Here is a picture of the hedge. My lace cap hydrangea is also dying.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. I am in the PNW. We do get shoots from the trees in our yard. Didn't think about that. I am sure you are right it was never an issue until this year. They have been very happy there for awhile now thus the frustration.

Of those are Annabelles they can suffer from a blight of some sort. If so, next year's growth will be severely retarded.

I have 8 different Hydrangeas in my garden.....variable as to shade, moist soil, etc. Although I water daily to keep soil moist...and most all of the plants look great as far as leaves being healthy. Only 1 plant has bloomed this year (a Quick Fire). I live near Sandpoint, ID. But in the surrounding rural area. In town, I see many varieties of Hydrangeas blooming, but where I live..it's a struggle. Our soil is very very rocky. When I plant I always supplement with a bagged garden soil. I also fertilize in early spring...but have heard not to fertilize too late. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

jrwanek, you'll get more answers and have an easier time tracking answers to your problem if you post your question separately. You might want to delete your question above and re-post. You didn't do anything "wrong"' ;its just that your answers will be mixed up with answers to an etirely separate question with different circumstances.

Also, you should post your zone with your screen name or answers may not apply to your situation. Climates vary by location. Google your climate zone (USDA climate zones) find yours, Go to my houzz ( upper right of page) change your screenname to include zone and some geographic identifier....like your city or "upper plains" or somesuch. Or just find "advanced settings" and add zone through there.

Hydrangeas may have a hard time in chalky locations. Some may also have a hard time in cold zone like yours.

Hydrangea paniculatas (like Quick Fire, Limelight, Vanilla Strawberry, Pink Diamond, etc) and Hydrangea arborescens (like Annabelle, Incrediball, etc) produce flower buds in the Spring and bloom in June thru July/August. They can do well where you are weather-wise because they develop blooms when winter is not a problem.

Hydrangea macrophyllas (mopheads and lacecaps) and Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf hydrangeas) may have problems in tough winters like we have had recently. While I am down in Zone 8, my hydrangeas do not get winter protection and some of my mopheads, lacecaps and oakleafs have not bloomed well these last two years unless they had winter protection or unless they were in locations that protected them from the winter winds and large temperature fluctuations of the last two years. Some bloomed like there was no problem but others did not bloom at all. It is the price I pay for not winter protecting.

You may want to consider use of winter protection to see if that helps. Or if it is too rocky, you can try planting them in containers or in areas with not much rock. Some people will replace the existing bad soil. Others will put good soil above the bad soil and then plant the shrubs there (picture an island with the shrubs growing on top).

Thanks for all your help and tips for posts.