The other day we posted about Madonna’s comment — now infamous to many in the hort industry — that she “loathes hydrangeas.” Most anyone can agree it wasn’t a nice thing for her to say about a gift from a fan. However, she may have had a point — at least, according to horticulturalist Tim Wood.

On his Plant Hunter blog, he discusses the various reasons the Michigan-born material girl could have had bad experiences with the plant. According to Wood, many of the macrophylla varieties that get the most publicity, from figures such as Martha Stewart, simply aren’t suited for the Midwest climate, with its cold winters and hot summers. And if there’s one thing that makes gardeners not like gardening or a particular plant, it’s failure.

Fortunately, Madonna and her midwestern brethren need not have a negative hydrangea experience. According to Wood, there are selections on the market that will do just fine in the Midwest with proper care. Thus, our original suggestion — that someone get the True Blue girl a Hydrangeas Plus gift certificate for some True Blue hydrangeas — stands.

But don’t take our word for it — head on over to Wood’s original post. It’s a must read, including the part at the end where Wood dishes out some well-deserved punishment for the Material Girl.