We live in southern Quebec. We bought a hydrangea paniculata tree last year and the blooms were beautiful. I pruned the blooms off in the winter as they were falling off. This year the tree grew leaves but there are no blooms. Is this normal in the first year after planting. We have nice dirt. It is in full afternoon sun. We water it every night in spring and summer.
Your Hydrangea paniculata, the panicled hydrangea is not blooming in its first year and this is probably not a problem in the long term. Plants take time to adjust to the new environment of our real gardens. You seem to have met the requirements for sun/ shade and watering. Would you consider an annual mulch although you say your soil is rich already.
Hydrangea have different pruning needs depending on the type. Your particular one blooms on new wood so can be pruned in the fall, late winter or early early spring. Prune to just above a bud. I like to wait till the early spring, just as the buds begin to swell. Pruning makes a big difference with Hydrangea.