I bet moisture also has something to do with yours. Hydrangeas require lots of water. They may just be struggling to stay alive and can't get established good. I gave two small pieces that had self rooted to my neighbor across the street last year. She planted both of them together in her front bed. This year they are blooming like crazy and are beautiful! Turned out one was blue and one was pink and the combination together is really pretty.
May 2012...Let Us See Those Flowers!
We are all sad pathetic people, I had company yesterday, a friend who loves flowers also, I had been cleaning out a small area to plant something in and had pulled out some pieces of verbena and that little sedum I think it is Tiny Toes, well I put them in the wagon I sit on as I just hate to throw away plants, there is a local FB group someone signed me up on and I have been giving away extras on it. Just so happened, she did not have any of that and I gave it to her. I have doodles of that sedum, but it is just too hard for me to throw away plants, I always think someone else might want them.
She brought me some ivy that has some yellow in it, the leaves are a little bigger than the variegated one I have, would anyone know if it has a name? Raining here today, I will get a picture when it quits.
Genna, our Lowes usually sells pine straw, they may not have any right now, but they always have it in the fall. You could get a couple of bales for your shrubs
Genna I'm sure you know not to cut the old hydrangea stalks off. They flower from those old what look to be dead stalks.
Sandra you are so right! Don't know why but I just have a hard time bringing myself to throw them away.
I've started a new thread for June here
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1262912/