The earliest blooming are probably Quickfire, Little Quickfire and Dharuma.

When do they begin to bloom, Luis?

Quickfire & little QF should be starting to bloom now in your zone... QF can top out at 6/8/‘ LQF at 4/5’ another option could be Bobo a early bloomer

I like to stagger my blooming plants so that there is always some color around the house.

The front yard, which gets sun all day, is looking devoid of color since my peonies have long finished blooming. I've deadhead them so now all I have is the green leaves. Things are looking too monochromatic for me, lol.

The only color I have right now is my lackluster performing Endless Summer mopheads and a non-blooming Aeysha hydrangea planted in the back of the house, which gets northern sun.

mintcar - I feel your pain. I look forward to peonies all year. Feels like 1 day bloom, 7 days later.....pray it does not rain, cause if it rains, those petals are goners.

I know this is the hydrangeas forum but... (sorry, guys) southern exposure and full sun sounds like an ideal situation for roses. There are some no-fuss, no-spray, reblooming roses available now, and I'm sure folks on the roses forum will be happy to help. That will give you lots of color.

I gave up on roses last year. ;0( Still have several dozens but am not adding any more.

@ a1an...I lost so many peonies this year to the rain..:/ .

My Quickfire is typically ready to start opening about now, though I haven’t looked yet this year. Depending on where your 7a is, paniculata may suffer in full sun. They don’t have any issues with all day sun this far north (so it would be fine if you are on Cape Cod or in the Pacific NW) but some folks in the SE US have mentioned that the flowers look better with some shade during the hottest part of the day.

You also might want to consider some color contrast from foliage for those times between bloom. I also grow clematis (hard prune types) into some of my stoutly branched shrubs to give them additional bloom time.

@NHBabs...I'm about 20 minutes from Atlantic City. I have some Limelights planted on the west side of my house and while a little leggy, they show no signs of wilting. I'm just so impatient to see blooms, lol.

Right now the paniculatas I have blooming in order of how far along they are Quickfire, Fire and Ice, Pinky Winky, Limelight and Bobo.

Good choices. Any news on how Pink Diamond is doing for anyone in zones 5-7... blooming wise?

Here Bobo starts about now just after the QF. I don’t have it in my garden, but a friend does. My White Diamond has broccoli, and my PW is about three weeks from now. I haven’t checked out my Fire and Ice yet.

Just across the river outside Phila., my FireLight has broccoli and starting to bloom. Planted in west location with sunlight from noon to dusk(full sun). Only in second year but should reach 4.5'-6' tall and wide. White blooms start creamy white fading to pink, then to rosy pink before turning brown in autumn.

Regards,

Will

My Strawberry Sundae, Little Lime, and Firelights are in the broccoli stages too. I can't wait to see the flowers; I just planted them last summer.

My Quick Fire is in fool swing right now, also Angel’s blush started opening within the last couple of weeks, I have nice looking flowers. Strawberry Sundae just started popping white flowers

Heard of another early blooming paniculata called Torch from Bloomin Easy Plants, about 4-5 feet tall and wide. Buds are opening now in MA.