What is the most durable shrub?
First up: One of the garden’s most resilient shrubs, hydrangeas offer bountiful flowers (perfect for cutting) on sturdy stems and tolerate a variety of soils, as with this beauty (pictured), ‘Let’s Dance Rhapsody Blue,’ a reblooming bigleaf hydrangea with a compact habit. Out of the five most common hydrangeas – panicle, smooth, oakleaf, bigleaf, and mountain – you’ll have the best luck with panicle hydrangeas. They are the most sun tolerant.In the western U. S. California lilac is one of the best hydrangea alternatives. It loves full sun and well-draining soil, and has both evergreen and deciduous varieties. There are many different species, so check your local native plant nursery for their recommendations.