An elegant, compact cultivar of the rough-leaved hydrangea, Hydrangea aspera Anthony Bullivant is much more suitable than the species for smaller gardens. It’s a medium-sized, deciduous shrub with a bushy, upright habit and lance-shaped, velvety, deep green leaves with reddish-purple undersides. Big, flattened heads of lacecap flowers are borne from July to September, the tiny, purplish-pink fertile florets surrounded by showy pink to mauve infertile florets. Best grown with afternoon shade or some cover from trees, rough-leaved hydrangea Anthony Bullivant holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
Site: Sheltered Soil: Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil, preferably humus-rich Position: Best in partial shade Season of interest: July to September Hardiness: Fully hardy Height: 5’ (1.5m) Spread: 5’ (1.5m)
