Do you want to train it as a single trunk standard or do you want a balanced shrub? That will determine the best corrective action.

Probably wasn't staked when it was younger but I think it's a lost cause on trying to straighten stem. If the pic is right, is there more sun to the left of it. Various parts of my garden and shrubs.....they all gravitate and have more growth and some more -veering- towards the longest portion of sunlight fwiw

I would try digging it up and replanting it. Hydrangeas are generally pretty hardy if you give it plenty of water after replanting. You may want to wait until cooler weather if you’re in a warm climate.

"Do you want to train it as a single trunk standard or do you want a balanced shrub?"

This needs to be answered before any real advice can happen.

Most everything I grow leans toward the sun so try to work with that instead of against it.

Paniculatas respond really well to a hard prune in the spring- I lost several in last winter's ice storm and was forced to take them back to 6-12 inch stubs. I've been so impressed with how they responded- lush growth and way larger blooms- that I'm taking the rest of them down like that next spring.

So decide on the form you want- shrub or tree- then go learn a bit about pruning and how to direct growth. But don't think perfectly vertical and symmetrical growth is going to be easy- plants like this are just about always going to grow toward the sun.

If you do decide to move it wait until it cools down a bit or wait until very early spring.

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

houzz just messed up my whole post.. i will try to recreate it later.. when i have more time ..

ken

Thank you all for the feedback & links - much appreciated! The front of the house is N facing and the original access to the front door was a narrow walkway behind the 4 yew bushes to the right of the garage door. That being the case there were actually evergreens & other shrubs directly in front of the front door and as they grew out of control my guess is they crowded the also out of control hydrangea & the branches that extended towards the front door were cut giving it the lopsided look we inherited. We've since cleared the bushes and added a pathway to the front door (see pic). I did prune it way back this spring so good to know I can take it back more next year so it is more shrub than tree as I'm not sure where I could even move it to...right now it's in front of our dining room.
Thanks again!

Mine was trained as a tree and so was already in that form without any help from me. Mine has also responded well to hard pruning. But unlike you my yard has a downward slope. I don’t know if it was planted even with the ground,but it was never staked by the nursery people who planted it. Anyway, for me the end result is a beautiful tree that isn’t straight. It does get more sun on the side it leans to, so kens point is well taken. Mother Nature will create as she will. Mine is in the middle of the backyard garden with plenty of room to grow.

That is a 5’ fence

This is a top down photo which can give you some idea of how large the canopy can get and how what ken said regarding your front door makes sense. It’s a beautiful tree or shrub depending on what you decide. Good luck woth your decision!

debra

some plants .. have next years buds on the plant in fall ... so you need to ID the proper timing to prune ...

imo.. it would look stunning.. about 10 or 15 feet further away from the house.. on the other side of the walkway ... but that can be done in future years.. once you get tired of it.. where it is ...

or plant a new one there now.. so when you do decide to get rid of this one.... the new one is rockin and rollin along ...

good luck.. a garden is ever evolving.. im sure i gave you lots to think about.. but there is no real hurry ...

ken