How compact; do you have a specific size range you are aiming for? Do you only want bigleaf hydrangeas/H. macrophylla like those you have listed or would you consider a different variety like H. paniculata 'Bobo'? Do you prefer full heads or are you also happy with lacecaps?

I would prefer anything that doesn't grow any taller than 4'. I like bigleaf but would definitely consider 'Bobo' as well. I prefer full heads. Lacecaps are growing on me but I'm not there just yet! :)

I've been tempted by Everlasting Ocean (photographs lovely in the catalogs) but I don't have any experience with it. I'd love to hear what others think.

I am interested to know where people are finding Everlasting series--I am looking for Garnet and Jade. What catalogs did you, Marie, find them? I have an Ocean coming this spring. I am looking forward to see what colors it brings, looks nice and pastel, like you are looking for.

I found them in the Jackson and Perkins and the White Flower Farm catalogs but I can't remember if they have the Jade or Garnet. People seem to report mixed results with JP catalogs on this forum but I've had good luck in the past. I haven't ordered from White Flower but they have a nice selection of a lot of different types of flowers. I haven't seen any of the Everlasting series at my local nurseries so I would have to mail order if I want to try them out. Hope you like the Ocean--I'd love to see pics if you get any blooms this year!

What's typical when ordering plants is that the source is a middleman that is getting them from somewhere else themselves. So quality can vary because the vendor you are using may often have had nothing to do with the production and handling of the stock you will receive, before they themselves are sent it.

If you want some with a small and low habit maybe look for those depicted as dwarf-growing. I know that there are dwarf hydrangeas on the market, I have seen more than one kind. Often with tree and shrub cultivars if they are petite looking even to the point of silliness at garden center sizes they will later produce a specimen of the size and stature that suits the situation. With more normal looking sorts turning out to develop vigor and largeness that goes beyond what was originally visualized.

Especially in the small gardens of today.

Keely, I also noticed them in Wayside Garden, however, I have never purchased anything from that company before. Good luck on your search. If I find them any where else, I'll report back.

Ack!! Beautiful!!! :):) Would love to see more pics--congrats!

That ocean is really something! I am kicking myself for not picking it up when it was being sold at a local farmer's market!

Love the ocean!!! I'm really hoping I can find one locally!

Thank you inmomx3! I will be see what ours has to offer! :)

Thanks for the heads-up on those Walmart releases!

Last year Walmart carried Free Bird - Tim Wood bred the thing and it's a really squat and robust mophead that blooms on new growth.

I've also seen more Everlasting Ruby Red popping up. Already grabbed one, naturally. I think the parent is Alpengluhen but ERR has darker blooms.

Springwood - how totally ironic that you mentioned FreeBird - I had a couple minutes between banking and getting a kid from practice this evening and detoured thru the garden center. In addition to the Cupid, Mothers Love, and Pistachio I saw last weekend they also had Red Sensation, Endless Summer, LA Dreaming, and Free Bird.

I didnt know anything about FreeBird and phone was at 1% so couldn't research it but was curious to know if it was any good for a zone 5 location - the plants looked really nice.

There was also one frost singed clearance Ruby Slippers oak leaf that really wanted to come home with me and a Pinkachu that looked interesting.

off to search old Free Bird comments :)

Thanks!

Glad to see they're still out there! There hasn't been much posted or written about Free Bird, and I think it was trademarked and not yet patented (can't remember). I "think" I also found a couple three-gallon FB's at Home Depot last season also (that weren't labeled as anything). They died back but the shoots have florets in the centers, so that's promising. Aside from Everlasting Revolution, there hasn't seemed to be any "end-all" compact pink/blue hydrangea for the front of small beds. So if FB is a standout, it'll be a repeat recommendation for sure.

Hi Millby , my thinking might be a Mathilda Gutges... never gets more 24''....ez to winter pro ..I have had one for 12 + yrs and Never winter Pro...have picked up a couple of LA Dream which are so pose to be MG

after reading this thread I went to Wal-Mart..bought 1 Cupid, 2 Pistachio and a Bloomstruck..$15 ea..this store had just these 3 varieties..they told me they just came in which I suspected because they looked nice!..p.s.inmomx3 - you live in what city?..have your hydrangeas bloomed?..

I'm out in he country about 20 miles SW of Ft Wayne. None of my hydrangeas are remotely close to blooming except what I have bought this year. Everything else is just growing back from the crown - maybe 6-8" growth so far, and except on the handful I got covered most of that growth got zapped big time by the heavy frost/hard freeze we had last Sunday night. I got a ton of stufff put into the garage and covered a few more tender plants by the house but forgot about the beds out by the road, whoops!

