Re: Hydrangea

Kemberly,

I live in Zone 5b, and spend lots of time protecting plants alleged to be
Zone 7 plants [Helleborus argutifolius, for example] from not only the normal
aspects of Zone 5b, but the vagaries of winters in an El Nina [i.e., without
280 inches of snowcover to protect the plants from cold in general and wind
chill in particular.

There is a good article in the December 1999 issue of Fine Gardening on
winter protection, and lacecap hydrangea happens to be one of the plants
discussed.

The only method not pictured there is my favorite.  Home Depot, Ace Hardware
and many other places around here stock what I call "Rose cones" - Styrofoam
plant protectors usually used, in my past experience, to protect roses from
winter freezes.  The larger size costs about $2.25.  I use these on plants
small enough to fit in them.  My Helleborus groupings are now so large than I
will use some 3 inch thick Styrofoam insulation left over from house
construction here and build a rectangular container large enough to cover the
entire grouping.  I also put loosely packed straw inside to give more
insulation.

There was a lengthy discussion on this topic on Arisaema-L not long ago, and
I do have an email I received off-list from a member of Arisaema-L on what he
did to acquire "rose cones" in NY, where they are not marketed.  If you are
interested in having this email, let me know.  If there is sufficient
curiosity warranting posting it to this list, please advise.  I will obtain
permission from my correspondent to post it.

Jeanne Hannah
Traverse City, Michigan
Zone 5b [warmed by Lake Michigan, and enjoying our own little microclimate
--- they're Zone 4 in town].
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