New Hosta's in the Garden

 

I know it's been a while since I've updated but there are a few reasons for that. First, there's the never-ending spring work of which I'm about a month behind this year, went on vacation, and after we came home my computer was giving me issues again.

Blogging is kind of like having a second job and its really hard to get back into it after being away from it for so long!



But regardless of how busy I am, I have to have some new hosta's!

 

'Lakeside Shoremaster'

For a while I was thought I wasn't going to have time to go hosta shopping this year but last week we found a day that worked for both of us, and took a day trip to Wade and Gatton in Bellville. I also picked up some of these hosta's from Cory's Hostas in Chillicothe, Ohio on our way home from vacation.

 

'Earth Angel'

'Earth Angel' is Hosta of the Year 2009 and is a sport of 'Blue Angel' but with a cream margin.

'Sun Power'

 'Sun Power' is a large hosta that likes some bright light for best color. It was so tall I left it tied up until it gets settled in.

 

 

'Peter Ruh'

 

'Tokudama Aureonebulosa'

Try to pronounce that one! A notorious slow grower but a beauty when full grown.

 

"Appletini'

A compact hosta with semi-glossy yellow leaves that turn apple green in summer.

 

'Punky'

Love that name!

 

'Clear Fork River Valley'

This was a Van Wade 2007 introduction named for the river that runs through Wade and Gatton.

This hosta offers some of the heaviest corrugation found on a hosta.

 

'Great Expectations'

After I bought this one I read that it can be very difficult to grow and it grows slowly. So I'm guessing it might not live up to its name.

 

'Lil Abner'

 

 

'Richland Gold's Moonlight'

 

 

'Mighty Mouse'

My third mouse in the 'Blue Mouse' series. Love these tiny dwarf hostas but they tend to get lost when planted among other hostas. They look best planted in pots or I edge them with stones or bricks to make them stand out.

 

'Lakeside Kaleidoscope'

 

'Blue Jay'

Supposed to be one of the bluest hosta available. Blue hosta's require the most protection from the sun. This is because the blue color is actually a waxy coating on the leaf. In full, hot sun, this waxy coating can melt and expose the green leaf underneath. Touching them rubs off the coating as well and unfortunately it doesn't return.

 

 

'Cracker Crumbs'

Another miniature hosta that looking a bit bedraggled but a perfect hosta for my hypertufa planters. Hopefully it will look better next year. 

 



Hostas.....the big ones.

'Christmas Tree'

 

The hostas in this post are the larger and older varieties that have been in my garden for years. I don't have names for all of them so if anyone knows what they are let me know. I'm trying to id them all.
 At this point 'Christmas Tree' is the largest hosta in my garden. This hosta  just looks good all season and doesn't require any care.

 I found a tree-frog, or in this case a 'hosta frog' nestled down in the hosta taking a nap.

'Abiqua Drinking Gourd'

The misty blue leaves on this one are very cupped upward and the leaves actually hold small pools of water after a rain - hence the name. The downside is, debris also collects there. Not so nice!

I'm not positive but I think this is 'Francee'.  It's not classified as a large hosta but it is one of the larger ones in my garden. One of those hostas you just about can't kill.

'Sum and Substance'

This one is classified as a giant. Mine is only a year old but it has doubled in size since planting. This one will be huge! Love the color of this one.

'Inniswood'

A mid-sized hosta that just keeps getting more stunning every year. I almost put this one on my top ten!

 

 

This is one I have had for years and it's been divided over and over. It's very common and a fast grower but I don't have an ID on it.

 

 

Another unknown one.

 

 

'Blue Angel'

Blue Angel is a popular hosta but not especially one of my favorites. It just hasn't performed as well as I expected.  For as long as I have had it, it should be a lot bigger.  I'll give it another year or two and if I don't change my mind about it, I'll move it to the slope behind the house.

 This is where all the unknowns and extras get planted. I want to get this whole bank covered with hostas and other ground covers and shade loving plants.

'Guacamole'

Mine has not reached maturity yet but it will be large when it does. Another one that the slugs just can't resist as you can see. This was the 2002 Hosta of the Year and is one of the fragrant hostas.

'Dream Queen'

Dream Queen is notorious for being a very slow grower. In fact mine is at least six years old and still only has one scape.

Hostas aren't known for their flowers, but Dream Queens are very pretty.

 

 

 And another blue one I need to id.  Someone on another site suggested it might be 'Halcyon'. I think it looks like 'Krossa Regal but it's not upright enough to be that one. The flowers on it were lavender.
If anyone can help id some of these I would really appreciate it.

