This shrub is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.

• Position: full sun or partial shade
• Soil: moist, well-drained, moderately fertile, humus-rich soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: June to September
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  A profusion of blooms, which unlike other hydrangeas, form along the length of the stems. The flowerheads themselves start cream, turning blue when fully open under acidic soil conditions. Compact and spreading, ‘French Bolero Blue’ is well-suited to light shade and will cascade from a suitably large pot. The flowers are large, changing colour dependant on the acidity of the soil, and may arrive with pink or pinkish tones in our neutral to mildly acidic compost.
  
  Hydrangeas give their best blue flowers on acidic soils with a pH of 5.5. When grown on neutral soil or arriving in our mildly acidic mix, the flowers will predominantly be pink, although you may also get blue or mauve blooms. If you want to make sure that your hydrangea has blue-toned flowers, you will need to make sure your pH does not creep above 6.5. To lower the pH on neutral soil, you can treat it annually with a hydrangea flower colourant containing aluminium salts.
  
  
• Garden care: Hydrangeas do not like to dry out. In dry weather, soak the roots with a hose and the plant will usually recover. Remove faded flowerheads in spring after the danger of frosts, cutting back the flowered stems to a strong pair of buds. Take out misplaced or diseased shoots. Mulch young plants with a well-rotted manure or compost in spring. Once established, remove a quarter to a third of the shoots to the base of the plant.