Plant follow up: 'Gatsby Moon' oakleaf hydrangea

'Gatsby Moon' oakleaf hydrangea in bloom (June 19) in the front garden.

Gardeners often have a variety of sizes to choose from when purchasing perennial shrubs for the garden. Is it best to start small, or go for one closer to full size?

Through an experiment with Proven Winners, we discovered that smaller versions catch up fairly quickly. 

The sample plants arrived in July 2018 from Proven Winners. 

The background

Two years ago, two oakleaf hydrangeas arrived at my door for testing and growing in my garden (see photo above). One was in a quart container, one was in a gallon. Both were 'Gatsby Moon' oakleaf hydrangeas, courtesy of Proven Winners. 

I provided an update last summer on how the two grew in the front garden. I was surprised by how they equaled out in size by the end of the growing season. Throughout the 2019 growing season, the plants focused on growing roots, more leaves, and getting situated in the garden — which meant no blooms. (The plants flower on "old wood.")

The 2020 report

My fingers were crossed that this would be the year for flowers. The promotional photos were so appealing that I eagerly awaited for the show to begin in my garden. 

They did not disappoint. If anything, the oakleaf hydrangeas went overboard. 

They were covered in so many blooms, beginning in mid-June and continuing through July as the flowers, starting as a light green, continued to open until they were creamy white. The branches were dripping with large panicles. (After a heavy rainstorm, I had to add some support to both plants to keep the flowers from touching the ground.) As the flowers aged, they returned to a green hue.

Here's how the flowers progressed:

The plants begin to bloom in June. (Photo taken on June 11.)

The flowers continue to open and turn a creamy shade of white (June 19).

June 24 for a photoshoot. 

Reaching peak bloom on July 3.

The flowers turn green as they age (July 11).

I left the flowers on the plant and pruned them off when they turned paper thin and brown in mid-fall. Now into November, the leaves are putting out a final show with their colorful wine-red leaves. 

Fall colors on 'Gatsby Moon' (Nov. 8).

The takeaways

In addition to the heavy bloomset, it was difficult to tell the plants apart this year. Which one originally arrived as a quart while the other was in a gallon? It didn't matter because they looked about the same. 

For instant impact, yes, larger plants make more of an immediate impact. But if you can only afford the smaller varieties, be patient. As 'Gatsby Moon' showed, a little patience goes a long way. 

Thank you to Proven Winners for supplying me with two sample oakleaf hydrangea varieties to test in my Zone 6b garden.