Hydrangeas: The harshest winter ever, and NOW 'Snowflake' blooms, 1 by DonnaMack

DonnaMack wrote:
I'm puzzled. I've had Hydrangea Querquefolia 'Snowflake' and 'Alice' for years in my zone 5a yard. I would burlap them every winter in the hope of getting blooms, but I never got more than four or five. Now with the harshest winter ever (it killed zone 5a roses and viburnums!), with the same burlapping, my Snowflake looks like this.

I'm happy, but I'm confused. As you can see, it's quite exposed. The west wind, from the rear of the picture, is a killer.