kathieo was battling groundhogs earlier this year. She wanted to protect the top and bottom (underground) of her hydrangeas with chicken wire because other shrubs were affected. They like to eat vegetables, trees, grasses and legumes; I am not sure if they are a problem for hydrangeas (or if her solution would help) since they are not a problem where I live in Texas and the subject (groundhogs) does not come up often in the forum. The browning of the blooms is probably a combination of lack of moisture, a small root system and transplant shock blues.

Once the plant matures and the root system is larger the issue of brown flowers will be a thing of the past. As for the groundhogs I'm not sure - a cat?

Thanks so much for the info. The plant sat in it's pot in the shade for 6 weeks. And you know I didn't water it enough! I hope I haven't done it irrepairable harm. My neighbor feeds the cats so we have many!! Hope they don't like hydrangeas...

Here is a link that might be useful: pinky winky hydrangea and groundhogs