The variety is Blue Billow.

Kimpa, I deadhead all my hydrangeas - but not in the fall, but in spring when I shape them for the new season. I don't prune but deadhead to the next bud or a bit more if the bush has gotten too big or shapeless. In the fall I do collect many blossoms to dry for our garden club to use for Christmas Decorations that we make for a local shelter. I don't dry the lace caps - they stay on the plants until spring and then are removed as above.

I shape every one every year unless it is relatively young or doing poorly and I think it needs every leaf it can get.

Some I take nearly down to the ground and others I leave a bit larger but hardly ever do I not do anything- pruning is too much fun.

Excessive or unnecessary pruning on Hydrangea macrophylla - or any other hydrangea species that blooms on second year growth - can get you into a lot of trouble as far as bloom production is concerned. I don't recommend pruning them at ALL except to remove any dead wood or deadhead (which is NOT really pruning).

Pruning may be "fun" but it is too often done unnecessarily and without adequate knowledge. This is a human construct we have forced upon plants in some misguided belief that it is a requirement. Other than the 3 D's - dead, diseased or damaged wood - there is no valid reason to prune other than keep the one pruning occupied!!

I just don't understand all the passion for pruning hydrangeas or many other plants! If you want a small hydrangea, read the label and get one that stays small. There are many series that stay under 5 ft. There are others - Asperas - that can grow to 10 feet or more and then the climbers that can go to 30 ft or more given the room and structure to climb on. Buy the right plant for the right location and save your self the time and energy. If you must prune a plant - try roses! You can mess with them till your hearts content. There are as many ways to prune roses as there are rose gardeners and most will yield decent results.

Hacking at a plant is not pruning, pruning has to be for the benefit of the plant and not for some emotional outlet for the gardener. Pruning is an art and has to be studied or the results of the pruning will weaken the plant or tree and shorten its life. You can do more damage to a plant with a pruning saw, loppers or even a hand pruner than a dozen deer. I think pruning shears should be banned in most gardens. We are surrounded in our neighborhood by rhodies sheared into balls, huge ones at that! Camellias sheared into straight walls with silly looking red blossoms peaking out of the perfectly straight sides. Little azaleas sheared into standing red, maroon and orange perfect balls! I have one neighbor who has a weeping cherry tree that is about 8 feet tall pruned into a one foot diameter umbrella shape at the top of the trunk! Take the time to learn when and how to prune from a garden center, class or even a book.

By pruning, I mean shaping, removing dead portions, and in the case of many of my paniculatas, removing a few lower branches so that they do not touch ground and root.

I do take substantial height off my Limelights each year in an attempt to match up several of varying height and growth rate. Also my Little Lambs every other year because I am perfecting the shape required to minimize their rainy day flops.

I am in no way "hacking"- that's just insulting.

Pruning or cutting back paniculatas is very different than doing similar activities on macs. It is important to specify what type of hydrangeas one is referring to when discussing pruning as the practice between the different types will/should be very different. However, it is also rather well established that by allowing paniculatas to develop second year wood - so not pruning them heavily each year - the stems become stronger (actually the wood ripens properly and therefore becomes stronger) and are better able to stay upright and properly support flower production.

Around this time of year I try to find time to remove any remaining previous year's flowerheads from all my types of hydrangeas; arborescens, paniculatas, and macrophyllas. I don't much like the look of the old flowerheads with the new growth, but leaving them doesn't decrease the bloom. In May after I can be sure of what has survived the winter, I prune out any dead wood in the macrophyllas. I haven't needed to do any shaping or pruning for size, and I do find that older wood seems stronger on the arborescens which occasionally needs pruning to remove stems damaged by heavy snow.

kimpa(z6b PA). I confess I don't trim/prune by 'Blue Billow'. If your process is resulting in a beautiful blooming plant keep it up as long as you can. When you can't do this I don't think your 'Blue Billow' will let you down. 'Blue Billow' is a very dependable plant for me.

I deadheaded mine in February / mid March and they do very well. I also fertilize them so they can get a jump start and have wonderful colors by the time they start to form flowers. I bought a blue colored one the other day.