Yes, you could do like a hedge and help them support themselves but even at the beginning you may need to put some chicken wire to provide support. Since many times, rain that accumulates on the blooms is the culprit, a location where they get some protection from rain will help. That is what helps protect lone Annabelle. Now, the advantage of buying more is they all together can help each other is done like a hedge and, aesthethically, buying them all now, means that their height/width may now be in sync with each other. But if you wait until Spring, the new ones may be not as tall or not as wide as the one you just bought and well, -depending on your tastes- that may bother some people. Not a big deal to me and easy to fix but... I know some gardeners who would get bothered by something like that. The ones sold now also tend to have some discount or lower price but new ones in Spring will not.

This post was edited by luis_pr on Mon, Sep 23, 13 at 5:28

My Annabelles spread quickly--which means I can dig up a good clump (with some rootball) and plant it, watering it in well. In a couple years time, they will both be the same size--ht and width.

Cheap way to do it.

Kate

I started with one start from a friend. I now have a thick bush 4 foot wide and tall. They multiply very well and in our zones they die to the ground every winter and regrow with brand new shoots each year. No worry about varying hts. Last 2 winters we did have zone 6 type winter, and mine did not quite die to the ground but still no height variation. Hydrangeas winter differently further south.