Giant hydrangea taking over my garden

[Fillyfrog]

I have a massive Annabelle variety hydrangea bush in my front garden, it's always done really well and grown huge each year with huge numbers of lovely flowers, I love it.

The only thing is this year it's gone absolutely massive. It's blocking a lot of the view from my front window and spreading onto the front path obscuring my front door. I need to cut it down a bit but if I do it now will it affect it for years to come?

I'm an absolute non-gardener so I don't want to do anything wrong! It's the only nice thing in my garden. What's the best way to take some of the weight out do I literally just chop off all around it? Thank you!
Pic attached, don't laugh I know it's out of control 🙈

Not helpful, but that is a stunner! I'm very envious.

I planted 3 hydrangeas last year and this summer they are growing nicely. I hope to goodness they do as well as yours.

In a similar boat - my hydrangeas have loved this wet spring and have gone bonkers. I'll hack it in November or so time.

My neighbour has one similar and always cuts it right back each year and it still flourishes back

I would cut back the bits that are blocking your path because they might be a tripping hazard and are likely to get damaged by being stepped on. Select each stem one at a time and cut it right down at the bottom so you don't get left with an ugly woody bit.

I think for Annabelle any pruning needs to be late winter/early spring. Cut just above a node, where there are buds and new leaves forming. So that's something to do next year. You can take up to a third of the length of each stem. Also, take any stems that are dead or look deformed out at the bottom.

Thank you, I do cut it back every year in late winter much as you describe. Unfortunately I think that's what it loves as it comes back bigger and bigger every year, it's becoming a bit unmanageable I can't see out of my front window hardly on one side 🙈 I really want to keep it but need it to be half in size preferably!

I think since it's so healthy you could go a bit harder at pruning time by taking out some stems completely or cutting to a lower node. But I think it's just the nature of Annabelle to be boisterous when it's happy. You could keep cutting the excess in the summer and use as flowers for the house, I love hydrangeas in vases.

I'm totally jealous!! I LOVE Annabels, and planted 3 in my garden 3 years ago.

They all died. Not enough shade☹️

Would love such glorious specimens.

I would cut and bring some inside. Any extras I offer as bouquets to neighbours. They make stunning arrangements all on their own.

I would*

Looks lovely. Ours has grown a lot in the last year. Give it a very very hard prune back late this autumn / early winter.