Gardening: What you need to know about hydrangeas

There are many misconceptions about the hydrangea, starting with its name. It is widely assumed that this name expresses a need for more moisture or hydration than the average plant. But this assumption is incorrect. Although the first part of the word (hydr-) does refer to water, the second part (-angea) is derived from a Greek word for vessel. Taken together, the two parts of the word refer to the shape of the flower buds before they open, a shape similar to that of an ancient receptacle used