ostrich - Wow! You have quite an awesome collection there! I am sooo grateful that you posted this b/c I am in Zone 6 NW NJ & was just wondering (1st full ES season) whether my ES should be blooming by now.

Mine too has lots of buds & I am looking forward to the bloom w/anticipation. It almost looks as if it has stopped growing and I was starting to wonder. Your post has put my mind at rest.

Thanks & it sure sounds like you have quite a beautiful garden going there! Wishing you,

All the Best, Tree

Ostrich,
Hey, it's only 5 to 6 weeks from the first buds appearance to the moment when all of them start blooming.
Begin counting!!!
P.S. Mine need another 3.5 to 5 weeks.
P.P.S. My overwintered Hobelle, Homigo's sister, have a zillion buds, bud in-ground one most likely will not bloom this year.

Well HELLO there Oz! Good to see you! I love my Limelights....I now have 5. You can prune now since they haven't formed their buds yet...mine haven't either.

Woo hooo Ostrich! What an exciting update. I have a tardiva tree form that leafs out the way you describe your wierd pinky winky. By the time it was fully leafed out, you don't notice the naked stems below. I gave Tardiva a hard prune this year, but next year I will take it's height further down. It lost so many branches to our snowy winter that I'm sure the top growth isn't going to cover the nude stems this year. *sigh*

My QF has a ton of blooms too, this year. It probably has 10x what it's had in the past. I'm really excited. I still don't love the plant, but this year it may capture my heart afterall.

Thanks, everyone!

Tree - your ES is right on track! Mine usually blooms in June, if there was not any late frost to kill off my precious buds!!! Enjoy! BTW, if you think that I have quite a collection, you should see what some of the other posters have here! I am always in awe when I see the photos of their hydrangea collection!!! I am quite a beginner when compared to them... :-)

George - I so look forward to seeing your photos of Hobelle! Did you winter protect the one in the ground? I am not sure why but last year, my Homigos were full of buds but this year, there are just a couple so far... maybe it's trying focus on the root growth in the POT? LOL

Jant - is that the same Jan that I know!? I hope so!!! :-) How are ya? Anyway, I just went ahead and pruned my Limelight a little bit last night... I may do some more today! :-)

mehearty, you were the one that convinced me to get the Quick Fire (remember your gorgeous photos?), so I hope you will get to love it this year! :-)

Keep the updates coming!

Ostrich,
don't touch Limelight!
It's already late for that. Even if you are not seeing the buds that doesn't mean that they are not in a process of formation and will pop up at any moment.
My LL is also without visible buds as of yet, but I wouldn't touch it despite longer growing season than yours.

I agree with you about the Quick Fire, Endless Summer and the Limelight. And my Pinky Winky looks just like yours! Wish I knew why.

Hi Ostrich and all

2008 New Hs  The 1st 7 are new Apr & May this year  will reserve comments on growth after a reasonable time.
1. Light O Day  H s = was purchased w/o blooms nor clusters  foliage quite stunning!

2. Variegatta Mariesii  H s = came w/ buds & new buds appeared since planting. Foliage - not as showily var. as LOD. Blooms are subtly lovely with less outer florets than my Big Smile H s.

3. AngelÂs Blush  H p = #1gal pot baby adjusting well since planting in f/s exposure. I donÂt expect to bloom this season but hoping for a surprise!

4. Snow Queen  H q = another tiny baby in #1gal pot, came with 2 flr buds & doing well in the AM sun exposure - an H. q. to protect this Winter.

5. Pee Wee  H q = Just planted in a bright/shade foundation bed  came with blossoms & several buds.

6. Annabelle  H a = just planted (same bed) has several flwr. buds.

7. Blue Frost Lacecap  H s = also just planted in same fÂndation bed, has several buds.

2007 Hydrangeas:
8. Pink Diamond  H p = purchased with blooms (last Oct) was overwintered in another larger pot in a hole - planted Apr, slow to start but is now lushly filling out w/ leaves & new red canes!

9. Quick Fire  H p = beautifully, branching/leafing out with flwr buds on every tip & canes are reddish!!!

10. Midnight Duchess  H s = Beautifully leafed out & taller with beautiful thick wine colored canes/leaf veins  finally, small flwr clusters on a few tips

11. Alice  H q = Grown beautifully & robust, with several flwr buds (last Fall displayed her colors well just before the cold snap)!

12. Blushing Bride/ES Â H m = the very first to show broccoli clusters & tons of them & now the very first to open her greenish white blossoms (May 31st) w/ several/multiple ones to follow. Growth habit - beautifully full & tight!

2006 Hydrangeas:
13. (2) ES  H m = after a disappointing Â07 season & the move to a better, sun & shade site in mid-Apr, now has tons of flwr buds on both old & new canes growth habit  not as tight as F&E.

14. (2) F&E  H m = Are just doing fine this 3rd season unlike the enthusiasm of 2nd season  the have only a few buds to speak of  hoping that they are just late coming & join in the bloom bash before too long.

15. Climbing - H p = "The Queen of the Twining World" did proved her nature to climb & clamber on our retÂng wall (4Âh x 36Âwd) in spite of very rough & rugged surface & surprised me with broccoli clusters that have just opened!!!

16. Little Lamb  H p = Has grown so full & wide but no flwr buds yet  still wish I have a grassy patch for all the darling LL to lay on!!!

17. Kyushu (tree form)  H p = a true Princess fully leafing out & branching  no blooms bud yet! Don't let anyone be fooled by this petite beauty, delicately veiled in white come mid-Jun ... she just dances with the beat!!!

