Hi Manya, Like you say, this started out to be a banner year around here in Coastal MA too!! I can't believe this heat!! We are bone dry, have been for several weeks, we live in an area that doesn't get rain when 20 miles up the road they do, the North River keeps the rain away from us unless it's a really wet weather system! Hoses everywhere and one of us is always standing behind one!

As far as the hydrangeas, literally every evening or early morning I give them all a drink. The older ones, just started this obsession last year, are doing much better than the new ones. They all wilt but with water they seem to be coming back. The new ones are crispy beyond belief, will have to do as you and cut them back. I have about 30 pots of rooted cuttings from last year that never got planted and thank Goodness!! They are all under a deck and as happy as a clam with all the shade. Flowering also, many of them. So I guess too much shade is definitly better than too much sun, and this year just a few hours is too much!! A few of last year's flowers are a little scorched but from a distance they still look okay. I pity these poor plants I see along the road in other's yards who don't care!! They look so awful poor things!!

So far, we haven't had a water restriction, but I fear it is coming, and then we have to be very careful, lugging the water in watering cans when one can be seen. There have never been restrictions using watering cans.
Here are a few before and afters!!
Before: Mystical Emerald

Well, I guess that's enough bellyaching, I guess I'll go relieve my husband at the hose!!

Donna

Oh lord, this heat wave is really hurting mine too! My ES are drooping and drying up. The only hydrangeas that are doing well are my paniculatas!!! Sigh...

Me too :( Thank goodness for the paniculatas-- my snow mountain and limelights are beautiful. The f&e together that I just planted... was a beautiful purple color--huge blooms.... They are hanging on but completely bleached out, and the tips are browning as I type.

I've been watering every 36 hours since Friday. Wilting, as to be expected, but no crispiness. It was 97 today (which is highly unusual for Maine). One thing that works great is dripper hoses. I put one against my viburnum last night and let it run for 4 hours. In my back garden, most prone to being bone dry, I let it run for 8 hours. I took Friday off, before the massive heat wave started, and moved a bunch of plants so now I need to water them constantly so I don't lose them.

I moved my potted sister theresa to the porch--completely out of any direct sun. Lots of drooping mid afternoon, but it's keeping the flowers beautiful. Unfortunately the ones in the ground are forced to tough it out where they are.