Propagate hydrangeas - how?

Softwood cuttings in early summer are the easy way. Pick a shoot that hasn't flowered this year, cut about 4 to 6 inches just below a leaf node, strip the lower leaves and cut the big top leaves in half so it doesn't lose too much water. Push it into a gritty mix (compost with plenty of perlite or sharp sand), water it, and cover with a clear bag to keep the humidity up. Bright shade, not sun. Most root in a few weeks, you'll feel resistance when you tug gently. Rooting powder helps but isn't essential with hydrangeas. Lazier option: bend a low branch to the ground, nick the underside, pin it down with a stone and leave it till next spring.