Hi Stillwelljill - Sorry for not checking in right away - 'got a bit busy w/ grandkids. I'll be glad to let you know how quickly QF changes outfit ... she has not, as yet, opened her clusters, just getting larger & fuller. Actually, I do keep progress notes on my small H collection, particularly this season due to unusually long Winter & very strange/devastating Spring, here in IA. I was warned early on, by our local nurseryman to expect our dependable perennial bloomers to be 1 to 2 weeks late. All of my paniculatas are in full/sun sites & seem to love where they are. QF is planted right next to Little L ... I too am anxious to see how she opens up & how long her changes take to the mature-stage-color. LL just started showing her first, couple of tiny bud-clusters ... it's amazing tho, how very quickly LL will fill w/ buds once she starts! I agree that QF was quite upright last season - I'm curious how she handles all the blossoms once they all open. I think that the site you describe will be just perfect - since you said that the nursery is having a good sale & you have space for both ... need I say more!!! LOL - BTW have you checked the thread I started on AB, about a month ago? Silvergold posted her photo ... I know that AB is her favorite! Good luck & I promise to keep you posted on QF!

Quick Fire hydrangeas require more sunlight than it is getting to flower. I had the same experience and moved it into a spot with more sun and the next season was rewarded with lots of blooms. Ian

vdilillo, I should have added directions if you want to add zone and location info to your profile so that it automatically posts with your name each time you post. Go to Your Houzz in upper right of every page, click Edit Profile, and on the left side click advanced settings. Well down the advanced settings page is a blank labeled Climate Zone for Garden Forums along with a link to find your zone. If you add info on your state or the nearest large city you will get even better information since zone only relates to average coldest winter temperatures, zone 8 in the Pacific northwest is different from zone 8 TX or zone 8 on the SE US coast. Then return to the top of the page and click Done Editing.

Thank you. I don't really care about fall color personally. The long cones of things like strawberry sundae I don't find attractive as I rather prefer the domed shape of Annabelle if she just wasn't so aggressive to take over real estate even after I thought I removed her. I also saw one photo that had a row of fire and ice and they looked a very blah shade of pink/beige and the florets were spaced far apart to make the scene all the worse.. Perhaps it was just a moment between two attractive colors, but it made me wonder what others have experienced. I look forward to any photos.