Any rebloomer that YOU like would be a good choice. Now is a good time to go hydrangea shopping since many small and medium size nurseries have received new stock. As long as you plant them in well draining acidic soil where they get some shade in the afternoon, any winter hardy variety will do well. One caveat - for some reason, the original ES has an unusually high degree of hardiness issues in Zone 5 in this forum. We sometimes suggest that it be winter protected in Z5 as a result. The other hydrangeas in the ES Series or the ones in the F&E Series have not had this type of problem. So if you see one locally that you like, grab it, plant it and enjoy it. Endless Summer Series: http://www.endlesssummerblooms.com/en/consumer Forever & Ever Series Website: http://www.foreverandeverplants.com/Index.aspx/GardenFavorites/Hydrangeas As always, maintain the soil moist -not wet- and expect some wilting during the summer months as the plant adjusts to your garden and gets over transplant shock. If the shrub wilts but the soil feels moist, do not water as it will recover on its own by next morning. To determine when to water, insert a finger into the soil daily to a depth of 4" and add 1 gallon of water when it feels dry or almost dry. Make a note in a wall calendar when you water it. After 1-2 weeks, review the information on the calendar. Set up the sprinkler to water 1 gallon of water on the same frequency that you manually watered (every 2/3/4/5 days). If the temperatores change 10-15 degrees and stay there, use the finger method again. It is best to water early in the mornings; water the soil, not the leaves if you can help it (minmizes the chance of developing fungal infections in the leaves). Do not bother fertilizing on year one as the potting mix will be full of those round fertilizer pellets. Next year, fertilize it with a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of compost, composted manure or cottonseed meal in June. During the rest of the growing season, feel free to add coffee grounds, liquid seaweed or liquid fish but stop all forms of fertilizers in July to make sure that the shrub goes dormant in time and that new growth does not get zapped by early frost.

Brendave - my personal opinion is don't even bother overwintering. What is the point? E.S. blooms on new wood. I have mentioned in other posts that I did an experiment last season - winter protected some E.S., did not winter protect others. The verdict? The *unprotected* E.S did better in terms of bush growth than the winter protected ones. They took a bit longer to get up and running, they died to the ground, but once they started growing - look out! In contrast, the winter protected ones did not die to the ground, and the leaf growth that came out got nipped by cold weather, and that set the plants back. They still bloomed, and I'd peg blooming about the same number of blooms, give or take a few. So why bother winter protecting when you have a plant that *does* produce plenty of new blooms on new wood? My opinion is - and I'm sorry if I ruffle some feathers here, but I've said it in other posts and it bears repeating - some folks are disappointed in their Endless Summer because they are expecting instant results. Bushes - any bush - take time to get established and reach full size and full blooming potential. BE PATIENT!!! You all will be rewarded when you Endless Summers get established. Keep in mind the rule of thumb for bush establishment is three years. Some may establish sooner, of course, perhaps after two full seasons in teh ground. Don't expect jaw-dropping displays before three full seasons in the ground. And, hey, if you do get the displays that everyone oooohs and aahhhs over before then, well, then - enjoy! :)

I planted some ES hydrangeas this spring as well and some of them have already run their course as well for me. Pictures are always a good thing when describing what youre talking about on here so if you have the capability to take photos please do so. As for removing spent flowers you certainly are able to do so and it will promote new buds to form. Leave the white/light green flowers alone but ones which are brown you can deadhead. You can cut from where the blossom was down to the first pair of leaves you see. Good luck!

During this time of the year, if you removed all of the old soil when you repotted them, then they are in total shock and could completely defoliate. What kind of fertilizer did you use and how much? It is not a good idea to mix granulated fertilizer with the potting mix, if it comes in contact with the roots, it will burn them, best to wait a week or so after potting and after watering the plant, fertilize with a water soluble type, at about ¼ to ½ strength, repeating the proceedure after 2 weeks. I use MG 15-30-15, but any recommended formulation is fine. The less you use, the better. I've never used the wicking method to draw moisture from a reservoir underneath (and seperated) from the pot, but I suppose it would insure that some moisture is available to the plant at all times, assuming the reservoir is replenished when the water level becomes low. Wish I could be more reassuring about your ES, but Hydrangeas, and macrophylla's in particular, do not respond well to root disturbance, while in full foliage and in the middle of summer. In the venacular, the pump lost it's prime and no moisture is being elevated to the foliage until it can be reestablished, irrespective of how often you water the plant. Only the plant will determine when that will happen. I wish you the best! Rb