Hmmm? I'm not nuts about mine but it has performed very well, with only an occasional watering. BTW, I don't bother acidifying my basic, limestone-derived soil. I much prefer the pinkish shade to that garish blue of the acidified item. I usually like blue flowers, but that repulsed me.

+oM

wouldnt be surprised... if in a few years.. you run across it thriving.. lol ...

yeah.. lifes to short to be irritated by under-performers ...

congrats...

ken

Move on. Endless Summer has been the plant of Endless Disappointment at least here in Iowa. They might decide to throw up two flowers towards the tail end of the season but otherwise are simply a foliage plant that dies back to the ground every winter. This is the first year we've used Bloomstruck so curious to see if they fare any better.

I would have at least planted it at the edge of the woods rather than chucking it. Mine tolerates munching and tunneling by voles, being killed to the ground every year, and still blooms at least some, and sometimes lots. I do nothing for it other than having planted it in a well-prepared bed.

There is no plant called Endless Summer, Endless Summer is a marketing concept used by Bailey nursery. The common introduction is [The Original] = 'Bailmer' - as was partly indicated in the OP. I have found it to be on the thirsty side, the individual flower heads don't seem to remain in color very long either. I've also found [Twist 'n' Shout] - one of multiple other Endless Summer hydrangeas that have come on the general market - to be fussy under my conditions. In fact the way it acts here I have wondered if it has a chronic water mold infestation, that doesn't take it out but keeps it stunted and drought prone.

Actually......if one wants to get picky about it and apparently that's the case here......the hydrangea cultivar 'Bailmer' was originally trademarked as just Endless Summer. And is still commonly referred to that way, both by the trade and the general public. It wasn't until Baileys began introducing other 'reblooming' hydrangeas (first Blushing Bride and then Twist-n-Shout) that the Endless Summer designation got transferred to the entire series and the original plant received the tacked on trademarked subtitle The Original.

If one frequents the Hydrangea forum, you will find many references to the difficulty many have in encouraging ES to bloom, particularly in colder climates (which is what this plant was bred for). It seems to take some time to settle in and establish properly, particularly with the flower development on new growth. Generally, a lot of patience is suggested for those growing ES in colder regions or provide winter protection, as is the recommendation for any other Hydrangea macrophylla.

In my area you can find many large, well established ES blooming their heads off. In fact, I have been surprised at the size of some of the plants locally as the entire ES collection generally offers rather compact growth compared to most other Hydrangea macrophyllas. Bigleaf hydrangeas are by nature thirsty plants ('hydrangea' is Greek for 'water vessel'), so that shouldn't come as any surprise, specially if they are planted in a lot of sun.

If one is growing bigleaf hydrangeas in a moderately mild climate (zone 7 or above) there shouldn't be any issues about any of the ES collection blooming readily and freely. Unless one is just not providing the correct conditions for these shrubs to thrive. In colder zones, if one doesn't want to go through the bother of providing winter protection, there are other 'reblooming' (those that bloom on both old and new growth) hydrangeas that seem to be more reliable - Forever and Ever series, Let's Dance series, Tuff Stuff, etc. ES was just the first of these to hit the market.

And is still commonly referred to that way, both by the trade and the general public.

Which is why I bring it up, as clarification is clearly needed.

you will find many references to the difficulty many have in encouraging
ES to bloom, particularly in colder climates (which is what this plant
was bred for)

The story I am familiar with is that Dirr was visiting Bailey and spotted a single pot of this perhaps undocumented plant in a collection of hydrangeas that the nursery had assembled - and that became the basis for the new (renamed?) cultivar. It stood out because it was still blooming after most or all of the other kinds had gone over. The claim that arose in time for the marketing of the new(?) introduction was that because it bloomed on first year shoots it could be gotten to bloom in climates where the cold killed overwintering flower buds of hydrangeas, with the implication being that most other bigleaf hydrangeas do not bloom on new growth. I have seen the same pattern at outlets here, that is a tendency for 'Bailmer' to still be cranking them out among various other cultivars that had stopped blooming much. But I have not seen this feature to be unique to 'Bailmer' (or the multiple other Endless Summer introductions that have come out since this one was debuted).

Mine was purchased prior to all the other "endless" introductions....as simply 'Endless Summer'. Of course, all pedigreed plants have the longer, official name too. Not a big deal, in this context.

My 'Endless Summer'-the original item-has been decent. Flowers a lot, has some kind of great color going on for months on end. It is thirsty.

+oM

"Which is why I bring it up, as clarification is clearly needed."

Is it? I'm not at all sure any clarification IS needed. When one sees "Endless Summer" discussed on these forums or when it comes up in discussion between other gardeners, everyone knows to what they are referring. To the plant that originally carried that name, not the entire collection. It is silly and somewhat pointless in these types of discussions to go through the rigmarole of spewing out "Endless Summer - The Original" or just "The Original" (even sillier) when just plain old Endless Summer will do equally as well.

Now if one is writing an article on hydrangeas or compiling some sort of technical paper, plant list or resource, then yes, the correct botanical and/or legal name should be used. But as Tom notes above, it is the context that is important and in this context, a group understanding of the plant being communicated about is pretty much the only important qualifier, not precise accuracy of a trademarked name.

Thank you all for your comments. Bailmer was noted in my initial post.

My understanding is that MN warms up much quicker in the spring which seems to kickstart the blooming. In Southern Maine inland, this is not the case so folks around here try to use more fertilizer to help the buds on new wood develop quicker. Frost kills old growth despite winter protection. I have had no luck with blooms where I live.

Those of you in my zone or below with success, can you elaborate specifically on your experience?

Thanks

Is it? I'm not at all sure any clarification IS needed

You just composed and posted 2 paragraphs on why accurate use of terminology really doesn't matter all of the time.

Based on an assumed shared understanding, that will supposedly last as long as the thread is on view.