President’s Letter – Spring 2026
Welcome spring! Hopefully, as you read this in mid-April, our weather has settled a bit into a more predictable pattern of warm sunshine and frequent rain showers. One can hope! As I write this in early March, we are experiencing some yo-yo weather, some almost summer-like temperatures followed by a polar vortex freeze. Sadly, this seems to be the new normal for us intrepid gardeners. This has me thinking about changing my garden investment strategy as I move into the future. Maybe even making some plans to diversify my holdings. My husband Bill and I have been having conversations around planning for our retirement, which is why the lingo is top of mind for me. I see some parallels, though. Creating a garden really is like a type of investment, one in future beauty and a source of pride and enjoyment for the garden creator/owner.
So, what will garden diversification look like for a hydrangea lover? An increased reliance on Hydrangea arborescens and Hydrangea paniculata for sure, as both these species bloom on new wood and won’t be fazed by late freezes. A renewed appreciation for the native oakleafs, Hydrangea quercifolia, the envy of many an international gardener. And maybe an insistence that all new Hydrangea macrophyllas are of the remontant or re-blooming breeding. A wise garden investor might also look to other gardens to see what performs well under challenging conditions. Both public gardens, such as the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the J.C. Raulston Arboretum, and the National Arboretum, and privately owned gardens are invaluable resources for helping discern which plants to grow.
I look forward to hearing from Dr. Richard Olsen, of the National Arboretum, when he speaks to AHS at our April meeting. I’ve no doubt that he will enlighten us all about the science behind hydrangea introductions as well as give us an overview of the NA’s role in plant research. The AHS Spring meeting will be Monday, April 27 at the Woodruff Auditorium in McElreath Hall on the campus of the Atlanta History Center.
Our American Hydrangea Society Annual Garden Tour, of course, is the absolute best place to find both garden inspiration and examples of plants that can turn out to be good garden investments. The gardens on this year’s tour are all so unique that there is sure to be plenty of wonderful ideas to go around. Remember, we have now moved the tour to the first Saturday in June, this year’s tour will be on June 6, 2026. The entire AHS board is deeply grateful to the members who have offered their gardens for this tour. Their investment of blood, sweat, and tears will be appreciated by all who visit!
With dirty hands and a grateful heart,
Jennifer Petritz
AHS President
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