Everyone has experienced non blooms or very few blooms on their macrophyllas this year due to the unusual winter.

Not everyone. Mine and many others are fine and bloomed well.

Depends if the winter weather froze the macrophylla flower buds - if so, no flowers.
Also depends if the gardener pruned too severely.

This type hydrangea dies to the ground every year. I wait until it is all dead then cut it to the ground, and it comes back entirely the next year. So I don't think pruning had to do with it. We have had some strange weather this year though, perhaps it just didn't receive enough good sun?

Your hydrangea macrophylla doesn't die to the ground. It's deciduous and does lose its leaves, but the stems are dormant, not dead. Left in place, the stems will leaf out again after a bare winter. If the flower buds on those stems (it is setting flower buds you cannot see about now - in August - for next year) are not killed by a late winter or early spring hard freeze, it should bloom in summer (although from what I'm reading the flowers may not reliably be edged in white)

It blooms on wood produced the previous year. You are cutting it off, so no flowers.

Has it been in this pot for three or so years now? You may want to put in in fresh potting medium in a larger pot, check for the possibility it's getting a little root bound if you don't have a place you can give it a little protection from mid day sun in the ground.

This post was edited by morz8 on Mon, Aug 25, 14 at 1:36

Thank you all for your help, Yikes, if I've been wrongly trimming it to the ground every year I'm really feeling clueless! I don't remember the stems ever getting "woody" though, so I may have to come back here later this year for more advice. Glad I posted! It still has beautiful foliage, and looks nice on my deck even though it didn't bloom, but the blooms are to die for!

Some points for you, and this thread:

1. Stems oft don't look woody until Fall or Winter.
2. If you have this potted 100% of the time, simply set under a deck, in a shed, or against a foundation and this should be adequate protection for your dormant stems in zone 7.
3. Michigan Bulb makes up names for all of its plants. Probably to circumvent any patents that may exist, as they are reputed to be a shady outfit. The REAL name for the plant is probably something along the lines of 'Bavaria' or 'Red Ace', NOT 'Raspberry Parfait'.
4. Most bi-colored hydrangea bloom on previous year's growth, hence the need to NOT cut these back. Wait until early June to cut back any stems that haven't begun to produce green growth again.
5. The cow manure probably made the pH of the soil so rich that the heavy pigment of the flowers made the white edges unnoticeable.

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6. PNW didn't get the Polar Vortex nearly as bad as the central and eastern US.

We didn't get the polar vortex period. We had one week of unusually cold and dry weather in December, and a second in February, neither of which - even though temps dropped into the low teens and that's cold for us - affected any of my hydrangeas and all bloomed as normal.

Raspberry Parfait is Hydrangea macrophylla 'Harlequin'
As mentioned, this type blooms on last year's wood. You need to leave the branches intact over fall and winter, then it will flower in early summer.
You can try planting it in the ground on the north side of a slightly taller plant. More sun means it will need more water. Sometimes though (frequently), hydrangea will wilt in the middle of the day and then perk back up in the evening. Mine is in full sun until about 2 pm, and I am in Maryland. The wilting behavior is quite frequent.

You are all terrific to share your knowledge with me, this is greatly appreciated. I don't think it is root bound at this time. I will not prune it back this year, and will make sure it is in a safe spot for winter. I really do love it potted where it is, and don't feel I have a great spot for it with enough shade in my yard at this time so I plan to keep it potted at this time. I'll be back here if it looks too dead this winter, and you all can reassure me its not, lol. thank you!

Be sure you post a photo next year of all your beautiful blooms!

Thanks to all for your advice. Bob

As you have heard do not prune. My bi-colors also sometimes bloom solid. No worries however as you plant looks great-just don't cut!!!