bloomstruck normally blooms now so I would expect to see flower buds now.

It blooms on old growth now. But flowers on new growth may not be apparent until later into the summer......end of July into August.

Leaf spot on hydrangeas does not require you to cut back all the stems. Just cleaning up any fallen leaves, selectively removing those that are most affected and avoiding overhead watering should avoid most of it. Spraying with a fungicide early in the season helps as well but most plants will grow out of it. It tends to be most common in nursery grown plants and these will typically shed the disease after establishment in the garden.

I think gardengal said it perfect (overhead watering)again all Macs are adventure regardless of your zone...in zone 7 you might need Winter protection....again by August you should see some Buds/Blooms... Good Luck

Since the flower buds are not visible when tiny, have some patience and they appear, make a note on your wall calendar so you will remember when they opened. It is very common for northern areas to see them by mid/late summer or so. The cutting of the old wood would not have affected the timing of the new growth's blooms. Neither would having leaf spot. But in some areas of the country, I regret to say, the leaf spot imay always be there. The best outcome occurs in areas with little Summer/Fall rainfall. In areas with higher levels or more frequency, you get leaf spot often with the intensity being linked to the amt & frequency of the rain. If you clean up after the plant like you are doing though, you can plant other hydrangeas nearby and the clean sanitation practices will minimize the chances of spreading the leaf spot. Limit overhead watering or use drip irrigation if you want.

The first flowers are just starting to open here.