the changing blooms add even more color options.

Extending the Beauty of yourEndless Summer® BloomsClip for

9 EndlessSummerBlooms.com |

G Hang the blooms upside down in a cool, dry area until they are completely dry. Timing on this will be different depending on the humidity in the area. It can take up to a few weeks.

G You can also use a drying agent to speed up the process. Talk with an expert at your local craft store for product recommendations.

for drying Endless Summer® Hydrangeas:

G When picking blooms for drying, wait until the flowers begin to dry on the plant. When you feel the petals, they will feel papery. When picked too fresh they will simply wilt.

Pair hydrangea blossoms with leaves and berries to create a welcoming wreath for the front door. The large berries of First Editions® Autumn Revolution™ bittersweet are an eye-catching addition to any fall arrangement.

10 | EndlessSummerBlooms.com

11 EndlessSummerBlooms.com |

If your Endless Summer is planted in the ground, make sure you have stopped fertilizing. Keep the plants well watered and hold off on pruning. If this is the first year for your plants, they can benefit from a covering of mulch. Follow the mulching directions for the Midwest, Mountain and Northeast below.

For containers, keep watering the plant until the leaves have dropped. If you have the plant in a sunny location, we recommend moving the container or insulating it to keep the soil temperature regulated – freezing and thawing of the soil can be tough on the plant. Check the soil moisture level at least once a month, keeping it moist.

Be sure to provide your in-ground Endless Summers with plenty of water right up until the ground freezes. In this area of the country, snow cover usually provides excellent winter protection for your plants. But, if you planted your hydrangea just this year, providing it with a little extra protection is critical. After the ground freezes, cover the base of the plant with at least six inches of mulch. A combination of leaves and wood mulch works great. You can also use straw or peat moss.

If your Endless Summer is planted in a container, continue to water it well until the leaves start to drop off the plant. Place the container in a protected area such as a garage or basement. If you leave it outside, mulching the base of the plant and wrapping the pot and the plant can provide extra protection.

N O R T H W E S T

M I D W E S T M O U N T A I N N O R T H E AS T

NORTHWEST

NORTHEAST

SOUTHWEST

SOUTHEAST

MIDWEST/MOUNTAIN

12 | EndlessSummerBlooms.com

Keep your Endless Summer® Hydrangeas well watered this fall. During the winter months make sure the soil is evenly moist. Wait until spring to apply any fertilizer, and hold off on pruning.

S O U T H W E S T

Winter is usually not a big concern in this area of the country. But, late spring freezes can damage your plants and slow spring bloom production. Don’t fertilize in the fall or early spring. Wait until the potential for frost is over before you feed your hydrangeas.

Keep both in-ground and container plants well watered throughout fall and winter. Bringing your containers into a protected area can help shield them from any unusually harsh weather.

S O U T H E AS T

MULCHING & PRUNING

As winter approaches, there are a few steps you can take to ensure your Endless Summer Hydrangeas get off to a great start next spring.

If you’re searching for pruning information, chances are you’ll hear a lot of different advice. We want to keep it simple! We don’t recommend pruning any of the Endless Summer Hydrangea varieties all the way to the ground in the fall. Flower buds form on the branches near the base of the plant. Wait until spring to prune, that way you’re only cutting off what has died back over the winter, preserving those new flower buds.

If you planted your Endless Summer this spring or summer, providing winter protection during this first year is really important. Check out our regional tips on page 11 to determine what works best for your area.

13 EndlessSummerBlooms.com |

You can see the process of changing the color of hydrangeas by watching our how-to video above.

One of the great features of certain types of hydrangea is that you can change the bloom color by changing the soil. If you have very acidic soil, the blooms of your Endless Summer The Original will turn blue. In acidic soil, Endless Summer Twist-n-Shout will bloom periwinkle. If the opposite is true and your soil is very alkaline, your blooms will be pink. Look for Color Me Blue and Color Me Pink at your local garden center or go to EndlessSummerBlooms.com to order online. Be sure to read and follow the package directions carefully.

color Me Blue uses soil sulfur to make the soil more

acidic, creating blue blooms.

color Me Pink is pelletized lime. It makes the soil less

acidic, delivering pink blossoms.

