Hydrangea, Annabelle Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle')

 It's all about the flowers with this stunning performer. Mammoth blooms of up to one foot in diameter last from June to September and actually get larger as the season progresses on this old fashioned, durable favorite. 'Annabelle' was discovered in one lucky garden in Anna, Illinois, and for flower size, duration and durability this arborescens eclipses all others. In fact, the blooms are so colossal that the stems may not always be up to the task of supporting them so it's best to plant 'Annabelle' en masse for support or to add a support cage and to prune less vigorously to encourage stronger stems. 'Annabelle' thrives in almost any well-drained garden soil and will grow and flower well in full sun or partial shade. Make sure you cut some blooms for drying, too!