I have a Bella Anna that is disappointing. The Annabelle, Incrediball, and White Dome bloom and grow much better in my experience but they are white not pink as you wanted.

You don't have many to choose from - there are only two cultivars currently on the market - 'Bella Anna' and 'Invinicibelle Spirit'. Both get about the same size.

I don't grow either - don't care for the arborescens (and I'm not big on pink, either :-)) - so can't comment on which would be a better choice.

I have 'Bella Anna' and it tends to flop the stems when in bloom. I put a peony hoop around the plant now for the winter. I am not happy that the blooms flop on this plant. 'Invincibelle Spirit' I need more info on re: flopping of blooms.

My neighbor has Invincible Spirit & it's just as ugly as my Bella Anna. Bought mine because it was $3 - but I wouldn't get another one. Even for free haha...

Have you considered planting one of the H. paniculatas that turn pink early? Like H. arborescens they are totally hardy, have good-sized blooms and may work for you if you decide that the pink H. arborescens aren't an appealing color or growth habit. The H. paniculata all go through chartreuse and white first, but something like 'Little Quickfire' might fit your size needs and will spend much of the late summer through fall pink. My regular QF (too tall for your needs) starts blooming the last week in June and starts turning pink in early August. The color continues to get richer right up through frost here, usually some time in October, and it is covered with flowers that entire time, with well over half of the bloom time being some shade of pink. Another couple of possibilities which start blooming early and so spend a fair amount of time pink would be H. p. 'Dharmuma' and 'Bobo'. Both are smaller than 'Little QF'.

I would have considered an H. paniculata if that area of my garden received more sun.

Will macrophylla hydrangeas bloom well in your zone? They r much prettier than arborescens IMHO. I have lots of white arborescens though because they r reliable & bloom faithfully.

Yes, they do, I've an H. serrata 'Purple Tiers' in the corner of the yard where this dogwood is sited.

I am sooo jealous!!! Forget arborescens...I use them but I would rip them out if I could grow some like yours...

Did you see this thread which mentions 2 new types of pink H. arborescens?

Yes, Invincibelle Spirit and Bella Anna. I own Bella Anna and am not happy with the way it flops when blooms are on it.

Did you click the green text for the link? Not Invincibelle Spirit and Bella Anna, Invincibelle Ruby and Invincibelle Blush.

I think Blush's name is Incrediball Blush.

I don't have an advice on small pink H. arborescens but I'm shocked how many people complained about Bella Anna. Mine also was a huge disappointment. Bad overall form and terrible flopping. I dug out the two I got and composted them, they were so bad.

ouch $$. I would suggest trying any hydrangea for a few years (maybe 3) to see if a troublesome thing goes away once it gets older and better established. In the case of too much flopping, I would prune all the stems down and start new ones to see how that helps... if any. And if not, composting sounds good! Hee hee hee!!!!

Of interest, Bella Anna is no longer listed amongst the ES Series hydrangeas. They may have decided to drop it for whatever reason or the reason that you mentioned!!!!

I heard they are dropping ES original also. I was VERY disappointed with them.

Oh, I have not heard that but it struck me that their new Bloomstruck is somewhat close to an Endless Summer and could be competition for the Original ES. Meaning it could steal sales of one for the other. Hmmm.

If you want a shorter reddish-pink arborescens then consider Invincibelle Ruby. It is a dwarf plant and the flowers open red and change to a combination of red and pink.

^ What HE said!! :)