Both are natural productsthat are safe to use around kids

and pets.

Changing the color of your blooms is easier than ever thanks to Endless Summer® Color Me Blue & Color Me Pink.

14 | EndlessSummerBlooms.com

I’m growing my Endless Summer in a large pot. How can I keep the plant alive through the winter? Bob, New York

Endless Summer varieties make a great container plants. To keep it alive through the winter we recommend bringing the container into a garage or basement. Mulching the base of the plant and wrapping the pot and plant with burlap can help protect it from the elements. For more information on winter care, take a look at the article on page 12.

We purchased several Endless Summer The Original plants this spring. How can I keep them their beautiful blue color? Carrie, Maryland

The blooms of Endless Summer The Original and Endless Summer Twist-n-Shout change color depending on your soil acidity. You can change the bloom color from pink to blue by adding a soil acidifier. We’ve created a product called Color Me Blue to make the process easy.

Jonathan PedersenHydrangea Expert

15 EndlessSummerBlooms.com |

The blooms on my Endless Summer seem to be changing colors. Is it OK for me to cut the blooms off the plant? Colleen, Wisconsin

Endless Summer Hydrangea blooms can go through a beautiful color change in the fall. Depending on which hydrangea you have in your yard, you may see the blooms fade to shades of green, burgundy and parchment. Even during the summer the color can fade as the blooms age. You can feel free to cut off the spent blooms at anytime. We like using the different color blooms in flower arrangements. See the article on page 8 for bouquet ideas.

I can’t find a garden center near my house that sells Endless Summer Hydrangeas. can I order online? Jennifer, Alabama

You can purchase Endless Summer Hydrangeas on our web site, EndlessSummerBlooms.com. We’ll ship them right to your door!

you may see the

blooms fade to shades

of green, burgundy

and parchment

Now that the weather is cooling off, I’d like to get out in my yard and do some planting. Is it OK to plant Endless Summer Hydrangeas in the fall? Stacey, Ohio

Fall is a great time for planting Endless Summer Hydrangeas. Cooler weather, warm soil temperatures and good rainfall in September and October create excellent growing conditions in most areas of the country. Be sure to water your new plant well to help it get used to its new location.

16 | EndlessSummerBlooms.com

Help name our newest Endless Summer® Hydrangea for a chance to win

Description: With intensely colored blooms, dark green foliage and red stems, our newest reblooming hydrangea, premiering in 2014, will be another crowning jewel in the collection. This hydrangea macrophylla can change color to blue, pink or purple.

Got a name that means awesome beauty & endless bloom-ability?

Submit it now on our Facebook page for a chance to win this beautiful new Endless Summer® Hydrangea!

17 EndlessSummerBlooms.com |

Find the Endless Summer® Collection on

Grab your camera and share your garden with us! Post your Endless Summer garden photos to our Facebook Fan page & pin your garden favorites on Pinterest.

18 | EndlessSummerBlooms.com

® Fall offers us a whole new season of flower power. Go beyond the traditional mums to add exciting color to your garden this year. The First Editions® line of colorful shrubs will make a great first impression!

(Go to FirstEditionsPlants.com to see more of the collection.)

Rhus typhina ‘Bailtiger’ PP16,185

Tiger Eyes® is a beautiful golden-leafed form of cutleaf staghorn sumac. New growth is a lively chartreuse green, quickly changing to yellow, both colors contrasting nicely with the rosy-pink leaf stems. The branches angle upward while the deeply cut leaflets drape downward, giving it a rather oriental look. As magnificent as the summer colors are, the dramatic effect of yellow, orange and intense scarlet in autumn are unparalleled. 2007 Gold Medal Plant Award winner.

