HYDRANGEA macrophylla: Big Leaf Hydrangea

I love HYDRANGEAS, but have always thought our area is unsuitable for them.  They are natural woodland plants, that prefer dappled shade that protects them from the intense Summer sun.  They are known to be thirsty & thrive in areas where there is high humidity. Easily drought stressed, they prefer consistently moist & well drained acid soil.  

Because our area of Southern California has few of those requirements,
I was convinced it was impossible or foolhardy to even try to grown them here.  Today, on my walk with Angus, I was proven wrong.  In front of this
house are several of these lovely LACE CAP Hydrangeas growing 
beautifully.  What a nice surprise.

We are in a severe drought, here in the Western US, so it may be unwise to grown them; but seeing them brought back frond memories of Michigan, where I grew every variety I could find, even a climbing Hydrangeas.