id need a pic of the location.. to opine what might best fit there..

as well as your location.. which youve been around long enough to include without me asking.. maybe NY???

also... the pic might be better with the old plant removed ...

if you are z5 ny.... move the thing in late sept or so.. when the local trees start fall color change... thats a good indicator everything around you is going dormant. ....

and its also prime planting time.. if you can find stock to buy that time of year ... or buy now.. but hold until proper planting time

ken

ps are deer an issue

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

Mopheads are usually not of much interest to pollinators as they have very few fertile flowers (the bloom is made of specialized leaves called sepals). The following plants are not pollinated by bees: flowering tobacco, trumpet vine, yuccas, bananas and palms.

I'm in southern Ontario. Z5ish.

Bananas?? I don't think so!

What kind of peniculata is this?

The following plants are not pollinated by bees: flowering tobacco, trumpet vine, yuccas, bananas and palms.

They're not pollinated by bees, but I've definitely seen carpenter bees all over my Nicotianas "stealing" nectar by piercing a hole at the base of the flower. Then again, carpenter bees are pretty harmless, although they can be "aggressive" around their nesting sites (without stinging though).

Anyone know what my paniculata is? Pinky winky?

I think I'm going to try a dappled willow (flamingo?). Does it do well with only afternoon sun?

Ok with afternoon sun. But it will need regular pruning to keep it within bounds and maintain the best colour.

That's fine. I don't mind pruning it 3 times or so per year.

Will your climate support Japanese maple?…they come in glorious colors and the dwarf varieties…will remain small..and pruning can produce lovely silhouettes…

Yea, it does. I have three on my property and doing well.

What cultivar is that in the pic? Will the pm sun affect that?

Which ones would you recommend

Just came upon ruby falls redbud. Online sources put it at 6' to 8' tall x 4' to 6' wide. That would work in that spot... size wise. We bottom our here at - 27ish Celsius at least a few times per winter. With some protection from winter wind exposure I would think it would survive. I have the straight species and it does very well for me without any dieback.

That maple is so old that i cant remember the name…but it is a dwarf and was chosen for the color..that is evening sun in the pic…it is under a big oak tree and gets lots of dappled sun all day ….where we are….you go to a nursery and pick from what they have in the spring…(i got a red one at the same time that was bigger but it did not thrive)…right now it is struggling after several summers of unusually high temps….

What size is that area exactly? It looks too small for a JM or most other small trees, especially since it borders a path. And look how the current Hydrangea is leaning away from the house towards the light. I’m wondering if a conical or upright shrub would be better, or a clematis on an obelisk?

True.. just measured it. The site can accommodate a plant/tree that grows at a max width of about 8 feet. Height not so much an issue, although I'd rather keep it to no more that 15 or so feet tall

So I suppose that gives me some options? Something a bit narrower that tall for sure....

Here's a pic of the spot from my terrace.

@splaker no advice to offer but wanted to say your hosta bed is lovely.

@splaker, i'll take a guess that your existing hydrangea standard is Quick Fire. The red stems, airy shape of the flower clusters, and the fact that Quick Fire is often sold on standard. I can't be 100% sure but that's my guess.

It's not a quick fire. I forget what I bought! Quick fires don't attract the bees and wasps very much around here.

It's flower is also pointier than a quick fire

Well darn! Luis_pr is the best guesser when it comes to hydrangea, so he would be the one who may have a better guess.

I hate when I lose tags for things I buy! I hope you find your answer!

I checked out the Enkianthus - very unique name! Seems that it requires acid soil... we have alkaline soil here.. although in that small spot, I could easily manage the PH... It's almost like a planter box. Trouble will be finding it...

Bees and other pollinators absolutely love Enkianthus.

Bees love enkianthus blooms, but they only flower in the spring, They are grown more for their form.

I don’t think it matters when they bloom. Splaker is presumably highly allergic all year round. Over here they are grown largely for their flowers and fall colour. Their form is nothing special and they’re very fussy about growing conditions. They are actually recommended for attracting pollinators.

Living in a cold part of the world, there are few stinging critters around in May/June. The hornets, wasps, etc don't show up around here until July and really peak in august and early September

I love love love my Helleri Holly shrubs!!
The 'helleri' cultivar was named Holly of the Year for 2015 by the Holly Society of America. Plant in the full sun to partial shade in acidic well-drained soil though it tolerates a wide range of soil types, from moist to dry, including clay. The shrub can be pruned to manage its size so it works well in small spaces.
Helleri Holly has dark green evergreen foliage on a plant with a round habit of growth. The small glossy oval leaves remain dark green throughout the winter. It produces black berries from mid fall to late winter. I live in NJ, and my shrubs seem to love living here!

What about bees? Here they appear with the spring flowers.

This is my last comment on enkianthus because I do not want to take this thread off topic.

In response to its form being nothing special & finicky, that is a matter of opinion. It is prized for its form, especially in Japanese gardens. It is not finicky in acidic soil in part shade.

They bloom on old wood. Therefore, the flower buds can be removed when pruning for form. In this way, from a design standpoint, it is used like a dwarf Japanese maple, etc.

That being said, this suggestion is just one of many plants that can be considered.

I'm actually not allergic to honey bees. I'll check out that holly but pics show a round globular plant. I want something tall and narrowish.

Splaker, I agree that your current panicled hydrangea isn’t Quickfire for the reasons you listed, but it also doesn’t look like Pinky Winky to me. PW is still opening bright white floers at the top of the panicle while the flowers at the bottom of each panicle are turning red. Yours might be Pink Diamond or another of the older varieties that are less common now.

Yea, I think it is pink diamond...

It's flopping so much now... not a good variety

The flopping might be due to the shade from the building. IME in more northern area where too much heat is not an issue, they really like a lot of sun.

It gets sun from 1 to 7 pm

Mine that do best get a full day of sun, so 12+ hours in summer.