Hydrangeas are a spectacular addition to summer shade gardens, thriving in all-day filtered sun, or morning sun and afternoon shade. 'Saxon Alaska's' double-white mop head flowers last and last, and are beautiful cut flowers. The shrub itself is deciduous, losing its leaves in the fall, at which point you may prune it back to keep the shrub in check when it leafs out in the spring. While the big leaf hydrangeas can grow in sunnier environments, chances are the leaves and flowers will get burned by the late afternoon sun, regardless of how much they are watered.