Nothing wrong with a dousing of epsom salts, but the leaves that are yellowing are just some of the older leaves, which would not necessarily indicate a lack of magnesium (which is in epsom salts). The salts will nonetheless keep newest growth its greenest. Have you had a recent change in rainfall? Perhaps it's been quite dry (or wet) and then the summer heat has kicked in, causing the plant to yellow it's older, more shaded leaves? I'd just focus on making sure the soil remains moist, especially if there is a thirsty maple or other large tree nearby outcompeting the hydrangea for water and nutrients.

Well, I called another couple of nurseries including Habershams, and managed to find several 3gal there. Meanwhile, I've been trying to cobble together a landscape album to share which covers the last 3-4 years of changes in our yard, including the msot recent stuff like the absolutely amazing new retention wall that Brad Longanecker (aka 'vroomp' here @ Gardenweb, I highly, highly recommend him!) built for us this past couple of weeks. Found some pictures of my last grass-removal experience from last spring and the end results, thought I would share. I am sure people in my neighborhood probably think I'm completely nuts for happily cutting out a good 60% of the grass in my yard and replacing it with veggie gardens and plants, but ... oh well :)

I was afraid of that. Not sure why I didn't believe the zone9 part of the ad, but it looks more like something that would do well in Georgia with the huge azaleas. How about other hydrangeas? I'm pining for the large round shrub with the giant white flower heads I remember from childhood.

I got one of the very first LIRs back when they were just selling cuttings of it at the Atlanta Flower Show before it was introduced. I've been real hot and cold on it. I don't think it ever really lived up to all the hype that was built up around it. Now that I've had it for a few years now though, it's actually growing on me a bit more. It is a nice plant, a good strong grower, blooms very reliably. has nice big flowers (deep blue here in GA). I have found over the years as I've done branch propagation and now have more, that the color and performance is VERY dependent on sighting and exposure. The best performing one I have is on the sidewalk off my side yard. It gets a northern exposure on a fence with no real direct sun, but high shade in a overall very bright area.