Midsummer is the time for hydrangea, such as this scene Thursday morning on Lorraine Avenue in Hometown. According to legend, a Japanese emperor felt guilty after spending too much time devoted to business rather than with the girl he loved, so he presented a bouquet of hydrangea to her family as an apology. Hydrangeas, which produce spectacular flowers but very few seeds, can be found in pink, blue, purple and green, and have become a July favorite in our area. DONALD R. SERFASS/TIMES NEWS