The Syd and Shea McGee house renovation, affectionately known as #TheMcGeeHomeRefresh on social media, has a major wow factor thanks to a stunning hydrangea display in the front yard.
The design duo has been hard at work revamping their stunning Utah residence to a minimalist dream. Though we have yet to get an extensive look at the exterior's final results, our hearts went aflutter at the mere sight of the couple's pink panicle hydrangeas.
We love our indoor plants, truly we do, but we couldn't help but get a hankering for digging in the dirt after seeing these beautiful blooms. We asked gardeners how to make our own hydrangea heaven happen.
Syd and Shea McGee's hydrangea bush
So, where do we begin? There are plenty of varieties of hydrangeas, but there are general factors to consider when working with the floral.
"Ensure they are planted in rich, well-draining soil and positioned to receive morning sun and afternoon shade, as too much direct sunlight can scorch the leaves," says Gene Caballero, co-founder of Green Pal. "Regular watering is crucial, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged, and consider using a slow-release fertilizer designed for flowering plants."
And we're right on time: considering the florals peak around late July, gardeners recommend planting them in early spring (or the fall). But let's say you're not working with quite as much land as the McGees. For those of us who are gardening in an apartment and only have a balcony space or small garden, we can still make our own hydrangea haven a possibility, particularly if we work with dwarf or container-friendly types that can thrive in compact areas, according to Gene.
The two-gallon BloomStruck Reblooming Hydrangea Flowering Shrub from The Home Depot ($34.08/box) or the Proven Winners Bobo Panicle Hydrangea Shrub on Amazon ($40.85) are great places to start for your own home.
"If growing hydrangeas in pots, you have to be vigilant with the watering because the soil will dry out quite quickly," says horticulturist Annette Hird, founder of Easy Urban Gardens. "To ensure that your plants produce lovely large blooms consistently, feed them with a fertilizer that's high in potassium."
Other housekeeping points to consider are protecting the blooms from strong winds, which will prevent them from getting dry, experimenting with pH soil balances to play with color variations, and staying vigilant once the season wraps up.
"I usually prune my plants when flowering has finished in late fall as the plants will be dormant over winter," Annette says. "I tend to cut them back quite hard, taking each stem back to a set of leaf buds."
And yes, we have an extensive guide for deadheading hydrangeas and pruning hydrangeas, too, JSYK. While it's technically not impossible to grow these babies indoors, it's not recommended, but they do make showstoppers when cut into a bouquet.
"Generally, I like to display just a few blooms at a time as they can last for more than a week indoors in a vase filled with water," Annette says.
Gene Caballero is co-founder of Green Pal, a platform connecting customers to lawn care experts in their area throughout the United States. Given the many environments he's worked with, you can feel confident that he is well-versed in all types of floral and plant-care needs.
Annette Hird, the founder of Easy Urban Gardens, is a horticulturist and an urban gardening expert. She has worked as a professional propagator and managed, maintained, and improved many urban and rural gardens. She enjoys growing her own fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers as well as many different types of ornamental plants.
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Fascinated by other pink florals? Gwen Stefani's garden includes none other than the 2024 Flower of the Year, peonies. We asked experts how to make them bloom in small spaces if you're thinking about adding to your garden this year.
