I think it's too early in zone 5 to be producing new growth, but if it's Annabelle, it doesn't matter so much that he cut it back. It will grow from the base and should still give you flowers this year. good luck!

Thanks so much for making me feel there may be a chance! Luis, yes, I did say in my post that I'm pretty sure it's an Annabelle, of course I can't look at it now to be sure, ha ha. But after reading about the Annabelle and seeing pics, I'm almost certain. When I got it from the nursery and planted it (in the fall) it bloomed the next year and has bloomed ever since. I have another that I bought from Lowe's that I've had even longer and it's never bloomed. I'm not as worried about that one because the one that was cut down was beautiful. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it comes back, we had a wickedly cold winter, hope that didn't hurt the roots. I will keep watch on it and once I see some growth I'll give it some fertilizer.
Would you say if I don't see anything happening towards the end of May that it's probably doomed?

For some reason the common consensus around here is to prune Annabelle's in the fall down to exactly what you show. They come back strong every year.

I had an endless summer the dogs used as a urinal for an entire winter. The following spring it showed no signs of life and I yanked it on the May long weekend. Thankfully I was lazy and didn't put it in the compost pile but tossed it on the ground because on the July long weekend I noticed a little new growth coming from the neglected root ball. I replanted it and it out grew the one I had replaced it with.

So, IMHO, I would give it a good and long chance to comeback. If you do replace it in may I highly suggest potting the rootball and hanging on to it for the summer.

Good luck

Because everyone seems to come to the same conclusion I'm going to take a chance and let it go, won't replace it with something else this year. If it doesn't come back this summer I'll find one in the early fall and replace it then. You are all giving me high hopes that it will come back, I sure hope so, loved that darn bush! Poor husband probably won't hear the end of it, ever! Thanks again ever so much for your replies!

piperjane, I'm sorry to hear about your hydrangea but the good news is I believe everyone here is right!

I purchased an annabelle this spring that was still dormant that was cut down very low to the ground and the employee at the shop said you can cut it down to the ground every year and still have blooms the following year.

I double checked that when I got home and bookmarked the site for future reference. This is what it says about them:

"Many people grow hedges of Annabelle and cut them within a few inches of the ground each fall so they will not be an eyesore during the winter. They will still bloom beautifully in the spring/summer, however this drastic pruning may not allow stems to increase in size, and they may need staking to hold up the large heads."

I wish you luck but I think your annabelle will be a-okay :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Hydrangea Site

I just checked on it this week and was happy to see some new growth! Just a few shoots but I'm thrilled to see that it's coming back, if it blooms this year I'll be extra thrilled! I'm glad I came here and checked before totally giving up! Thanks for all your advice!

Good news then! Since it blooms on new wood, you should be able to see bloomage around June-ish.

Crossing fingers!

I apologize for bumping in here...but I was wondering the same thing about my Pinky Winky...no signs of life yet...I planted it early last summer and it did great. I checked out the Hydrangea Site above and am under the impression that Pinky Winky's bloom on new wood. I left the plant over the winter stems intact - it is about a foot and a half high. Because it is a paniculata I can cut them to the ground, yes?

It is mid-April here in Southerastern Ohio, and my husband decided to mow . The problem was, I have/had? (2) endless summer hydrangea (2 years old) and he mowed them to the ground. (sob) .Looked to see if there was anything left, and saw a few woody sticks still in the ground. Should I pot them up and pray, or leave them alone so as not to traumatize them any further? Would be willing to do whatever it will take. Thanks!

Leave them alone. The roots are fine so this will be treated as if it had lost all of the stems due to very cold temperatures. After pausing and "doing nothing" above the ground, it will develop new stems.

Water as normal for this time of the year. Increase waterings or the amount of water once temps are regularly above 85F almost every day. Fertilize a little once you see new wood stems originating from the crown. This will take a few weeks or around a month. Amend now if your soil is alkaline in order to keep it acidic or near neutral. Add mulch if it needs more to maintain 2-4" of mulch up to the old drip line.

It is possible that if the new wood grows tall enough and gets old enough by mid-to-late Summer, that you may have bloomage from the new wood.

Finally, put a lock on the gas can for the mower! Hee, hee, hee! ;o)) Just adding some humor...

Thanks! One of them is showing new sprouts...nothing on the other yet. I did better that the lock.. It is now completely a "No Mow" zone. LOL! And he offered to buy me new ones too, but I told him to wait on that for a while, but appreciated the offer.