As New Englanders, we take pride in our hydrangea displays, waiting all winter for the beautiful white, periwinkle, and rosy blooms to emerge! And while there are many beautiful places to explore local hydrangea displays in and around Boston and the Cape and Islands, the Azores Islands offer a unique display of hydrangeas that draws a record 1 million visitors from around the world annually.
The Portuguese islands are just a 5-hour nonstop flight from Boston, with Azores Airlines or Air Portugal. São Miguel, one of the nine islands of the Azores, is home to the Hydrangea Highway.
Hydrangea heaven on the Hydrangea Highway
The Hydrangea Highway is a 24 kilometer (about 15 mile) stretch of volcanic rocks covered in abundant greenery. In the summer, over 70,000 hydrangeas coat the mountain base! The hydrangea colors change every year, based on the pH of the volcanic soil.
When do the hydrangeas bloom on São Miguel, Azores?
The hydrangea season generally begins in May and lasts through September, with peak bloom cited as July and August. Of course, the bloom season varies based on the weather year to year. In addition to São Miguel, Faial Island’s fertile soil allows for an abundant hydrangea bloom!
The Azores New England connection
Historians believe that the Azoreans may be responsible for New England’s abundant hydrangea population. In the 1900s over 250,000 Azoreans immigrated to Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Many of the them fishermen, the Azoreans settled along the coasts, and possibly were responsible for introducing hydrangeas to America, planting the perennials after settling!