Photo 1: Yes, newhomeowner2011a, you can remove the blooms from last year. Photo 2: As for which hydrangea this one is, I think the blooms are too far away to tell. Limelight is known to produce greenish blooms that eventually turn white but a few others will do similarly for shorter periods of time. The size of the blooms could be that they are just recently opening now; not sure. Can you post another picture that more clearly shows the blooms (a close up? as best as you can with your camera?). Maybe someone will be able to tell from that picture. In your zone, many people have arborescens and paniculatas. A few oakleafs will do well closer to Zone 4b-ish. And some people have been able to grow macrophyllas that rebloom (their stems normally dry out during winter in very cold regions but new stems grow from the ground and develop blooms from these). By the way, enjoy the hammock!!!!!!!!!! I have one like yours too but the wood pieces broke last Fall and now need to replace them. Grrrr. Luis

Another vote for this not being a hydrangea, the leaves are too shiny and I have never seen a hydrangea with shiny leaves and shape as the one in the photo above. It's too bad you spent so much time investigating hydrangeas. I would take the advice of carrieb above and post the photo in the Name that Plant forum or try the shrubs forum, as it very well could be a viburnum. Good luck!

#2 looks like it could be H.arborescens Bounty. Flatter heads and more clumpy shape than Annabelle. It also seems to be in a lot more sun which could account for the fuzzy detail of the picture. If I had a nickel for everytime someone on this forum thought they were getting Annabelle but later found out they didn't...... EGO is right, if at all possible, only buy Annabelle when you can see it in bloom with your own eyes!! (or any other hydrangea for that matter).....yg

Only that they are H. macrophylla mopheads. Did they not come with a label? Those purchased at plant nurseries have the variety name but the ones sold at florists and grocery stores get a cryptic and useless tag stating only "blue hydrangea", "pink hydrangea", etc. Merrit Supreme is often used but who knows. I do like the shade of blue, don't you? They appear to be happy there.