There, there now, it'll be okay... There will be days when things just don't go according to plan but keep your chin up, more than likely it will make a resounding rebound given time. Broken branches can be used for propagating and maybe it needs a little pruning to get some of the dead stuff out and a nice haircut might just be in order. Hydrangeas are very resilient for the most part.

If branches are actually broken off at the base (partially or wholly severed from the crown) you'll need to get rid of them. They might stay healthy looking for a while but will eventually wilt and die from lack of nutrient supply.

Otherwise, if the shrub has splayed to the outsides you can try using some twine and cinching around the shrub halfway up the stems and adjusting the tension before you tie it to make sure it looks good again.

Other shrubs may be prone to completely leaning one way or another once cinched with twine, so in that were a problem you could drive a 1"x or 2"x stake into the ground behind the plant and lasso the twine to it before tying around the shrub (like staking up a tree sapling).

Cadence, you have my sincere sympathy! Hailstorm did that kind of damage on a hydrangea in peak bloom.

If the branches are not broken off, splinting can sometimes allow them to mend. Same principle as splinting a broken bone. Materials used depend on the size of the stem. Often use plastic straws up to jumbo size or thin flexible plastic pipe for this. Either material can be cut to length to bridge the gap generously, opened to slip around the stem & taped closed around the stem in place. Several straws overlapped can surround a larger stem before sizing up to flexible pipe (really just a larger "straw"). Sometimes the branch needs to be supported vertically at the same time with a prop to take any horizontal pressure off the stem. Traditional splinting - using two or more rigid supports held in place - can use anything at hand - chopsticks, paint stirrers, plastic knives, taped to the branch to bridge the injured area. Worth a shot, simple enough to try.

Branches broken clean through can be planted at the base of the bush, elsewhere, in a pot, and will sometimes take if given shade, watered & misted. Also worth a try in my book. And you can always put them in vases in the house after cutting the bottoms cleanly. Many grow hydrangeas in cutting gardens just for this. Or dry them for everlastings. Kind of a "make lemonade" approach.

The twine support described by Springwood_Gardens is also traditional (time-tested) & effective, but my preference is to support branches of flopped plants with rabbit fencing or mesh support. Easier to do with less collateral damage during the process for those unfamiliar with the twine strategy & by one person unassisted. Rabbit fences are those foldable rigid wire green-painted ones with legs that push down into the ground. They come in at least two sizes - low & knee-high once installed. You can gather upright the branches on one side of the bush equal to one panel of the rabbit fence, hold it upright with your body & one arm, and push the fencing into the ground slightly with the other arm while bending over. Slant the fence towards the plant, since pressure from the branches tends to bow it out. Go around the bush unfolding & installing a panel at a time. Once you're satisfied with positioning, you can push all the legs in firmly. For a large flopping bush, you may need to corral the interior of the bush with the fence first & install another layer of fence around the outside.

Tomato cage supports - the metal wire vase cones on legs - can work, too. Usually put in before a plant grows, they can be clipped with wirecutters along one side to open & install after the fact & secured with zipties to hold closed. Two or more can be used end-to-end to surround a large plant, and they can be installed upside down, with the legs in the air, for a teepee cone with the legs held together at the top with ties or a ball & the bottom secured with soil staples. The wire spacing is large enough to fit individual branches through for support. If you have some trellises not in use, those can be put in around the plant for support, too, with the stems resting on the crosspieces.

Any of these are easily removed, since you're looking for a temporary support anyway, but will last a year or more if needed. Keep them handy myself for as-needed support to correct or prevent mishaps. You might console yourself somewhat that the bush still lives & will survive & outgrow this damage - helps a little to put in that perspective.

This post was edited by vasue on Sun, Jun 29, 14 at 11:24