Runaway Bride Hydrangea - disappointing ??

My Runaway Bride has been lovely this year but I only bought and planted it last year, so it's still pretty small. It's in a shady, but damp position that gets hardly any sun. The flowers faded to a very noticeable pink and I've been pleased with it. It's only just started with the new growth so perhaps I've been lucky. Now my blue hydrangea (can't remember the variety) that cost a lot and has to be grown in a pot because I have alkaline soil, has produced exactly 3 flower heads this year

Do you think Julia Roberts possesses one of these?

I like the look of Pinky Winky, will make a note to that. I took cuttings of my Two Hydranges last year, not sure which is which now but have three sturdy plants in pots, and not sure where I can fit them in or who to give them to (already given a couple away)

Pinky Winky (great name) looks lovely. I may have to invest in one of those

Pinky Winky?

Annabelle is a lovely white hydrangea with huge heads like dinner plates, however the heads are so heavy I’ve had to support the stems as they easily flop over or get blown down. I’ve had better success with Pinky Winky and limelight which have cone shape flowers which start out white and then turn pink

The only hydrangea I grow is 'Little Lime' in a large pot. It does very well and has lots of flowers. Doesn't seem to suffer from disease or get attacked by anything, so I'm very happy with it. I previously had a lace cap one but it got infested with woolley aphid so I ditched it.

The runaway bride looks very nice direct from the grower but becomes a different matter growing it in the garden.

Yours looks similar to mine doesn't it? Leaf-cutter bees obviously like them. I have bee hotels and some of the holes are stuffed with the pieces.

I was interested to read that other hydrangeas are suffering too. I have one which hasn't flowered at all too.

This is my hydrangea. It has lobelia around the side but it is dying off now.

Something is also eating the leaves.

Thanks for your responses. It sounds like the Bride might not be all she is cracked up to be.

I bought a couple of white hydrangeas from our local Lidl a few months ago. They were only £5.99 (I think) and they also had pink and blue ones. No specific variety or name on them and they were a decent size. They are mop heads and are growing really well. They look miles better than the £30 Bride.

I have put the Bride in pride of place on my patio but she may have to move out in favour of one of her cheaper cousin if she doesn't shape up by next year

I have had one in a pot for three years. It certainly flowers all along the stems, but each flower is quite small and doesn't last long. I feed it regularly but this is it today, rather disappointing. However, I have to say that last winter wasn't kind to any of my hydrangeas. Good luck with yours!

I have wanted a white Hydrangea for a while and nearly bought the Hydrangea Runaway Bride so I would be interested in others experience of this variety (or other white ones). I have two Hydrangeas in the garden one suffered badly this April with the heavy frosts and all the new growth turned completely brown, it did recover, both leaves & flowers being late but is now blooming beautifully. The other one did not suffer so much with the frost but for the first time ever has no flowers at all.

I don't know the variety of our hydrangea. Last year it was beautiful, full of blooms. This year the foliage is lush but it doesn't have a single flower.