I just bought 2 at our Lowes in Lake in the Hills. I called over there several times and each time they said they were going to get it, but didn't. Anyway, like I said, they just got their shipment in last week. Good luck. I hope you find them!

Thanks, bellarosa! Now, did you get the Double Pink, or the Red ones? I can't wait to get to Lowe's again!!! LOL

I recently purchased both the double pink and the red. ( I have no willpower!!) The red is blooming and the color is AWESOME!!! The blooms are just starting on the double pink. I can't wait to see what they look like. I say get em both!!! LOL

Good question! I've been on the lookout too. Bellarosa and Tam -- How were the prices? Did they cost the same as the regular F&E?

Also, has anyone seen big F&Es at Lowes? My Lowes only carries smaller ones. I'm holding out for bigger ones.

tmac, if you find the Red and Double Pink, let me know where, cos I am not too far away from you!!! I called my local Lowe's last night, they told me that "hydrangeas only come in pink or blue, and no other color".... oh dear...

Tam, where did you find your Red and Double Pink please?

The F&E I purchased at Lowes only came in one color. The label said Hydrangea Macrophylla 'Red Sensation'. I paid $14.99 for the 2 I bought. They had tons of buds and I can't wait to see them bloom! I'll have to post some pics.

Ostrich -- I will definitely let you know if I see them! I think we live so close, most of the Lowe's in our area will probably get them around the same time. I just stopped by mine today and they had more 'Early Sensation' which is the regular one, but none of the others. Glad to hear the price should be the same!

Thanks, Bellarosa! Yes, please post pics!!! I can't wait to see them!

Tmac - thank you! We will keep each other informed then! LOL! BTW, I broke down and I bought a Limelight from Gale's a couple of weeks ago! It's still in a pot. I will plant it in the bed once the weather is warmer! How's yours doing? Do you have pics please?

Hi tmac, I just came back from the Willoughby Lowe's - they now have the 3 gallon Forever & Ever Early Sensation hydrangeas for $24.98. Thought you might want to know! Anyway, I am still waiting for the Forever & Ever Red ones...

Ostrich -- thanks for the update! I'll have to keep my eyes peeled! I'm glad you picked up Limelight -- you will LOVE it! I don't have pics of it this year yet, but I can show you last year's pics. The first pic is from when I just got back from the nursery with some new plants and was planning out a new bed. The Limelight on the left is one that I bought earlier in the season and just potted up. The one on the right in the nursery pot I bought that day. Both were purchased at Gales. You can see that the one I had been babying all summer was a little more filled out. Here is that pic:

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At the end of the summer, I planted most of the plants in the above pic in ground. Everything in that bed made it through winter wonderfully! I pruned both Limelights to around 3 feet tall and cut out any stem that was thinner than a pencil. At first I was worried having done such a severe pruning, but they are happy now! They are both now fully leafed out with new strong stems growing. The Limelight I bought later in the summer is doing okay, but the one I bought earlier is going gangbusters! It is SO thick and full! The leaves are even bigger than at the end of the summer last year! I can't wait to see what it does for me. I will try to take pics soon. To tide you over, here is a bloom starting to open from last year:



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Hope to have more to share soon!

tmac, thank you so much! I remember your pics from last year - I had no idea what "Limelight" was then (I was so ignorant! LOL) but I can't wait to plant mine in the ground now. The close-up is beautiful!

I heard that Limelight is a fast and vigorous grower, so I hope that if I plant mine in the ground within the next couple of weeks, it should be very full by the end of this season!

Apart from the Forever & Ever Red that I am looking for, I also hope to find "Quick Fire" - I read that it's another new one that has red blooms on both new and old wood! I wonder if you have seen that yet?

So many plants, but so little time, so little space and so little money!!! LOL

Ostrich,
I purchased 3 'Quick Fire' hydrangeas from Garden Crossings. I just got them in the mail today. They were huge! I can't wait to plant them out. I'm thinking of adding daylilies at the base of the hydrangeas and some purple asters in between. Anyway, check out this nursery at www.gardencrossings.com. They were great to do business with even after I changed my order twice!

OMG! bellarosa, you MUST post some pics of the "Quick Fire" please!!! Pretty please!? I MUST see them!!! LOL

Let me go to Garden Crossings now... hopefully they have a good price of them!

