Hydrangeas are available from late spring through to late autumn and in every colour you could dream of. These large headed blooms may not be the cheapest of flowers to buy but their impact and size actually makes them a good value stem to use for everything you could possibly wish for. They work beautifully in so many ways from mono wedding bouquets to statement arrangements or simple single stems in bud vases.

Most varieties originate from Asia and their colour will change depending on the ph content of your soil. From soft pastels and whites in late spring, by autumn, they reach their best in tawny, burnt colours that depict the season perfectly in mood an tone.

As their name suggests, they love hydration and will take on water from their stem as well as through their flowers. The best way to care for them is to cut the stem on a sharp angle with a split up into the stem. Should the flower droop quite quickly, dip the stem and/or the head into boiling water for one minute, then into cold for a second minute. It sounds like torture but this method can save your blooms and give them the best chance of coming back to life.