Full sun | Zone: 4-8Height: 6’ | Width: 6’Foliage: Yellow turning orange and scarlet

TIGER EYES® CUTLEAF STAGHORN SUMAC

The frilly, lacy blooms of this hydrangea paniculata start out white then mature to a rosy pink. First Editions Ticked Pink is more compact, growing to only about 4 to 5 feet, the perfect size for smaller garden spaces.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘HYPMAD II’ PP18,500

Full sun | Zone: 4-8Height: 4-5’ | Width: 5-6’Foliage: Dark green Flower: Creamy white with pink tones

TICKLED PINK® HYDRANGEA

First Editions Hypericum add interesting color and texture to your garden. In the fall, dainty flowers are replaced by spectacular berries. The berries of Red Star, Green, Glory, White and Beauty make a great addition to fall bouquets. With so many colors to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect plant to compliment your fall garden.

Full sun | Zone: 5-9Height: 30-36” | Width: 24-30”Foliage: Dark green Flower: Bright yellow | Fruit: Red

Hypericum inodorum ’Kolmarest’ PP21,313RED STAR™ HYPERICUM

FirstEditionsPlants.com18 |

19 EndlessSummerBlooms.com |

TM

The stunning, large blooms of First Editions Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea start out a brilliant white. As the flowers age, they take on a deep strawberry red. In the fall, new blooms pair with the mature blossoms to create a multicolored effect. Vanilla Strawberry is beautiful in the garden, and creates excellent cut flowers for fresh or dried arrangements.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Renhy’ PP20,670Full sun | Zone: 4-8Height: 6-7’ | Width: 4-5’Foliage: Medium green Flower: White changing to pink/red

This amazing new Ninebark features fabulous crown jewel colored foliage in hues of orange, yellow and gold. In fall, the leaves transform to regal red and royal purple. First Editions® Amber Jubilee Ninebark was named in honor of

Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, which will be celebrated throughout 2012. This distinctly different Ninebark is hardy and easy to grow. When planted together in groups, Amber Jubilee provides a beautiful landscape backdrop. Its unique color and all-season interest make it a great accent plant as well.

Diamonds can be a gardener’s best friend, especially when they come in the form of a First Editions White Diamonds Hydrangea. This compact hydrangea paniculata features brilliant white blooms and dark green foliage. It reaches only 4 feet, making it the perfect border, mixed grouping or small hedge plant. As the blooms age they become shades of parchment and pink.

Full sun | Zone: 4-8Height: 4’ | Width: 5’Foliage: Dark green Flower: Crisp white to pink tones

Hydrangea paniculata ‘HYPMAD I’ PP19,082

WHITE DIAMONDS®

HYDRANGEA

Full sun | Zone: 2-7Height: 5-6’ | Width: 4’Foliage: Yellow, orange, greenFall Foliage: Red and purple | Flower: White

Physocarpus opulifolus ‘Jefam’ PPAFAMBER JUBILEE™ NINEBARK

First Editions® Little Devil® Ninebark packs a lot of color and texture into a small package. This compact, easy to care for shrub features beautiful, deep burgundy foliage throughout the season. If you love the look of Ninebark, but don’t have room for the large varieties, Little Devil is an excellent choice because of its smaller size. Growing only to 4 feet, it makes a great background for your flowerbed or the perfect shrub border. Best of all, it requires very little maintenance, keeping its great compact shape without pruning.

Full sun | Zone: 3-7Height: 3-4’ | Width: 3-4’Foliage: Red/purpleFlower: Creamy white

Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Donna May’ PP22,634

LITTLE DEVIL™ NINEBARK

VANILLA STRAWBERRY™

HYDRANGEA

FirstEditionsPlants.com | 19

. Colorful Spring Design Ideas

. A New Look for our Spring eMagazine Issue

. Outdoor Room Ideas for Smaller Homes

WHERE TO BUY

EndlessSummerBlooms.comFind out more at:

SEND TO A FRIENDClick the share button on the menu bar below

Click Here to Take a Quick Surveyfor a chance to win an Endless Summer® Twist-n-Shout