I have had great success with my Forever and Ever Peppermint..... the red has bloomed fairly well every year. The White Out, my favorite bloom since I love white BUT SADLY only has a bloom....or two if I am lucky..... every year (and I have 3 White Outs). I will try moving them for next year. I have had these about four years. I just bought a Pistachio, Fantasia and Together at Kmart this week, marked down to $9 each, so worth a try. (There are four Kmarts within driving distance of my home and for the past three years one of them gets Forever and Ever Hydrangeas.)

This post was edited by stillwelljill on Sat, Aug 23, 14 at 10:43

I finally got good blooms from my White Out this year. Last year I moved it into a location with more sun and this year it rewarded me with blooms on every branch. Without a dought if it likes its location its the best white hydrangea. But it is picky. Niko was blooming its head off right next to it in the old location but White Out would only throw one to three flowers.

After

Most reliable bloomers (by flower count) from my experience so far (in this order):

1. Pistachio
2. Peace
3. Peppermint / Together (tie)
4. Fantasia

Questionable:
- Original (Early Sensation): barely blooms for me
- Red: Red Sensation and Maltisse are different plants sold as F&E Red - still don't know which is better yet .
- Blue Heaven: have seen zero evidence of this plant blooming on new wood.
- White Out is a dwarf, slow growing variety and an insignificant plant when outdoors over winter in my area as it only grows about 12" a season. I keep mine potted and when outside they are in mostly shade as the blooms scorch easily in sun.

I bought one from Lowes in the spring and am still waiting for any sign of a bloom. I guess it is supposed to take Forever and Ever to bloom. Al

Thats funny about your Whiteout .Its a full sun plant here with zero scorch. In my area of the northwest most hydrangeas can take full sun once established.

Al, love your pun "Forever & Ever to bloom"! Imagine that's no fun for you, but thanks for the chuckle.

F & E's new for me this year. After last Winter's dieback to roots of existing plants, hydrangeas with new & old wood blooming potential caught my attention in a Big Way. Not yet a fair trial as all still in pots (some graduated to larger ones) & only here since May, so preliminary reports from central Virginia in order of heaviest bloom:

Pistachio - bought as 3-gallons in bud & bloom with many wooded stems - very high flower count, cranking out new blooms continually while still holding the originals (no deadheading) on lengthening old & new growth branches at every node. Heat didn't slow it down, another crop of blooms opened a few days ago & more new buds swelling. Looks like a child's drawing of a flowering bush, covered in flowers.

Fantasia - bought as 1-gallon & soon after two more 3-gallons all in bud & bloom.- not as loaded nor consistent as Pistachio, but regularly cycling out new blooms on new growth while keeping the originals. Even the younger plant keeps opening new blooms reliably.

Together - bought as 3-gallon in bud & bloom, kept its original flowers for 3 months till clipped all but one to dry & preserve & to see if doing so would prompt new flowers. One left still fresh & pretty & new buds appearing now 3 weeks later. This plant appears to have put most of its energy into growing considerably larger. Originally 18" high & wide, it's now 3'x4', close to its projected mature size. Hoping next year it will concentrate on blooming as abundantly as it's grown! Like it so much, picked up 2 more gallons recently in bud & bloom before this one started showing new flower buds.

Blue Heaven - bought as 1-gallon in bud & bloom, this caught my eye for the various individual colors of each bloom - some pink, some blue, some lavender - in contrast to other examples with monotone blooms. Have wondered if it may have been mislabeled - time will tell. It grew quickly, soon potted up to 3-gallon where it's continued to grow luxuriantly. Like Together, its mature size is given as 3'x4' or larger, and this one seems in an equal hurry to get there. It's proven the most sun-sensitive, as others have noted. Clipped its blooms same time as Together's, to see if that would stimulate new blooms & since they were at a beautiful turquoise & slate blues stage that happily dried perfectly in a basket. Just this week showing new buds, so the potential for further bloom is there even in a young & rapidly growing example. Again, hoping it will settle down next season in the growth department & direct its focus into more abundant blooms.

(Keeping an eye out for Peace, originally bypassed as white for more colorful examples. Springwood & others report it pinks up nicely, which would be welcome here.)

Please strongly consider protecting the perimeter against future weed-whacker incidents! Roots of your previously mown hydrangeas should eventually put out new growth.

This post was edited by vasue on Mon, Aug 25, 14 at 19:43