The light pink or blue mop-head flowers are nice and the light green foliage agreeable, but what grabs your attention is the black stems.

Japanese hydrangea; pink lace cap with flowers on erect peduncles.

One of the earliest to bloom (white flowers) and hardiest (zone 4) and attractive hydrangeas.

This Japanese Hydrangea has double pink flowers standing out from the center on stiff peduncles

This Japanese Hydrangea is a blue lacecap, but the infertile flowers are suspended on long graceful peduncles. The bush is short and compact with shiny green leaves set off by obvious veining..

A light blue mophead.

Japanese lacecap darker pink fertile flowers surrounded by light pink to form pleasing contrast. darker

White Japanese lacecap on thin serrated leaves.