Mophead hydrangeas.
Three days after the 2020 tornado ripped through Nashville, I followed its path along I-40 East toward Cookeville, Tennessee, to interview master gardener Leo McGee about the hydrangea garden he and his wife, Gloria, have spent the last thirty-six years tending. (You can read the original story here.) When presented with the stunning results of years of hard work up close, it was impossible not to be in awe of his immense knowledge and skill, especially knowing just how tricky it is to make hydrangeas thrive.
photo: ABIGAIL BOBO
Gloria and Leo McGee.
At the time, neither of us realized we were just two weeks away from a country-wide shutdown that would lead so many of us to pursue new at-home hobbies like baking and yes, gardening. One of the inspired horde, I headed to my local nursery, where I waited in a line twenty cars deep only to kill everything I bought. The hydrangeas in our yard (planted by someone with more knowledge than me) are hanging on, so ne