Hydrangea leaf tips are brown and curling

Langport-Jane

I have three hydrangeas, all several years old and they grow prolifically every year.  They are planted against a south facing wall.  About mid March I removed the dead flower heads and pruned them, taking out about a third of the stems of each plant down to almost ground level.  Until about ten days ago, they were looking good with lots of new leaves, but then we had a couple of late (for Somerset) frosts and now some of the leaves are curling and drying out at the edges.  Weather for the past three days has been gloriously sunny and I've watered them well.  I plan to cut off the affected leaves and hope that it was just a reaction to the frost.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to whether there may be some other reason for this happening please? 

Fairygirl

'Against a south facing wall' is always going to be difficult for hydrangeas. Not enough shade, and rain is prevented from getting into the ground as well as it might. However, a mature shrub can cope well enough once properly established.
I would leave the damaged foliage just now, and it'll drop off when it's done. You'll get new growth to replace it. 
The problem arises when you get a mild winter, and plants start growing, so you get soft growth which can then be affected adversely. It can also be wind damage, as that can frazzle new, soft growth.
We can get the same problem here, as spring is later anyway,  but the growth also doesn't start until later. 

Langport-Jane

Thanks Fairygirl, and I'll do as you suggested - leave the damaged foliage to fall off on its own.  You are probably right about wind damage too, as the worst afffected plant is the one on the end which gets the most wind (and shelters the other two to a certain extent).  I know hydrangeas normally prefer some shade but two of them were already planted there, and doing so well that we added another!  Up until now they have looked amazing every summer.

Lyn

That why I have only just started to cut ours back,  even now, I’m hoping it’s not too soon.