I hear you. While I am in Zone 8, many of my mopheads are doing the same thing as your shrubs this year. These mopheads went dormant in the Fall as usual but, due to mild winter temperatures, they probably stayed a bit awake. Kind of like when someone keeps you awake due to snoring. Ha! Same effect. Theeen the temps went down to 19 on January 5-9 and zapped many stems; many are growing back from the crown, like yours. Did I remember or even know it was going to go below freezing? I did not. Until it was too late. Whoops, me too. Ha! Still, a few in protected locations had no issues and opened the flower buds in March and are blooming or on they way to doing so. Here is wishing that you get some bloomage!

inmomx3..so your climate is a bit colder than mine..it takes effort to grow macrophylla hydrangeas here..I'm growing in pots now and overwintering in my shed..I'm retired and have the time and determination to baby these plants..it IS a hassle..but they're so pretty..

luis..can you believe I bought 4 more macs?..out of my mind??

I just started with hydrangeas a few years ago. I only plant new wood bloomers outside and know I likely won't get any early flowers. Had lots of hydrangeas and roses in pots.

Two winters ago had everything stored nicely in garage and my hydrangeas were beautiful last summer.

Last fall got away from me - stayed warm so things didn't go dormant early, and once they did temps hit below 0 fast. I didn't get anything in the garage and lost a good 25-30 large pots of things over the winter. My own fault. The ones in-ground are all coming back, albeit slowly. Will be interesting to see what I end up getting blooms off of this summer.

I am enough north of you that we get colder temps, but far enough south that we don't get much lake effect snow. Plants would be much happier with a blanket of snow all winter, but that doesn't happen here. Toss in rural living, wind, and lack of concrete to help stabilize temps a bit and it can be a bit brutal for my plant babies, LOL.

i winter protected really well two winters ago, and it didn't do much at all for the couple in-ground hydrangeas I had and apparently it made a very happy home for some critters who proceeded to devour the roots of all my roses, even the less tender potted ones I had packed in there!

Sprinkle a few compact arborescens and paniculatas in strategic locations so you get "soooome" bloomage when bad years hit. Or try using some reblooming macs. If your growing season is short, I would try compact reblooming macs from the Let's Dance Series. I read that rebloomers require some some height before they rebloom so, for short growing seasons, use compact rebloomer macs, not large rebloomer macs.

inmomx3..I'm a little warmer but NOT enough to make a difference..same issues..in case you don't know - if you don't have any arborescens or paniculata hydrangeas try them..hardier..have them but want macs too..it is difficult to know when to put pots in and when to bring out..

Oh I've got paniculata's around too :)

limelight, tardiva, couple strawberry sundae, multiple bobo, some little limes, and a pink diamond tree form. looking to add a little QuickFire I think too.

I had one of the pink anbabelle's but it never flourished and after a few years withered away to nothing. If I could find one of the new proven winners colored ones I would consider that as a replacement but for now I think I'll wait for a deal on a little quickfire in that spot.

i still have a weakness for the Mopheads though. Grocery got some beautiful everlasting harmony and amethyst last week but didn't want to spend $25 apiece - had to snag some frost singed ones today for $6 each though, couldn't resist! More for the pot garden.

inmomx3..not surprised at all that you knew about the other types (and have all of them!) but wanted to mention it..I've seen beautiful pics of Quickfires..good luck with your garden..post pics when you can..I'll do the same..we all love garden pics :-) forgot to say that I have 1 pink arborescens - a $3 Bella Anna (heard they discontinued it) shouldn't have paid more than 5 cents!..thin foliage just a few drab blooms..still there but will disappear when I feel like messing with it..

Oh, inmomx3, I too want to try some of those new compact Annabelle colored shrubs but they may be -as you suggested- expensive for a while. May have to look for rebloomer mopheads too. Ha!

Our Walmart didn't have ANY hydrangeas. Boo! I'll be looking at another one today. Fingers crossed.

Some Walmarts' selections are sporadic. You can go to 3-4 and nothing seems alike.

And I know the discussion wandered a bit, but someone mentioned Tardiva - that's the furthest thing from compact you'll get. I've seen some near me that are 20' wide, so if you plant one, prepare to kiss half your yard goodbye. LOL

I have the tardiva - currently in a pot. 20' is way bigger than what the tag said, lol, so good to know. Im not sure it would get that big in zone 5 anyway but I'll make sure the intended planting spot has room for major growth :) I think where I planned for it to go will be fine but may shift it over by the orchard trees instead. Thanks!