Plant of the Moment: Hydrangea macrophylla – Hydrangea. The shrub next to the veranda in the backyard gardens is having a stellar season, with large clusters of flowers that seem to make an “oldfashioned” statement. In the early 1900s, immigrants to California planted hydrangeas in the shade of their Southern California homes. This was copied by the Bixbys, who planted them outside their breakfast room in the 1930s. Rancho Los Cerritos replicated that pattern when that garden space was restored in the 1990s. Make a reservation to walk the grounds soon. You just might find more hydrangeas in bloom near the camellias as the summer heats up.
