The inaugural Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival, a ten-day summer celebration of hydrangeas—which in July grace many a lawn and garden from Sandwich to Provincetown—will culminate on Sunday, July 19th, with a presentation and a tea at a private home on Penzance Point in Woods Hole. Marcia Chapman, knowledgeable Nursery Manager at Soares Flower Garden Nursery in East Falmouth, will give a talk to benefit the Woods Hole Public Library at 3 pm, covering all things hydrangea.
Ms. Chapman, who has a BS in plant and soil science, is a Certified Horticulturist, but credits her forty-plus years in horticulture for having taught her the most. Wide travel and personal gardening experience enhance her already deep knowledge of plants, gardening, and design. She describes herself as a home gardener—“sometimes keen, sometimes rabid”—who discovered her passion for cultivating flowers as a teenager and who has been gardening on the Cape for 31 years. Gardening enthusiasts recognize her as the author of the informative Soares newsletter, the Nursery Manager, and their go-to person for great advice.
Her talk on July 19th will cover various topics, among them choosing and cultivating the major types and new varieties of hydrangeas. It will include information on compact and re-blooming varieties, which she says are especially desirable, as well as pruning, care and feeding, winter protection, and how to change coloration. Marcia Chapman’s illustrated talk will be followed by a tea, featuring a delightful selection of elegant finger foods, some horticulturally inspired.
This summer’s Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival will include tours of private gardens organized by local nonprofits and museums, along with special hydrangea-themed events and promotions. Seating for Marcia Chapman’s talk is limited, and interested individuals are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance.
Ms. Chapman will provide a complementary potted hydrangea for each attendee. Tickets are $30, and can be purchased on-line or at the Woods Hole Public Library, Eight Cousins Book Store, or the Bank of Woods Hole.
For more information, call the Woods Hole Public Library at 508-548-8961.
