We love the limerick, Shirley – thanks! ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea will flop naturally – it’s just what it does. That said, there are a few things that you can do to minimize the flopping and get the strongest possible stems. First, do not cut it back to the ground. This is common practice for many people who grow ‘Annabelle’ but is not recommended because it never gives the plant a chance to develop sturdy, woody stems that will be much more supportive than herbaceous growth. Instead, cut it back by about one-third its total height each year, removing any thin side branches at that same time as well. Second, don’t grow it in too much shade – that will cause the stems to elongate, reaching for the light, and become weak. Try to give it at least a few hours of sun, ideally in the morning in hotter areas. Third, avoid overfertilizing. Excessive fertilizer – especially combine with large quantities of water – can push soft growth quickly, resulting in weakness. Once a year in early spring is perfectly fine, as is up to once a month from early spring through late July. Opt for granular (not liquid) fertilizers formulated for trees and shrubs. Finally, consider Incrediball hydrangea instead. We developed it specifically to have everything everyone loves about ‘Annabelle’ but without the weak, floppy stems. Not only did we get that, we also got much larger blooms! Of course, for best results, you’d still want to follow the steps we outlined above. However, whereas ‘Annabelle’ will likely still show some stem weakness even if you do all that, Incrediball should hold up, especially once your plant has gotten established.