Hydrangea 'Sungoddess', Begonia 'Irene Nuss'
I grow ‘Sungoddess’ because I’m captivated by the beauty of its foliage, which emerges a bright lemon in spring, gradually deepening to chartreuse. Many gardeners site hydrangeas in more shade than necessary, and then wonder why they never bloom. Just remember that the more sun hydrangeas get, the more flowers they produce. It may take a few moves to find the right spot for maximum flower production without burning the foliage, but the result will be well worth the effort. I’ve paired ‘Sungoddess’ with Begonia ‘Irene Nuss’, which requires similar cultural conditions. Its leaves are as tactile as carved nephrite, with a reverse that’s suffused with plum. This dusky tone highlights the deep rose of its nascent flowers, while the black-green leaves serve as a counterpoint to the hydrangea’s chartreuse leaves and lavender-pink blossoms.