It may help if you retook the picture with a closer exposure. I could not tell the shape of the leaves to see if they are hydrangea leaves. The purplish or bluish-pinkish color of the blooms, if that is what it truly is, may be a mophead (Hydrangea macrophylla). The bottom blooms are old spent blooms that turn brown. But if that is another color, forgive me; I must be wearing my glasses upside down again.

:o)

I agree with Luis - they could be hydrangeas but the photo is taken from too far away to be sure. However, "cutting back to a foot" would not be a normal practice for these shrubs in fall/winter, especially by a landscape company that should know better :-)