I always cut the old wood you highlighted. Not sure if it the "right" thing to do but I want to enjoy looking at my hydrangeas. I cut it as far down as I can reach. I don't want to climb into my hydrangeas to cut the sticks.
Yes this years new growth will be next years old wood.

I have a tini tiny BB that I can't wait to get as big as yours. It's absolutely lovely!

@holly thanks so much for the kind words.This is the back of it! Didnt want the neighbors seeing me taking pics of my garden AGAIN lol they must think I'm nuts

@ luis... Couple of questions ..If I leave that wood on will it set buds for next year?or the old wood only blooms once? I have some old stems that are totally bare ,some with just the tips are bare? Does the dead tips and stems mean that old wood buds didnt survive the winter?
Also I have a lot of new growth in the middle thats all leaves and no blooms? Is my new growth this year gonna set buds in aug for next year? Sorry so many questions thanks so much for your reply and help!

Figured i drop back in to CORRECTLY identify this hydrangea Its actually a MADAME EMILE MOUILLERE not a BB like I first thought :) Just FYI

Great minds think alike. I too have a MEM. How do you finally Id the shrub?

:) Just was lucky enough to stumble upon someones elses pics and seen the multi color pink and the blue not just pinkreddish like the BB...I love this hydrangea ...just wish I picked a less sunny spot when I planted her she burns in the summer.This was the first plant given to me that got me addicted to gardening

This post was edited by Digginlife on Wed, Feb 27, 13 at 22:52

You could transplant it or use some 35% shade cloth to try and reduce the impact from the sun. Too much sun shows up as leaves are completely yellow-ish, including the leaf veins (eventually they dry out and fall). If you notice that the leaves are browning from the edges inwards, that is probably a moisture problem. Keep an eye on that this coming summer and use plenty of mulch (3-4") to minimize drying spells and lengthen the time between waterings.

ah ok thanks luis had a little yellowing but mostly browning of the flowers. cant find a good close up of the flowers And I probably got lazy with mulch last year.Thanks for the tips Ill mulch away this year and give it another shot before i move it. Should I be deadheading these flowers? also what fertilizer do u give yours ? thanks :)

I usually do not have to deahead because the plants "self clean" during the winter months. Annabelle is the one that keeps the blooms sometimes. On those occasions (when the blooms are still there as Spring begins), I deadhead them. But some people do not like them and they can be deadheaded earlier like when the plant goes dormant or even when they turn brown.

As for fertilizers, I use 1/2 cup to 1 cup of cottonseed meal or composted manure of plain ole regular compost about 0-2 weeks after my last average date of last frost. During the rest of the growing season, I may add some coffee grounds, liquid fish of liquid seaweed. I stop adding all fertilizers by the start of July (it is way too hot then and I want the plants to go dormant when Fall arrives).

See the following links:

for information on deadheading, go to the link below. Scroll down to the section titled "PRUNING: METHOD TWO" and scroll UPWARDS to the two pargraphs titled "REMOVING OLD BLOOMS"

http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/pruning.html