Love Hydrangea

Love, listed by the RHS as ‘Youme H1917’, is a deciduous bigleaf hydrangea with a rounded, bushy form and broad mid-green leaves. Its double, rosette-shaped flower clusters open pale green, then become pink with lime-green centers. ## Flowers and placement Bloom begins in late spring and can repeat through summer. The breeder describes flowers on both old and new wood; trials in the Netherlands recorded a long flowering season from early May into October. Choose partial shade in a sheltered spot, or give it sun only where the soil stays reliably moist. It grows about 1–1.5 m (3–5 ft) tall and wide and suits a flower border, patio, or container. Pink shades range from light to deeper pink; the sources do not describe the blue-to-pink shift common in many bigleaf hydrangeas. See the [RHS profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/345243/hydrangea-macrophylla-love-youme-h1917-h-d/details) and [breeder notes](https://conceptplants.com/varieties/hydrangea-macrophylla-love-h19-17). ## Maintenance Use moist but well-drained clay or loam, and keep the root zone evenly moist through hot weather. The [RHS growing guide](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/hydrangea/shrubby) recommends organic matter to help retain moisture. Avoid unnecessary hard pruning; light pruning in early spring is reported to preserve flowering on this repeat-blooming selection.