Did you know that growing hydrangea bushes in pots is easy and an affordable way to add plants that bloom year round to your patio, deck or pool?
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Growing Hydrangea Bushes in Pots
Here’s the deal when it comes to annuals vs. perennials. While annuals are beautiful and a fabulous addition to your outdoor living space, they die after a couple months.
If you purchase the annuals small and make your own pots in early Spring, you can save money but you still are left with dead plants at the end of the season.
Hydrangea Bushes in Pots
If you invest in perennial hydrangea bushes or shrubs and plant them in pots during the Spring, they will live through the Summer “in a pot” adding gorgeous color and texture to your outdoor living space.
The best part, you can buy small hydrangea bushes for around $29-$35 which is the same cost of a hanging annual plant.
The difference, th annual plant is dead in a couple months and your investment is gone.
I always plant 4 – 6 perennial bushes or shrubs, usually hydrangeas and roses in pots each year and then in the Fall I transfer them to a flower bed so that my investment comes back every year.
Hydrangea in Pots During the Winter
Now if you are really ambitious, you can actually remove the potted hydrangea bushes from the pretty pots in the fall, transfer to a cheap plastic pot and actually “plant” the plastic potted hydrangea in the ground.
The following Spring, you can dig up the plastic potted hydrangea bush and place back in a pretty pot and you will be amazed at how the hydrangea bush will come back and be fuller and more vibrant than the previous year.
I have done this at our previous house for two seasons and after the second season, I potted it for good in a flower bed.
Growing hydrangeas in pots is a great way to save money and add lushness to your patio each year.
Best Hydrangea for Pots
I purchased 4 Cityline Vienna (Compact Bigleaf) Hydrangea Macrophylia bushes for $29.99 each and planted 2 small containers of German Ivy and White Bacopa along the sides of each hydrangea bush.
I used a sweet potting soil to ensure the pink flowers. The acidic level of the soil indicates whether you have pink or blue flower.
Southern Living has a great article on different ways to grow hydrangeas in pots if you are looking for more ideas.
These pots are from Homegoods. I have also added a few links below of some favorites that I found online.
Shop My Pool and Patio Furniture + Planters (click images below to shop)
I added the cedar ridge planters below if you wanted more of a farmhouse casual look vs. the villa style planters like I have.
Eclectic Villa Planters • Pottery Barn
Cedar Ridge Planters – Set of 2 • Pottery Barn
I feel like when I buy perennial shrubs vs annuals, I kill two birds with one stone. My investment isn’t thrown out the window at the end of the Summer and I fill my flower beds around the house.
Be sure to check out our latest indoor outdoor living space surrounded by nature that I just shared a couple days ago as well as the our front door Summer decorating tips.
Here is our patio before | makeover I shared last week. Click here to see the after full reveal with new sectional dining table combo. It’s my favorite set ever!
I have been growing hydrangea bushes in pots for years and they have never failed me! Hydrangeas are my absolute favorite flower and remind me of my great grandmother.
I was really lucky to have her in my life until I was 14 years old, similar to how my son had both his great grandparents in his life until just recently.
Susan Shipe says
Such a great idea for apartment dwellers like us!
Jessica Bruno says
Yes for sure!! When we had our camp, I did this with roses and hydrangeas and even hosta!! Then I would take them home for Fall and plant in our yard 🙂
Karen says
Great suggestion. I am in zone 7. Will the hydrangeas survive if left outside in the pots over winter?
Diana says
I live in zone 7/8 and have hydrangeas in pots. They r on my fenced patio in a bit of a microclimate. I think i would try it. Buy one at big box store in the sale area and put some water gel pellets in soil. This will help with water retention so it doesn’t dry out so fast.
U can also propagate from the plant.
Wish u good gardening
Jessica Bruno says
Thank you!!!
Densid says
Love hydrangeas and the pots by the pool! You mentioned you found them at HomeGoods. I looked yesterday, and did not see them. I also did not see your link for other similar pots.
Please let me know! Thanks so much!
Jessica Bruno says
Hi, there is a section in the post that has some suggestions . Pottery Barn has some similar but a little pricey although they do have a sale going on ! Here is my affiliate link https://shopstyle.it/l/4plx
Jane says
I always leave the IN the pots. They winter over nicely. Sometimes they need some pruning in spring (but only if anything died) You can bury the pots to the rim for the winter, or as I do, I pull the pots close to a wall facing the south side of the house and you can wrap burlap around the pots (I use fallen leaves but not if its up against the house foundation only if its a wall like a patio wall or shed) . One year I put them under a patio table and covered the table as usual. Check them once in a while to see if they need any water. NO need to buy plants the next spring (unless you want to change colors) Since your pots are very large, and cement, they might just do fine where they are but might need some wind protection.
Jessica Bruno says
Oh nice! Maybe I will try that. We are in Mass though and the winters are tough. Where do you live ? Are your winters really bad?