Description
I called my flower painting ‘Marcella’s Hydrangeas’ in memory of my mother Marcella. She was one of the intrepid growers of this delightful flower in Adelaide. Intrepid, because to grow them successfully she had to cover them with hessian bags and keep them watered constantly.
Hydrangea flower color changes based on the pH in soil. From white, to pink, blue and purple. So my mother regularly added various substances like egg shells, and all sorts of powders to obtain the desired colour.
To find suitable hydrangeas to paint I had to head to a far more suitable growing climate in Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens.
Hydrangea root and rhizome are used for conditions of the urinary tract, and in Japan and Korea the flower petals are used to make tea.