BTW, I only have the space around my deck for 2 more hydrangeas. I would like something red and also something that would look neat and tidy around the deck. Nothing too gigantic. Do you think the Forever & Ever Red or the Quick Fire would be better for this purpose?

Ostrich,
You're too funny! The 'Quick Fire' hydrangea plants I purchased from Garden Crossings doesn't have any blooms yet. Like I said, the plant is a good size for the price. I'm hoping that this rain we've been getting over the past 5 days will pass so that I can get these babies in the ground! As soon as I get 1 bud, I'll be sure to post it!

As for which plant to add around your deck, I'm not an expert but I have read that F&E stays small and QF is a fairly large hydrangea. One is a H. Macrophylla (F&E) and the other a paniculata (QE). Both have different sun and water requirements. If you want something small and tidy, I would try F&E. Its my first year with them, but I've read that they are very hardy and stay compact. I think that QE might be too large for your deck. Have you also heard of 'Little Lamb'. This stays relatively small. Actually, I guess any of these can stay small if you prune it, right? Good luck in your gardening!

I received a Double Pink from Carroll Gardens in Maryland. It is small and hasn't formed any buds yet. It may not this year, unlike the ES I received at the same time. It is already blooming.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carrol Gardens

FYI: I just found both the F&E red and the double pink yesterday. I saw them available at Petitti's! I went to the one in Oakwood yesterday and they had a good amount of them. I'm sure all of the Petitti's probably has them. Maybe there is one by you? Brace yourself for the price though....We saw them in the same purple, small container (1 gallon I think) that Lowe's has the 'Early Sensation' ones in for....$50! Now keep in mind that all shrubs, including hydrangeas are 50% off which means that they are really $25, but still, pretty pricy. The plants themselves were pretty small also. Some had blooms forming, but none even close to being open yet. I think I will wait until Lowe's gets them in! Thought I'd let you know though!

I found this interesting - I bought 1 Forever Pink from Walmart in early March. It came in a box and had some growth, so I figured why not. Anyway, I eventually potted up the plant and now, 2 months later, the plant has bloomed. It has the most beautiful RED blooms! There's at least 5 buds, 1 of which has bloomed. I'll have to post a picture. I love the color, but am suprised that its not pink.

Thanks, tmac and bellarosa!

tmac, I have been out of town for the last few days, and I just came back home. On my way back from the airport, I stopped by Lowe's and found the 1 gallon pot of F&E RED! I thought that I must come and post this for you, only to see this post! I guess Lowe's has a better deal then, at $14.99! However, I was hoping to get a larger plant though... sigh... let me wait a little bit...

bellarosa - please post a pic! I am dying to see that red bloom!

Ostrich- I purchased my hydrangeas from the garden center where I work. The price of each was $ 13.99 for one gallon containers. I ended up buying two more because the original ones have done so well. Sorry I didn't get back sooner I have been swamped with stuff! Thanks Tam

Thanks, Tam!

How fast do these F&E Red hydrangeas grow? If they grow really fast, maybe even the one gallon ones will be OK for me...

Please let me know - thanks again!

Ostich-Both of the plants are doing really well. We have had excellent weather here in Iowa lately. I did have to water yesterday because we had no received no rain. After I watered it rained Oh well. I am happy with the gallon ones. The red one has been in the ground about a month and doing great. Tam

Tam, is the red actually red? Or is it dark pink? I can't find any locally, so I may try to order online (if I can).

Thanks!

Just to let you know people that your discussion prompted me to check my local Lowe's Garden Center and buy F&E hydrangea! Man, they sell a lot of this plant! And cheap too! I'm very happy with the plant I got, it has flower buds opening already all over. I'm going to try it and hopefully it is true to what it promised -- blooms on new wood.

I'm also interested about the double pink ones. Please let me know when Lowe's started selling it. Love you guys!

mehearty, I got 3 from Lowe's this past week - it looks more like deep pink than red to me, but I actually prefer deep pink anyway!

lerissa, did you have just the small one gallon pots at your local Lowe's too? I was hoping to get some in a 2 or 3 gallon pot, but all they had were one gallon pots...

Has anyone got theirs in a pot larger than one gallon?

TY Ostrich. =)

ostrich, yes I got the one in 1 gallon pot. But the plant has many foliage and blooms. To me, I like this size better. Easier to plant, not too big for me to handle and digging the soil would be only smaller. Hydrangeas are fast to grow in my garden so no big deal.