November Newsletter
November on the South Shore and Cape Cod is prime time for fall clean-ups, planting, plant winterization, fire pits, patios ...
Picture a sweep of hydrangea blooms rolling across a garden bed like a living carpet. Now imagine it 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. We are also excited to share that it’s coming to 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. Yet 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). It also spreads 60 to 80 centimeters wide (about 2 to 2.5 feet). As a result, it creates a dense, low mound of flowers that knits together into true ground cover.
The planting formula is simple: four plants per square meter. That works out to about four plants for every 11 square feet of bed. At that spacing, Groundbreaker fills in to form a continuous blanket of blooms. So you get all the drama of a hydrangea border at a height that fits walkways and gentle slopes. It also shines in front of foundation plantings 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. This shade pairs beautifully with silvery foliage, ornamental grasses, and purple perennials like catmint and salvia. At around 40 centimeters, it is also the tallest of the three. So it makes a cool, modern statement along hardscape edges.
Groundbreaker® Blush™ is a true color shifter. Its blooms open pure white in July. Then they gradually deepen to a soft pink-red by September. So the planting looks a little different every week of the season. It is especially lovely in cottage-style gardens and on 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 and around patios. In fact, it shines anywhere you want guests to stop and take a second look.
Groundbreaker is a true performer. Each variety flowers for about 100 days, from July through September. That 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). Because of that, it handles South Shore and Cape Cod winters 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, simply trim the shoots back to about 20 centimeters (roughly 8 inches). After that, 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 and plan your planting. Our nursery team will gladly help you find the right fit for your project. Contractors can reach out to our nursery team for availability and quantities. Homeowners can also connect with our design team to bring a Groundbreaker carpet of color to their property.
Let us know that you’re interested in adding Groundbreaker to your garden by contacting us or by visiting our nursery!
Groundbreaker comes from Alex Schoemaker, a sixth-generation family nursery in Boskoop, the Netherlands. The nursery focuses exclusively on breeding and growing Hydrangea paniculata. They introduce their varieties worldwide under the Living Creations® brand. In addition, 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 call a bootcamp for hydrangeas. There, new selections face tough weather conditions before the team ever releases them. In the end, you get a plant with strong stems, vivid color, and dependable performance year after year. 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.
