You need to see the unusual (but practical) way Martha Stewart uses hydrangeas in her garden

It's easy to understand the enduring appeal of climbing hydrangeas. The abundant combination of foliage and white flowers is often used for covering specific areas of fences and, in some cases, the wall of a house. However, in Martha's case, they are used to cover tree trunks.

'I planted my first climbing hydrangeas on my farm to cover the trunks of the large sugar maples and spruce trees growing near the houses,' the lifestyle mogul says. 'In several years, the trunks were totally concealed, and they now look like what I envision the woodland did in William Henry Hudson's novel Green Mansions.'

This woodland setup looks effortless, but it does, in fact, result from years in the making. After learning how to grow hydrangeas (and prune hydrangeas) correctly, this plant can take up to 5 years before it produces any flowers. This was the case for Martha, who explains the timely process in her blog. 

'Five years ago, after a hurricane cleared off the tops of six enormous spruces by the entrance to my property, it occurred to me during cleanup that these "stumps" would be ideal climbing stakes. We planted one vine at the base of each,' Martha explains. 

Half a decade later, the vines are growing lushly around the stumps that are  6 to 7 feet wide and 20 feet high. 'All year long, they just look like huge shrubs.' And, of course, the result is beautiful.

We can't all have a yard like the one in Martha's Bedford farm, but these plants have their place (and they have a function) in homes of all sizes – as our gardening expert, Holly Crossley, explains.

Holly Crossley

Holly is a former allotment keeper and professional gardener. She now spends her time tending to her many houseplants, painting her favorite flowers, and writing about gardens and outdoor living for Homes & Gardens.

'Hydrangeas are a brilliant shrub for a garden – they provide masses of blooms, they're easy to look after, and most will thrive in shadier spots,' Holly says.

'From climbing plants, such as these climbing hydrangeas at Fast Growing trees, to the classic pink or blue mopheads, like these mopheads at Perfect Plants, there are many types to choose from and one to suit every outdoor space. You can even grow compact varieties in pots.'

Plus, if you have a small garden or live in an urban setting without a green space, Holly says that you can bring their beauty inside. 'The blooms are excellent cut flowers and look just as beautiful when dried for ever-lasting displays,' she says.

'I have a glass vase of dried mopheads on a shelf in my apartment – I've had it for over a year now, and it still looks gorgeous!' We think they'd pair particularly well alongside these Amazon picks, designed by Martha, naturally.