Where are you from Oconeepotter? I live in Seneca. I was sure I asked you this on another thread but now I can't find it! Anyway not trying to be pesky...

Hi All, Mini Penny is a repeat bloomer for me in MA6b and is a softer blue than Niko Blue. I think the name Mini may fib a bit, I've read where it can get as big as Penny Mac, but maybe it take a little long to reach it's full size(?). Another great one is David Ramsey, still blue for us in our alkaline soil and with our soft water. This is a medium blue, not an electric blue that you see so often, and definitly a repeat bloomer, last year it, along with Mini Penny kept producing flowers right up until frost. I'd recommend both for a medium blue. Also Mini Penny and David Ramsey don't have any of the other lavender tones (yet anyway) that ES sometimes has. There all gorgeous!! I've yet to see All Summer Beauty in any of our local nurseries, it I do I'll just have to try one!! Donna Mini Penny I think you can see she is a softer blue, really stunning from a distance, definitly a pastel..... From HYDRANGEAS From HYDRANGEAS David Ramsey is a medium blue I don't quite think I would call it pastel, but it isn't too dark, also very beautiful from a distance..........I think I posted this one once somewhere, but here it is again...... From HYDRANGEAS My husband just loves David Ramsey....... From HYDRANGEAS

Very late to this party but since this thread has been resurrected, it might be helpful to offer some clarifications. Color intensity in bigleaf hydrangeas is almost exclusively due to genetics. Some cultivars just produce paler, lighter colored flowerheads and that will not change due to soil chemistry. Light exposure can have some bearing but generally only to fade or washout the coloring. Both ES The Original and Penny Mac are pale colored. You will never achieve a rich dark blue color with either despite soil conditions, as it is just not in their genetics. OTOH, cultivars like Mathilda Gutges or Enziandom have very intense coloring and will produce very deeply blue flowers in appropriate soil chemistry. And size is relative :-) I have seen 8' tall ES hydrangeas in my area but then dieback due to cold winters is pretty much unheard of here! There is no set magic number at which point a plant stops growing. If it continues to live it will continue to grow, barring pruning or cold damage.

Bella, you have many great varieties! I love coral charm and do tell. Well I pretty well love them all to be honest! I planted a number of itoh peonies, for some reason, as lovely as they are, they just aren’t the same as herbaceous peonies. I planted three tree peonies this year but it’s way too soon to tell what those will be like How did you find the zinnias to grow? I have several varieties I want to try! And sunflowers as well! To be honest there’s a very extensive list of ‘trials’ I am planning to conduct in the spring with seeds .. lol. Luckily I have no squirrels around here , or if they are around they certainly don’t go into my beds. I tend to plant the double type tulips, which resemble peonies. Drop dead gorgeous blooms. My faves from last year were sensual touch which is a double-fringe I think, my gosh are they ever beautiful. la belle epoque was gorgeous too! I love bringing in cut flowers into the house. I can’t wait for spring