Growing hydrangea aspera 'villosa' in a pot

Hydrangea aspera 'Villosa' is well suited to container growing — at about 4 m mature it is comfortably pot-sized. A container around 20-30 cm (8-12 in) across gives it room without leaving the compost sitting wet, which is the usual mistake when people over-pot a small plant.

Aim for a container 20-30 cm (8-12 in) across. Pot on when roots show through the drainage holes or growth slows noticeably — usually every 1-2 years for a plant this size. Move up one pot size only; jumping several sizes leaves wet compost the roots cannot reach, and that is what rots them.

Hydrangea aspera 'Villosa' needs sharp drainage, so this matters more in a pot than in the ground. Use a free-draining mix (add perlite, grit or bark to standard compost), always pick a container with drainage holes, and never let it stand in a saucer of water.

Containers dry far faster than open ground, so hydrangea aspera 'villosa' in a pot needs checking more often than the general guidance of "Keep evenly moist; water deeply every 5-7 days in dry summer spells" — especially in summer, wind, or a heated room. Check the top few centimetres with a finger rather than watering on a fixed day.