10 Hydrangea and Zinnia Garden Pairings You Never Thought Of

8. Ruby Red Hydrangeas with White Zinnias

A lush hydrangea and zinnia garden borders a concrete walkway, featuring clusters of white and red hydrangeas as the focal point. Creamy white zinnias are scattered throughout, complemented by pink blooms. The well-maintained flower bed contrasts with the light beige path, while a grassy area and distant trees create a serene backdrop on this sunny day.

Let me tell you about one of my absolute favorite garden combinations that I stumbled upon completely by accident! I was trying to create a patriotic-themed garden bed for a community project, and what started as a happy accident turned into one of my most requested garden designs.

The Perfect Patriotic Pairing

The ‘Ruby Slippers’ hydrangea is truly a showstopper on its own, but when you pair it with the pure white blooms of ‘Polar Bear’ zinnias, something magical happens. I’ll never forget the first time I saw these two varieties blooming together in my test garden – it was like watching fireworks in slow motion!

The key to success with this combination is timing. Ruby Slippers starts blooming in early summer with white flowers that gradually transform into deep ruby red by mid-summer. I’ve found that if you plant your Polar Bear zinnias about 4-6 weeks before your last frost date, they’ll be in full bloom just as the hydrangeas are reaching their deepest red color.

Heat Tolerance Secrets

Here’s something most gardening books won’t tell you – both these varieties can be surprisingly heat tolerant if you follow a few crucial steps:

Apply a thick layer of organic mulch (I use pine straw) around both plants
Water deeply but infrequently to encourage deep root growth
Position the hydrangeas where they get afternoon shade protection
Plant zinnias slightly closer together than recommended to create a natural cooling effect

Mastering the Deadheading Dance

I call it the “deadheading dance” because you’ll need different approaches for each plant. For Ruby Slippers, I only remove spent blooms in early summer, letting the later blooms dry on the plant for winter interest. This has saved me countless hours of unnecessary pruning!

For the Polar Bear zinnias, here’s my tried-and-true strategy:

Deadhead every 3-4 days during peak bloom
Cut stems back to the first set of leaves below the spent flower
Always use clean, sharp pruners to prevent disease spread
Save a few blooms to dry for seeds (trust me, you’ll want more next year!)

Pro Tips for Success

After years of growing this combination, I’ve learned that soil preparation is absolutely crucial. The secret to getting those deep ruby tones in your hydrangeas is maintaining a soil pH around 5.5. I test my soil every spring and adjust accordingly.

For the zinnias, I’ve discovered that foliar feeding with a diluted seaweed solution every two weeks makes an incredible difference in bloom size and quantity. Who knew these gorgeous white blooms could get even better?

Want to see another stunning hydrangea and zinnia combination that will take your breath away? Our next pairing features the elegant Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea with dreamy lilac zinnias – a combination that’s been making waves in garden design circles this year. Click the next button below to discover how to create this Instagram-worthy garden moment!