Hi Carol, I hated to be the one ...Marie's are known for there vergated leaves...depending on what Zone you in if there will bloom ...I had one for 7 yrs never One flower, it's gone bye bye, ...I'm also in the same zone 6A...Good Luck

Lemon Daddy definitely needs protection from hot afternoon sun - morning sun is fine. And cautions about the Mariesii are valid - it is a reluctant bloomer even in my very hydrangea-suited climate. In yours, it will require winter protection and even then the flowering will be sparse, if at all. But the leaf effect is very appealing.

In all honesty, I bought these strictly for their foliage. Blooms are a bonus. I have no luck getting hydrangea to rebloom in my garden so I've given up on the old standard endless summers. These were on sale for 50% off at a local nursery so I don't have much to lose.

In my neck of the woods, the yellow leafed hydrangeas and the variegated ones required transplanting because the leaves are more tender to the summer sun (the leaves are ok in Spring/Fall though). But my summer sun is harsh compared to yours so I do not know if your planting location will be ok; but afternoon sun? Gosh, I do not know. You could always try with your milder sun and see how they handle the summers; but transplant them if things go awry, like I had to do. You would think that 2-3 hrs of morning sun will be ok. But the more sun they get, the faster they seemed to turn from yellow to green.

The variegated ones are more sensitive to the cold, compared to mopheads that are not variegated. I view them as hardy to Zone 7 and recommend winter protection too. But the blooms of both, yellow and variegated, were not impressive to me so I just buy them for the foliage. I even bought something else that looks like your variegated hydrangea a few years ago but, it is not a hydrangea.... hmmmmm, now where is it???? I was just pulling weeds and do not remember seeing it... hmmmmm.... Oops? Hee hee hee! Oh, well....

I was never happy with the skimpy and boring blooms on the variegated hydrangeas and the foliage could be duplicated by other plants - they are gone from my garden also.

I'll also add that both are quite awful in zone 6. Parent Big Daddy is even better than Lemon Daddy. However, if you find some bright shade with shelter from severe elements, Lemon Daddy has a chance.

The variegated one doesn't do well at all, anywhere in zone 6, even next to a foundation. It breaks dormancy very early and will quickly be killed back by the first Spring freeze. I've moved mine 7 times with no luck, and it is currently growing bare-rooted under my deck. I would see having success with it as a container plant only.