No matter your soil's pH, Let's Dance Sky View hydrangea is well worth growing for its reliable and prolonged flowering. In some regions, its big, rounded blooms will be shades of blue; in others, shades of pink. But all of Sky View's colors are lovely, and the plant's tidy habit make it easy to fit into the garden or keep in a large container.
I grow Sky View hydrangea both ways: planted in my shade garden's ground, which offers blue-inducing acidic soil; and in a large container filled with general-purpose potting mix, in which the flowers are pink.
This hydrangea blooms from both old wood and new wood (that is, growth produced in the prior year and the current year, respectively), ensuring a good show even with pruning mishaps or bud-killing winter weather.
Common name: Let's Dance Sky View bigleaf hydrangea
Botanical name: Hydrangea macrophylla x serrata 'SMNHSME'
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Flowers: Sky View hydrangea blooms on both new and old wood, putting out fresh flowers from early summer into autumn. In acidic soil (pH lower than 6.5), the florets first appear light blue with a white halo around their lime green eye. As they mature, they turn solid blue with hints of lavender. In alkaline soil (pH higher than 7.5), the flowers are soft pink with pale green accents, maturing to a deeper pink. In neutral soils the colors will likely be a mix of shades, leaning pink-purple.
Foliage: Medium green in color, the broad leaves have a puckered texture and toothed edge.
Habit: This compact hydrangea is a deciduous shrub reaching two to three feet tall and two to four feet wide, with a mounded habit.
Origin: Let's Dance Sky View was introduced by Proven Winners ColorChoice in 2023. It combines traits of two species: Hydrangea macrophylla, known for its large, mophead flowers; and H. serrata, admired for its hardiness and compact size.
How to grow it: Site Let's Dance Sky View hydrangea in full sun or part shade. It will be more tolerant of all-day sun in the North; be sure to give it at least afternoon shade in the South. Browning leaves indicate it is receiving too much sun. In my New England garden, both my potted and in-ground Sky View hydrangeas are happy and floriferous with just a few hours of direct sun.
Like all bigleaf hydrangeas, Sky View prefers regular moisture and will wilt under drought stress. Provide supplemental water if rain is scarce, and apply mulch (I use shredded leaves) to conserve soil moisture. Fertile, well-drained soil promotes the best growth.
This compact hydrangea should not need pruning, except to remove any damaged stems. It is suitable for USDA Zones 4–9.
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Image credit: Meghan Shinn/Horticulture
