they are stressed.. not hungry.. fert is not a response ...

even a damaged leaf.. is doing its work converting sun into nutrients... imo.. not the time to cut them off ...

frankly.... the first year of planting ... i dont expect much in the way of flowers .. but if i get them it makes me happy ... or making it thru the heat of summer.. without damage ....

your soil looks dry.. i would suggest digging a couple 3 to 6 inch holes .. AND FIND OUT IF YOU ARE WATERING PROPERLY ... IF ITS NOT DAMP AS DEEP AS THE ROOT MASS YOU PLANTED.. THEN THEY WERE OR ARE.. WATER STARVED ....oops .... to lazy to retype ... keep in mind.. the H roots are much deeper than the begonia roots ....

a good layer of mulch will be beneficial ...

this is not uncommon at all .. with late planted transplants [early may might have been better.. but i am guessing at when it was done] .. when the heat of summer hits .....

the plants are to sun/water damaged.. for me to be thinking about disease ...

they may do better next year.. being fully established.... no longer subject to transplant stresses ... and perhaps a better growing season ... but if they do the same.. then you would start thinking about needing to remove them.. and plant something else there for the future ....

ken

ps: also think about how hot the cement gets ... and it holds the heat deep into the night .. whereas other locations would cool faster.. giving the plants a longer recovery period at night ...

Agree 100% with Luis. That is just too much afternoon sun (and reflected heat) for these shrubs, especially since they are newly planted and not yet established. You might get away with a H. paniculata in that location (much more sun and heat tolerant) but not with a bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla). And to produce reliable flowers each season you will need to winter protect and that is probably not going to be a look you favor for your front entry.

I'd move 'em :-) And replace with something more sun and heat tolerant and preferably evergreen.

I appreciate the comments so far. We see a lot of hydrangeas flourishing on west- and south-facing gardens in our area, but they may be more tree-shaded. It doesn't look like it'll work for us -- which is disappointing.

We only have one other plantable area, in our tiny backyard -- it is a narrow bed, also west-facing, but shaded from behind by a detached garage, and in front by the back of our house. It tends to get direct sun in the middle of the day, when the sun is overhead, but is in shade for much of the rest of the day. I'm not sure the hydrangeas would work there either, but I have no other option.

Should I wait until the early winter to move them?

What should I plant in their place? (we want colour...)

You can delay moving them until temperatures moderate in the Fall but in the mean time, give them afternoon shade & appropriate water amounts some way. They can stand afternoon sun only for "a while" before all leaves brown out.

If you get close to the point where all leaves are browning out, the root ball will begin to repel water instead of absorb water... then, you will need to yank them out, put them in a pail full of water and let them absorb water there for several hours, until they stop bubbling for example. At that point, put them in a pot and replant in the Fall or Winter before the soil freezes. A dipping house left "on" on top of the root ball also works but it needs to be left slowly dripping so the root ball will eventually start to absorb water.

Regarding replacements, I am so far South that I would recommend visiting the Toronto Botanical Gardens for colorful alternatives good to your location/zone. They have a nice smartphone app called Growit! that shows plants you can select for the home.

https://torontobotanicalgarden.ca/explore/tours/growit-app/

https://torontobotanicalgarden.ca/explore/themed-gardens/floral-hall-courtyard/

Joe, these links might help,

http://www.torontomastergardeners.ca/askagardener/flowering-shrub-for-full-sun/

I'd look into Buddleia davidii ("butterfly bush"), Kolkwitzia amabilis ‘Pink Cloud’ ("beautybush"), Spiraea, or Weigela.

Do you have family or friends with a yard with more suitable conditions to whom you might be able to give the hydrangeas?

Although still sold here, a non-sterile butterfly bush is considered an invasive plant so I would skip that one if you can. FYI: Series "Buddleia Lo & Behold" and "Buddleia Butterfly Grande" are sterile.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/butterfly-bush/controlling-butterfly-bushes.htm

It wouldn't hurt you to check your soil pH- that's a lot of masonry that looks fairly new. It can leach and raise your soil pH.

In the front of my home I would use something that looks good 12 months a year- either conifers or broadleaved evergreens. Lots of dwarf conifers out there. That's a truly tiny space but I'd be tempted to try to find small slow growing dwarf conifers in combinations of blue, green, and gold.

Or I would get some very attractive larger pots and put my color in them. I'd keep spares out back so I could switch them out seasonally or when they start to look ratty. You can even set pots in among young conifers until they fill out. Annuals and perennials in pots fill out quickly (fill, spill, and thrill) and would go a long way toward hiding all that utility equipment.

I appreciate all the suggestions.

The space we have is indeed tiny, and the May 21 photo above actually shows the entire width of our lot. (We live near the city centre and our garden plot is actually big relative to our neighbours.)

We will find a friend with an appropriate garden for the hydrangeas. It's a shame, as we really like the form, colour, and duration of the blooms.

I am thinking we might look at Weigela instead, for this location (I understand there are varieties with long blooming seasons). I like the look of them, but I presume it is too late in the season to buy and plant one now.

We have coleus and petunias growing in containers elsewhere in the front garden where we can't plant directly into the soil.

We will find a friend with an appropriate garden for the hydrangeas. It's a shame, as we really like the form, colour, and duration of the blooms.

You could just put them in pots and keep them further back on your front porch, where there's a bit more shade and enjoy them for the season.

I presume it is too late in the season to buy and plant one now.

Nope -- try your area nurseries. You can plant shrubs and trees through the fall.