Just wanted to mention that I DID get a lot of bloom on my two well-established Endless Summers last season. Most of the bloom was early, as Calliope said, followed by a small amount of later bloom sprinkled throughout the remaining season with some still opening late in fall. This year I got only a small amount of bloom along the brick wall side of the shrubs (as I previously posted) and NO additional bloom yet as of late August. A few branch stems do have some tiny buds. Last year I had buds in all stages of development at this time of year plus fresh opening flowers. So ES has not been a total bust for me, as macrophyllas do not generally bloom at all here (unless heavily protected or you are just plain very lucky). In an earlier home closer into the metro area I did inherit an unknown Hydrangea macrophylla that did occasionally (every 3 years or so) put out a handful of blooms for me. My ESs are on the east side of my house along the brick wall, but received no other protection and have never been fertilized, except one year when I used Aluminum sulfate (if that counts) to turn them blue. Worked pretty well.

I've had Endless Summers since they were introduced. I have had 'em in all kinds of sunlight over the years, morning sun, afternoon sun, shade. The only fertilizing I do in my entire garden is to throw some 10-10-10 on the beds in the spring. And I prune them depending on whim and time. Sometimes down to the ground and sometimes I just let them be. I think Endless Summer likes more sunshine than the normal macrophylla. I've got a grouping of ES's in morning sun and the ones that grow taller are the ones that get that little bit of hot noon sun. I have 3 that are in dappled shade all day and they bloom, too. They're probably 3 feet tall and that's the way I wanna keep 'em for the spot. They likely get a little bit of direct morning sun and maybe some afternoon sun. I've got another bunch next to a fence that would get searing afternoon sun but for the fence. They haven't been great bloomers, but they've grown tall (5-6 feet) because of competition, I think. My sister bot 3 for her pretty shady yard, on my recommendation...and nada. Totally useless. They're very pretty plants so they're worth finding the right spot. I've moved all of mine (something like 35 plants)at least 3 times so don't hesitate. They're very hardy. Good Luck!

No, I have never eaten the beans altho they are edible. Every report I see on the flavor intercepts my desire to eat them. They are supposedly very bland. Also, when you cook anything purple, it ends up being a rather muddy brown color, and that is not appetizing to me either. But, please help yourself! Hee Hee. I don't think pulling the pods will affect the bloom on these rampant blooming vines at all. I have pods all over mine. I grew the white blooming ones this year, and they really show up nicely in the evening and early morning garden. One purple showed up (from where, I don't know; perhaps a reversion or something). Bright pink MGs mixed in with it, too, so the free-standing trellis looks very nice. Want some white lablab? I'll have plenty and more. Another amazing annual plant I grew from seed is absolutely amazing, and I will definitely grow it next year. It is also a fall bloomer. Senna alata. Have you ever tried it - they call it the candlestick plant. In the pea family, so the leaves are just gorgeous. I direct sowed the seed in April, and the plants are all about 7 feet tall! Just now getting ready to bloom with those awesome yellow candelabra blooms. Very easy, drought tolerant, no fertilizer necessary, what more can you ask? Nothing eats on it (like grasshoppers or any other pest). From seed to 7 feet tall with fall blooms? Gotta have it again. Also grew senna bicapsularis, same family. It flowers earlier, and is still flowering, but the seed pods look like very thin sickles. Very attractive - grown from seed also. The purple double datura 'Black Currant Swirl' is just NOW getting ready to bloom. Love the dark green foliage with a touch of purple, and bright purple stems. Verbena bonariensis still going strong, and I love, love, love the red zinnias I planted. HUGE flowers that turn to a rustic bronzy orange as they age. I never thought about the gerbera daisies - always thought of them as a spring plant. Thanks for that info! Susan

@luis_pr Thank you so very much for the info! I have seen people plant ES on the ground in the spring and dig up and put in a pot and bring inside for the winter. For me, it is almost not possible. 1, the plants are very big now, 3 ft wide and tall, as I bought the 4 gallon ones in the spring. oh well. 2, too much trouble for me and too much shock for the plant. 3, i dont have indoor space and big enough window to give them the light to keep them happy insdie. Artificial light is too much set up again. SO after some search, i will be use the cardboard box method, i think. Here are tentative steps: please help me better this process if something wrong in the procedure lol. Zone 3/4, Edmonton 1) After tree leaves fall, collect leaves in plastic bags. 2) When ES hydrangea leaves are brown and dried, covered them with a cardboard box, fill in dried leaves. 3) Tape the top of the cardboard box, to seal. 4) Secure the bottom with rocks or garden staples. 5) Wrap the box with brown burlap. 6) Wrap again the box with black landscape fabric, to absorb warmth from the sun. 7) Sit for the winter to be over, hopefully lots of snow cover. 8) Remove protection around last spring frost, on May 15 ish. 9) If Frost come back after the fact. using white drop cloth for temporary cover. I also attached a pic of my blue ES (the original) in my yard this year. Isn't this blue out of this world!