Last year I picked up an Endless Summer hydrangea for just $5 at Lowe's. After planting, it did get a little sick, but I nursed it back to health (and also beat off the deer) and it was quite a pretty little foot-tall plant and even bloomed for us before winter hit!

I carefully made a little wire cage wrapped with burlap for it and covered it for winter. It was a really brutal winter and the cage did blow off a few times (several times to the end of the street). Additionally, it looks like the *censored* deer attacked it during these times as well.

Right now, though many other things are greening away in the yard, the hydrangea is just a strange, sad little dead-looking mass of sticks. Is it...dead? *cries* Thanks...