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Picture a sweep of hydrangea blooms rolling across a garden bed like a living carpet, standing just a foot tall and flowering from July into September. That picture is now a reality. Groundbreaker® is the world’s first ground-covering Hydrangea paniculata, and we are excited to share that it will be available to contractors and homeowners through our on-site nursery at Egan Wholesale Group for the 2027 season.
Panicle hydrangeas have long been a South Shore and Cape Cod favorite. They are tough, reliable, and loaded with cone-shaped blooms that carry color well into fall. The one thing they have never done is stay low. Groundbreaker changes that. Each plant reaches just 30 to 40 centimeters tall (roughly 12 to 16 inches) and spreads 60 to 80 centimeters wide (about 2 to 2.5 feet), creating a dense, low mound of flowers that knits together into true ground cover.
The planting formula is simple: four plants per square meter, which works out to about four plants for every 11 square feet of bed. Planted at that spacing, Groundbreaker fills in to form a continuous blanket of blooms, giving you all the drama of a hydrangea border at a height that works along walkways, in front of foundation plantings, on gentle slopes, and anywhere you want color close to the ground.
Groundbreaker® Greeny™ is the fresh, crisp option of the trio. Its rounded flower heads open in a bright lime green that pairs beautifully with silvery foliage, ornamental grasses, and purple perennials like catmint and salvia. At around 40 centimeters, it is the tallest of the three and makes a cool, modern statement along hardscape edges.
Groundbreaker® Blush™ is a true color shifter. Its blooms open pure white in July and gradually deepen to a soft pink-red by September, so the planting looks a little different every week of the season. It is a lovely choice for cottage-style gardens and coastal properties where a romantic, layered look feels right at home.
Groundbreaker® Ruby™ delivers the richest color of the collection. Creamy white blooms give way to strawberry pink and deep ruby red, creating a multi-tonal display that glows in late summer light. Ruby is a showstopper at entryways, around patios, and anywhere you want guests to stop and take a second look.
Groundbreaker was bred to perform. Each variety flowers for about 100 days, from July through September, which means a long stretch of color right through the heart of the outdoor living season. It is also winter hardy to minus 30 degrees Celsius (about minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit), giving it plenty of strength to handle a South Shore or Cape Cod winter with confidence.
Care is refreshingly easy. Like other panicle hydrangeas, Groundbreaker blooms on new growth, so a quick cut back in early spring keeps it compact and full of flowers. Between February and April, trim the shoots back to about 20 centimeters (roughly 8 inches), and the plant will reward you with a fresh flush of growth and blooms
We are thrilled to be bringing Groundbreaker to the South Shore and Cape Cod. Stop by Egan Wholesale Group to see these varieties in person, talk with our nursery team about the right fit for your project, and plan your planting. Contractors can reach out to our nursery team for availability and quantities, and homeowners who would love a professionally designed planting can connect with our design team to bring a Groundbreaker carpet of color to their property.
Ready to cover the ground with flowers? Contact Egan Wholesale Group today to learn more about Groundbreaker availability.
Groundbreaker comes from Alex Schoemaker, a sixth-generation family nursery in Boskoop, the Netherlands, that focuses exclusively on breeding and growing Hydrangea paniculata. Their varieties are introduced worldwide under the Living Creations® brand, and each new plant goes through roughly a decade of testing before it reaches the market. That process includes time in their test center, which they describe as a bootcamp for hydrangeas, where new selections face tough weather conditions before they are ever released. The result is a plant you can count on for strong stems, vivid color, and dependable performance year after year.
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Sources
Hydrangea Groundbreaker®. “The World’s First Ground Cover Paniculata Hydrangea.” Living Creations BV. Accessed October 1, 2026. https://www.hydrangea-groundbreaker.com/en/
Alex Schoemaker. “About Alex Schoemaker.” Alex Schoemaker / Living Creations®. Accessed October 1, 2026. https://alexschoemaker.com/
House Digest. “Say Goodbye To Traditional Mulch: The New Hydrangea Variety That Can Help Suppress Weeds.” Accessed October 1, 2026. https://www.housedigest.com/2242828/say-goodbye-to-traditional-mulch-new-groundbreaker-hydrangea-suppress-weeds/
Product specifications also drawn from Groundbreaker® retail banner materials provided by Alex Schoemaker / Living Creations BV.
Image Credit
Photos courtesy of Alex Schoemaker / Living Creations® BV.
Trademark Notice
Groundbreaker® and Living Creations® are registered trademarks of Living Creations BV. Groundbreaker® Greeny™ (‘LC NO24’ PBR), Groundbreaker® Blush™ (‘LC NO21’ PBR), and Groundbreaker® Ruby™ (‘LC NO27′ PBRAF) are trademarks of Living Creations BV and are protected by plant breeders’ rights. Egan Wholesale Group is an independent retailer and is not affiliated with Living Creations BV.