18. MyM (Purple Tiers)  H s = reacted a bit to her, mid-May relocation to a better site  finally resuming the progression of filling out with leaves on both old & new canes, as well as bloom clusters development  quite fragile looking with slim reddish brown limbs.

19. Pia (Pink Elf)  H m = Had to be dug up & containerized  suffered but survived the Â07 late freeze. Slowly bouncing back with just 2 canes of leaves  now just about 6" tall (sigh).

2005 Hydrangeas:
20. (2) Tardiva  H p = #1 has grown tall & wide (full & branching) as expected in full/sun  no flwr buds yet. #2 Also in full/sun  not as tall nor wide w/ slightly smaller leaves too - progressing beautifully no buds yet either (last 2 yrs bloomed in Jul  hoping for early show this year too!)

21. (3) Big Smile  H s = Survive well our past long & snowy Â07 winter  doing very well & all are showing many cluster buds. Last Fall I didnÂt get to enjoy their Fall-foliage-show as they dropped when Mom nature snapped!

1990 Hydrangea:
22. Nikko Blue  H m = My beloved old florist N B  in spite of heavy efforts at climate-control this past Winter and already greening when finally uncovered, is quite slow hearing the Âwake-up-call she is still at 3.5 tall -  old cane, leaf buds are bursting open ever so slow & smallish leaves - had to clip old canes by a foot to encourage leaves to grows faster the new canes are taller & heftier w/ larger leaves ... same time in Â07 she was full & budded!

The majority of my Hs were gifts from our kids ... Mom's Day etc. I have 2 rooms for immediate occupancy ... City Line & Let's Dance - if they show up in the vicinity, then I'm done, I think!!! LOL

WOW! Ditas, you have quite a selection!!! Congrats!!! :-)

BTW, I am wondering how big your LL is now? Mine is in the second season, and it's still petitte and low, and I want to keep it that way! LOL!

Also, I wonder if you provided winter protection over your Big Smile? Does it bloom on new and old wood? How come it survived the winter of 07? I bet you protected it!!!

Now, ditas, since you know how to take pics now, I would LOVE to see some of them!!! (wink, wink, hint, hint...) :-)

Many thanks Ostrich - My baby LL has grown - the size of a kiddy pool! Actually, 4'2" wide x 3.5'tall - actually just measured today, to figure out how to prop up when the blooms come.

Would you believe I created 11 cages last Fall?! Not all needed but did, simply because Alice & BB were 1st season & PD was in original pot, sank in a hole. F&E, ES & Pia - I want to compare blooms on old & new canes - the Winter prior, they were just heavily mulched/died back & again in Apr's late freeze (ES & Pia I used the flat-board method).

On Big Smile - buds were all on old canes, so far. The new canes are zooming taller & heftier - will observe closely & let you know if they produce too. I do protect my lacecaps a bit heavier as they are old-wood bloomers, I think.

Sorry, I still need my son to look over my shoulder for the steps to take in posting - remember I'm not 'puter-savyy (grew up on manual Underwood typewriter & Brownie cam LOL)!!! :-( How do you guys, post so easily? I have g'zillion pics in my Iphoto file. Actually, Princess Kyu is next in line, to be posted for you - hopefully this week-end (fingersxxx'd)!

Re: Big Smile/Sweet Chris
Last year they were just barely rooted (by Hines) not very impressive cuttings. Spot where I planted them in May has a protection from the East in form of mature Pieris, but otherwise this spot is very exposed in a winter due to my prevailing NW winds. I managed to lose LiR and NB in this spot in previous years and already lost hope to use it for hydrangeas. Since no other spot was available at that moment I dug remnants of the LiR and just shove it there having in mind to move them later. Never did :-)
Low and behold somehow they survived there and now has 4-5 buds each. Not a rampant grower so far, but survivor nevertheless. I think final judgement should be postponded till summer'2009.

Hi George - any comments on your (Dirr's) Royal Majestics specimen?

TIA!

MD,
My Queen of Pearls was overwintered in a pot and only few weeks ago made it to the ground. No comments on hardiness, but it was the FIRST of all my potted hydrangeas to be in leaves and buds which I take as an indication that it might be one of the early-type and thus could be succeptible to late frosts. True or not will know only next year. As of now it look superb!

Hi George - Thanks a bunch for QoP update & wow! I guess it's your gentler zone huh? We had a long, snow covered Winter but not much temp fluctuation - I didn't imagine it would hold dormancy for two weeks longer - even my very prompt-to-bloom, row of Memorial Day Peonies, are just now, putting on their show (breath-taking 'wish I could freeze time a bit!)!

BTW how's your MyM coming along?
MD (to you)

Ostrich - you were asking about Big Smile's (aka Sweet Chris) bloom buds - the majority were on young stems that sprouted from the old wood - however, there were a few new growths coming from the bases of all 3 that I have - possibly, those branched out from the old wood just beneath the surface or under the thick mulch. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they were indeed on new woods?! :-)

Little Princess Kyu came up with her buds galore ... I checked yesterday - no signs ... what a difference a sunny day makes!!!

PD just showed up buds today too & so did AB -my little 1gal pot, Angel planted w/o buds on Mom's Day!

BTW why are the petioles of one of my Tardivas redder than any of the other paniculatas, even QF's & leaves are smaller than the other T?

This is your fault Ostrich, you got me to observe even keener on details ... Tho I haven't yet taken a magnifying glass to check on tiny cluster buds, I promise!!! (LOL)