Hydrangea fungus

This was my hydrangea a few years ago in the fall. It was a large, beautiful, healthy plant.  Then within a couple of days it looked like this _

Some kind of fungus?  When I dug it up this spring, the roots didn't show signs of root rot. The leaves didn't develop any black spots. It looked like someone took a blow torch to it.

2 weeks ago, I purchased a new hydrangea. This time I chose an endless summer.  Some of the leaves have begun to turn a sort of silvery color. It doesn't look like powdery mildew. I've been picking them off, keeping the area around it clean, and spraying with a fungicide. I don't like using chemicals in my garden, but sometimes I give in. So far, it hasn't died. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I probably shouldn't have planted it in the same spot as my old one, but darn it all - that's where I want it!


On a better note, the battle I've been fighting the last couple of years with the viburnum leaf beetle seems to have been won - by ME!! My snowball bush is gorgeous this year and covered with snowballs.

new plants added to my garden

I used some of my gift certificates to our local nursery and bought some new plants for my garden. Now my problem is, I want so many things but don't know where to plant them. The only full sun my yard gets is in the driveway and in front of my house, which isn't a very large space. So the neighbors get to watch me walk around my yard holding plants and staring at my gardens. They must wonder what is wrong with me! Just trying to find a spot for my babies.