As a Gardens Editor, this is the beautiful shrub I recommend to anyone with a damp garden – it thrives in wet, clay soil, and it's really low-maintenance

UK winters are notably cold and damp, and many plants aren't fans of those conditions. There is one shrub that will take it on the chin, though: the humble hydrangea.

If you’re looking for shrubs that thrive in wet soils, are low-maintenance and put on a beautiful show of blooms every year, hydrangeas are a no-brainer. The shrub in my garden border has been a loyal staple for years – and so many hydrangea varieties are perfectly adapted to our wet winters.

Here’s why hydrangeas might be the ideal candidate for the more challenging spots in your garden (especially at this time of the year!).

Believe it or not, some plants are markedly more flood-proof than others – and panicled hydrangeas are one of them. That’s not to say you should grow them in water – but they’ll survive wet, waterlogged soils during the winter months.

‘Hydrangeas are moisture-loving shrubs that reward wet weather with large, vibrant flower heads,’ says Nick Wood, flower and plant expert at GardeningExpress.co.uk. 'They can handle rainfall well and bring a burst of colour to damp gardens.’

Hydrangea paniculata 'Vanille Fraise', available from Thompson & Morgan, produces fluffy white blooms that turn raspberry pink as they mature. It’s a brilliant choice for gardens that are prone to wetter soils.

Plus, when it comes to finding the best place to plant a hydrangea, you don’t have to overlook heavier soils like you would with other plants. It's a shrub that thrives in clay soil, which is often rich in nutrients and holds plenty of moisture.

‘Choose plant varieties like hydrangeas that will be better suited to growing in clay soil,’ says Paul Parker, gardening expert at bulbs and perennials specialists J. Parker’s.

Clay soil and damp weather aren’t the only challenges that hydrangeas can overcome – many varieties thrive in shady spots, too. Climbing hydrangeas, for example, are one of the best climbing plants you can grow in shade, and other border varieties need partial shade in order to flower well, too.

In fact, if you’re keen to grow a climbing plant that thrives on neglect and tolerates our cold, wet winters, climbing hydrangeas are fantastic options. Like other species, they need a moist, fertile soil to establish well, and that's exactly what damp clay soil provides. You can order climbing hydrangea plants from Crocus.

What you'll need

It's the perfect time to plant hydrangeas, if the ground isn't frozen. If you've already got a shrub in your garden, there are plenty of hydrangea jobs you can do in February to keep it healthy.