Allotments 4 All

just bought a small hydrangea plant which is about 12" long with a flower at the top ,one stem but have leaf buds further down should i cut the flower off and shorten the stem to the leaf buds or leave the flower on  my gut feeling is to give it the chop :-\

Are you going to plant it outside? If so, would leave the plant alone now..and come spring..then tidy up the old flower heads and give the room for the new growth. Any growth...old flower heads etc..will protect the new buds against the cold weather. Pruning hydrangea is recommended after worst of the winter weather is gone.. ;)
If you are going to keep it like a pot plant..maybe in cool conservatory?..then the tidy up for the old flowers is enough for now.

I usually prune my hydrangeas end of February/ start of March.

Oops posted at the same time as GL!!