The location is very sunny. Maybe I should re-think white, especially if it is going to be green a lot of the time! There is just something so elegant about those massive white billowy blooms! But repeat blooms might be even better....such a difficult decision as I have zero experience with hydrangeas. I don't want to be ripping them out in a few years time...Thnaks for your input!

Sure. :) I'm pleased with the greens that Annabelles fade to, but that's what you get. There are others you can try like H paniculata Bobo. More of a cloud type bloom than a snowball.

p.s. Can I shear the Annabelles down to the ground in early spring instead of late fall, so as not to lose the winter interest, and still keep them fairly small that way?

Early Spring is fine but the earlier the better. Otherwise old stems will leaf out and the energy will be going to that growth instead.

Got it :) Thanks!

2' wide is not a very generous planting area for hydrangeas. I'm not sure I'd suggest an Annabelle type for a lot of sun and they are big plants anyway. I think you might be able to get away with some of the dwarf paniculatas - Little Lime, Little Quickfire, Bobo, Bombshell (although mine in a container is at least 3' wide but not overly tall) - as these will tolerate a great deal of sun.

In my garden Annabelle gets to almost exactly 4' (the bottom of the window sill) every year whether I cut her to the ground to remove branches broken by heavy snow or whether I leave her be. The only difference is that when I whack her back, there are fewer, larger bloom heads. I can't imagine that the boxwoods would be happy covered by the slightly floppy Annabelle, or that Annabelle would not wilt in full sun, so I agree with GG that she isn't the best choice in your setting. IME H. paniculata, such as those listed above by GG will be smaller, not want to spread like Annabelle, be happy in full sun, and have stiffer branches to prevent the plant flopping onto the boxwood.

Ok, I appreciate the feedback! This is all really helpful as I narrow down my selections :)

Bobo would fit the bill. It likes to be in full sun or mostly sun, blooms early (in my Zone 5a would be early july) and doesn't get bigger (3 x 3). Doesn't need much care at all. Nice big white flowers. I planted 2 small ones (ordered from an online nursery, in 2quart container) in fall of 2013. They grew to ~ 1.5 tall and bloomed profoundly in 2014. This year they are ~ 2 -2.5 ft tall and already covered with lots of buds. Also the stem is a little redish/pinkish colored.

Thanks Vivian - I looked at the Bobo today....beautiful, and yes, ready to make profound blooms! But while I was at the garden centre I discovered the Cityline Mars, and fell in love with it - the flowers have beautiful white borders with pink or blue on the inside (pH dependent), so I think I will be going back for three of them tomorrow. My only concern is that they wont get big enough! I guess if that happens I can fill in below with ground cover or under-plantings. What do people usually do to keep it pretty before the hydrangeas fill in during early spring?

They are beautiful but not always winter hardy and rebloom is nonexsistent. What is you zone?

USDA hardiness zone 5a, but in a really sheltered back yard, and even more sheltered by a patio, so it could be better than 5a realistically. The garden centre guarantees them for 3 years, so we'll hope for the best! Rebloom is nonexistent, but the experienced SA I spoke with said it should continue blooming into the summer as it grows...I hope so! They have some nice sized blooms on them right now, with many wee ones coming...

I have the EXACT same situation! lol I am wanting to plant a border of sprinter boxwoods (1 & 1/2 foot) and then plant something behind them. Basically I have a 4 foot border around my pool that runs around my fence line. If you don't mind me asking, what did you end up going with? Got any pictures?

Updates? Pics?? :)

Depending on Sun exposure, Pannicle do bes Full sun

I'd be willing to bet that macrophyllas in zone 5 and in full sun probably did not fair very well. Macs in that climate will typically die back a lot, often back to the ground. And with remontant or new wood bloomers, without winter protection, even regular winter temps can prevent any early, old growth flowering so whatever new growth flowering may occur - never a guarantee - will appear late in the season. Any winter die back will mean the plants will stay quite short. They might not even grow to the height of the boxwoods!

And full sun for macs is really not advised. They will require daily watering and even that may not be enough to keep them from wilting in late afternoon, the leaves scorching or browning and any flowers bleached out in color.