Hello Tia, you probably will never see that problem with mildew. It is very rare in my opinion. The Blue Heaven is very reliable for your zone. The Red is a different story. I am going on my third season with no luck. Others have said they take awhile to get established. I am giving them till next fall then they are out of here. I have the same problem with the Double Pink. I would avoid both of those from Forever and Ever. The Together is just as reliable as the Blue Heaven. Both great Hydrangeas for the North. The Peppermint is a reliable bloomer also, but I have a problem getting more blooms out of them after the first round.

Thank you for the comments. I will go with Bule Heaven or Together then (maybe one each for now). I saw your pictures of them from your other posts. They look great. Hope the ones I am getting will do great too.
Thanks again.

I have other family members who also have the Together and they all love it. My mothers is doing the best. Has many huge blooms on it already. It is a little ahead of mine. Hers also got a little taller than they said it would get. Here is a picture of mine this year so far.

They look very nice and seem to be ready for a very productive year of beautiful blooms. I took your advice and bought one each of Blue Heaven and Together, will plant them this weekend. Plus 5 ES I planted in early May so lot of watering to do. But I look forward to a yard with them bloom as good as yours.

Hopefully they will all survive and do well. The reason that I am a little concerned is that I planted two hardy hydrageas last summer, they did ok then, but this year so far lot of new branches and nice leaves, but no buds yet. Not sure if I pruned them too early (I was new at this last fall so I may have pruned them last fall when they are done with blooming). but now I know better.

Thanks for your help again. I learned so much from you and other experienced posters here.

What kind of hardy Hydrangeas are you talking about Vivian? Alot of people advertise hardy to zone 5. But that means root hardy only in zone 5. They only Macrophylla Hydrangea that will be a reliable bloomer will be a reblooming Hydrangea that blooms on old and new wood.

Both FE's will start to produce right away next year. The ES sometimes take a few years to settle in, then they do great. It seems like some ES's like to grow for a year or 2 before they start putting on alot of flowers. Blushing Brides are the most reliable bloomer in my yard and always are the first to bloom. I have never had any dieback on them. Simply amazing compared to the rest of my Hydrangeas after a bad winter.

Hi, unfortunately I did not keep the original tag. all I remembered on the label was hardy hydragea, and i am pretty sure it did not specify anything else and I know they are not ES or FE. Anyway I will be careful this winter and next spring and see what happens.

Thanks again. Planted the two FEs last night. It is close to 90 today but will keep them well watered.

Yea they sound root hardy only. I can almost guarantee it. You will have to winter protect them to get them to flower. I tie my canes up, double burlap and stuff with leaves and do fairly well.