Where to Buy Limelight Hydrangea Plants for Your Garden

With its large, showy blooms that change color throughout the season, the limelight hydrangea has become a hugely popular flowering shrub. If you’re looking to add one of these beauties to your own garden, you may be wondering – where can I buy a limelight hydrangea plant?

Thankfully, you have several options for purchasing this stunning hydrangea variety. In this article, we’ll overview your choices for where to find limelight hydrangea plants for sale and provide tips for selecting healthy specimens.

Online Nurseries Offer Convenience

One of the easiest ways to buy a limelight hydrangea is through an online nursery or garden center. Purchasing plants online provides a huge amount of convenience – you can shop from the comfort of home and have your hydrangeas delivered directly to your door.

Some top online retailers for buying limelight hydrangea plants include

• Wilson Bros Gardens: This nursery offers limelight hydrangeas in 3 gallon pots and provides free shipping on all orders. Their plants arrive fully rooted and ready to plant.

• Proven Winners: You can purchase 1 gallon or quart sized limelight hydrangeas through the Proven Winners Direct online store. They also ship plants quickly with guaranteed healthy arrival.

• Nature Hills Nursery: This retailer sells these hydrangeas in 2 gallon pots and provides free shipping on orders over $99.

When ordering limelight hydrangeas online be sure to check the retailer’s warranty and guarantee policies. Many stand behind their plants with generous replacement policies if anything goes wrong.

Local Nurseries Offer Selection

Another option for buying limelight hydrangeas is to shop at a local nursery or garden center. Visiting a store in person allows you to see and select specific plants.

The benefit of buying from a local nursery is that you can hand pick the exact plant or plants you want. Inspect the hydrangeas for:

• Healthy, green leaves with no discoloration
• Strong, upright stems
• Well-established root system

Additionally, purchasing locally means you won’t have to worry about shipping damage. And you can get your hydrangeas home and into the ground sooner.

The main downside is that selection may be more limited based on your area and what is currently in stock. Be sure to call ahead to confirm availability if you’re looking for a specific size.

Ordering Bare Root Plants is Cost Effective

Many gardeners opt to purchase bare root limelight hydrangeas in early spring. Going this route can save money compared to buying containerized plants.

Retailers like Gurney’s, Michigan Bulb Company, and Spring Hill Nursery all offer bare root options. The hydrangeas arrive dormant, with the roots packed in peat moss or wood shavings.

While more economical, bare root plants require extra care. Be sure to plant them as soon as possible after receiving and water well.

This option works best if you order early in spring and can get them in the ground before hot weather hits. The plants need time to establish roots before dealing with summer heat.

Selecting Healthy Limelight Hydrangea Plants

Whether you buy online, locally, or bare root, inspect plants carefully before purchasing. Look for limelight hydrangeas with:

• A balanced form without excessive floppiness or legginess. Avoid top heavy plants.
• Clean foliage free of spots, discoloration, or signs of disease.
• Strong stems that stand upright. Weak, thin stems may signal root problems.
• A well-established root system (for container plants). Roots should fill out the pot.
• Moist soil that isn’t dried out completely. Very dry plants were likely stressed.
• Flowers present on the plant if buying later in the season. Blooms indicate maturity and good health.

Take time selecting plants carefully to find the healthiest specimens that will establish quickly in your garden.

When to Buy Limelight Hydrangea Plants

Timing your purchase correctly helps ensure success:

• Spring: The best time to buy and plant hydrangeas is in early to mid spring, after the threat of frost has passed. Container plants should be available at most garden retailers. Bare root options are only available in spring.

• Summer: It’s still possible to plant hydrangeas in early and mid summer. Just be prepared to water consistently, especially with new plantings. Containerized plants from nurseries are best for summer planting.

• Fall: Planting hydrangeas in fall can work well, especially when soil temperatures are still warm. Look for plants that will have time to establish roots before winter dormancy. Provide winter protection for new plantings.

Avoid purchasing or planting limelight hydrangeas late in fall. The plants need time to settle in before extreme cold sets in.

Caring for Newly Planted Limelight Hydrangeas

Once you get your new limelight hydrangeas home, proper care is key:

• Water thoroughly at planting and 2-3 times per week afterward, providing about an inch of water each time. More is needed in extreme heat.

• Add a layer of mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Leave space between mulch and stems.

• Stake large plants for extra support if needed while new roots establish.

• Fertilize a few weeks after planting with a balanced plant food.

• Prune only dead or damaged branches at planting time. Otherwise leave plants alone the first year.

With proper selection, planting, and care, your new limelight hydrangeas will thrive and produce their signature flowers within their first year in the garden.

Finding the Perfect Limelight Hydrangeas for Your Garden

Limelight hydrangea provides some of the showiest blooms of any flowering shrub. With its large, bold flowers in shades of green, pink, and burgundy, it makes a striking statement in borders, flower beds, containers, and more.

We’ve covered the top places to find healthy hydrangeas for sale, along with tips for selecting and caring for these beauties.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to add some limelight to your outdoor space! With the right plant or plants, you’ll be enjoying these elegant blooms beautifying your garden for years to come.