On a short term basis, it could stand some... especially if the soil drains well/quickly but, if this occurs often or if the soil stays wet to the point where you see standing water for hours or you see wet soil for hours, it may do fine at first and then catch root rot in 3-4 weeks. Oakleafs would probably croak much much faster.

I would not choose this location myself. Is there any chance that a landscape company could divert the water or add a pipe to channel the water elsewhere?

You may want to do one of those soil drainage tests where you dig a hole, add water and observe how fast it drains so you get a real good idea of what the shrub will be subjected to.

This post was edited by luis_pr on Thu, May 8, 14 at 17:18

Its running water most of the year but grass manages to grow there. It would be difficult to redirect the water its in a natural dip between two hills . it sounds like its not a doable sight for a hedge.

If I recall correctly, you are located in WA state? If so, poor drainage/excess soil moisture is a fact of life for a good part of the year. Very few plants will tolerate these conditions for long, including Hydrangea paniculatas. In an area that offers this wet soil situation for a good portion of the year, especially in the winter months, you should look at native plants. These are accustomed to that sort of climate/rainfall pattern. Shrubs like red or yellow twig dogwoods, shrub willows, snowberry, swamp rose, Pacific ninebark, etc.

Pacific ninebark is one I have not heard of. Interesting name. Do you have one, gardengal48?

One side is my horses pasture where I am growing grass and moss the other side is evergreen trees. I really don,t have to grow anything there . I have just been drooling over online limelight hedges for a few years now and racking my brain over a place to put one. Luis I have tried oakleaves and your right they rot out fairly quickly around here. Even with digging in drainage under them. I have one in a thirty gallon pot with well drainage soil that will never be planted out because of our drainage issues. Thankfully mop head hydrangeas just love it here.