I love my fire and Ice. It needs at least 6 hours of full sun. Moist soil for all Hydrangeas. I am a designer and went to school for this 3 1/2years pt. Time. Mine does turn a beautiful fushcia in the fall every year. Maybe some that dont were miss marked. That can happen.

Thanks Steve, Judy, Ken, Melissa, Phil & Manyhosta! You saved me a lot of grief by telling me about Fire 'n Ice". No, I hate wasting my hard earned money on plants that "look" great but then turn out to be divas....I had just returned a gorgeous blue hydrangea to that same nursery that looked awesome in the pot (and the acid-type food needed to keep it blooming blue) because I read a few hours later on the Hydrangea forum that this cultivar was more hype than anything else in most people's experience. I went back today and bought a Minuteman nicely grown in a big pot. I doubt I'll become a huge hosta buyer, as I only have so much part-shade where I live. Most of our gardens are in full sun in the back yard. We used to have 65 rose bushes...now we're down to like 32 and I am going to start giving some away....just don't have the energy to deal with them the way we did 10 years ago! We also have a lot of different kinds of lilies, iris, daylilies and other perennials. I DID take another look at Patriot, Paul's Glory, Francee (?), Halcyon, Blue Mouse Ears, Aureomarginata, Stained Glass and a few others. I WANTED to like Stained Glass (because I love stained glass, and I paint in watercolor too, which reminds me of stained glass) but I just couldn't figure out what the big deal was with it? I didn't like the wrinkled or wavy look to some of the leaves...kind of looked like they were "buckling" or something wrong with them....but both pots had that look. Just looked kind of "wrong!" Do all the Stained Glass hostas have that kinda wavy look? Just turned me off for some reason. As far as solid hostas, with the limited part-shade space I have, I will use other solid plants (heucheras, etc.)to kinda mix it up. Maybe in the future I'll see a solid that bowls me over (in person!) Thanks again!! You're the best!! :0) Phyl

If you llke the "Fire and Ice" concept and have a sun to partial sun 4' space consider the macrophylla 'Wedding Gown'. Missed or barely mentioned in most descriptions the red fall color phase can be astounding on this considered a "white flowered" beauty! You could call it "Burgandy and Ice", "White Surprize", or ''Snow White Becomes Evil Queen"? Being a rebloomer I think many people trim it to get more white flowers and don't even know it has a fire phase too. Spring / Summer Phase Fall Phase

I would give it at least 10’. Plant tags often give an optimistically small size, often a 5 year size. Not a single one of my panicled hydrangeas has ended up at the smaller end of the size ranges given. I think I am in fairly ideal growing conditions for panicled hydrangeas, and my soil is similar to yours, sandy and acidic. I have a Fire and Ice, but it is in a garden that I have not been in for three seasons due to several serious family health issues keeping me otherwise occupied. However, life has finally settled some and I am now slowly getting the gardens back in line, so I will see if it has survived the total neglect. Based on my other paniculatas, it is likely fine.