Summer shrub

With their big blousy heads of blue or pink flowers, hydrangeas are a feature of summer gardens. They are well suited to that shaded part of the garden on the east or southern side of the house and are easy to grow from cuttings, which are taken in winter when the plants are dormant.

Once seen as old-fashioned and a bit nanna-ish, this shrub has had a makeover since 21st-century plant breeders began to modernise it. A visit to your local garden centre this summer will