I’m Dreaming of Hydrangeas this Mother’s Day
It all started with my Grandmother and my Mom
Hydrangeas are my favorite flower. They make me smile and remind me of hot, lazy summers by the Jersey shore where I grew up.
I always think of my grandmother whenever I see hydrangeas. She carefully cultivated the exuberant blue mop heads trailing along her white fence in front of her house by the bay. They were always a spectacular sight.
As a little girl, I told myself that I would always plant some hydrangeas in front of my house just like my grandma. (Alas, I have tried, but I don’t have the green thumb or the patience my grandmother did.)
When we moved to Southern California in the 70’s, my Mom, Bunny, brought a little piece of Jersey with us as she transplanted some cuttings from my Grandma Sue’s beautiful hydrangeas. They grew pink here in California, because of the alkaline soil.
The traveling hydrangeas thrived in California and after 52 years they bloom gloriously each summer. I take pictures of them each year and am amazed at their beauty and longevity (you can see them for yourself in my picture above).
I always liked saying the word Hydrangea. It’s a fitting name for such a majestic flower. The name comes from the Greek words hydra (water) and angeio (vessel), referring to the plant’s need for lots of water.
And the symbolic meanings of Hydrangeas are interesting too.
Blue hydrangeas mean understanding and support
Pink ones mean gratitude and true feelings.
Both of these meanings are appropriate when I think of the two most important women in my life and how they helped me become the woman I am today.
Final Thoughts
I know I’m not alone in my love for all things Hydrangea.
As Mother’s Day approaches all the grocery stores are bursting with blue, pink, purple and white Hydrangeas and I always buy one for myself to enjoy in remembrance of my grandmother and mom.
Key Message: They bring back good memories of happy days gone by and the abundance of summer and the love and devotion of mom’s everywhere.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Linda Locke is a writer and mentor/teacher. She lives in Southern California in Ventura County by the coast with her husband and lots and lots of books.
If you liked this story and want to see more of my work, follow me here. If you’d like to receive an email when I publish a new story, you can subscribe here.
Want to get unlimited access to all the stories on Medium and get paid for writing? You can become a Member for only $5 a month here. I get a small commission for your referral.