Ten of my favorite Hosta's

Hosta's are an all time favorite perennial in the shade garden and I'm pretty passionate about them.
 Currently, I have around 60-65 varieties growing in my garden. That's not that many compared to what a lot of serious collectors have, but that number increases every year. Knowing the names is very important to me and I have about 5 or 6 noids (no id), but they are some of the older types that have been around for years so I might never know for sure what they are.
Because they are always coming out with new hostas, my favorites vary year to year. Frost damage, slugs, and whether the deer have feasted on them is a big factor too.

Hosta 'June' 

'June' is a medium sized hosta that is a favorite to many and is still number one in my garden. 'June' can look very different depending on how much sun or shade it receives. Mine is getting some late afternoon sun due to the loss of a shade tree, so it's a little less blue than I would like. Whatever it's appearance, every shade garden needs a 'June'

Hosta of the Year 2001

 Hosta 'Liberty'

This hosta is an absolute must have for hosta lovers! Mine has is only a year old but you can not help but stop in your tracks when you see a mature clump of Liberty! And it's slug resistant which is always a plus.

Hosta of the Year 2012

 Hosta 'Sagae'

Sagae is another garden showpiece. This lovely hosta has sage green leaves and cream margins and a nice upright shape.

Hosta of the year 2000.

Now the hosta's listed above are my top three favorite, the rest are a little harder to choose so they are not in any particular order.

Hosta 'Pauls Glory'

Another classic that should be in every hosta lovers garden. This 1999 Hosta of the Year is one you have to see in person to really appreciate and is truly an exceptional hosta.

Hosta 'Olive Bailey Langdon'

This is a new Wade and Gatton purchase this year but I'm already love the coloring on it.

This is what it looked like when I bought it.

Olive Bailey Langdon is supposed to be similar to 'Frances Williams' but less prone to spring burn.

Hosta  'Zounds'

Zounds really brightens up a dark spot in the shade garden but it is one of the slowest growing hosta I have. I just love the chartreuse color so it stays in my top 10 but it will probably lose it's spot next year with some of my newer, faster growing hostas of similar color.

Hosta 'Captain Kirk'

 I'm loving Captain Kirk this year. No problem with slugs on this one.

Hosta 'Deja Blu'

This pretty hosta supposedly gets a creamy lightning bolt between the chartreuse margin and the blue-green center. It hasn't shown up yet but when it does it becomes a very striking hosta.

Hosta 'Frosted Mouse Ears'

I have to include a mini in my top 10. Frosted Mouse ears is a sport of the very popular hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears'. Very cute!

 Hosta 'Rainforest Sunrise'

It was hard to pick the last one but decided to include this hosta because it was chosen Hosta of the Year 2013.

This is also a new one from Wade and Gatton.  The foliage is nicely cupped and puckered and it's thick leaves makes it resistant to slugs.

If you love hosta's, what are some of your favorites?

You know you're a hostaholic when.......

 

You know you're a hostaholic when your wish list is longer than your have list.

You know you are a hostaholic when a neighbor comes over and finds you with a clipboard and tape measure recording mound and leaf sizes, taking vein counts, and noting the first sign of scapes.

You know you're a hostaholic when planning a vacation includes finding hosta growers and open gardens to tour and only vacationing during the growing season!

You know you're a hostaholic when you turn down a gift of hostas from someone who calls them "the green and white one and the all-green one".

You obsess with remembering every name of each hosta you have.

You know you're a hostaholic when you tear out all of your grass to have more room to plant more hostas.

You know you're a hostaholic when you tell the family you're taking them out to eat someplace new and it just happens to have a Hosta Nursery nearby you've wanted to check out.

You know you're a hostaholic when a criteria for buying a new home is what the potential hosta gardens could look like or how much shade is available.

 You wage war on slugs and hunt them ferociously at night with a flashlight and sprayer bottle.

You know you're a hostaholic when you read all of the above and think to yourself, 'well, that's normal.'

I admit I can relate to a few of those, (not saying which ones) but I've definitely got the hosta fever! I don't know how many I have, but this summer I'm going to start a journal and keep record of each one.
 Other than the deer and slugs loving them too, they are some of the easiest plants to grow and require very little care.

This is my haul from a recent trip to Wade and Gatton. I try to get a variety of sizes, colors, textures, and shapes. Some hostas may look similar when they are still small, but their color can change greatly as they mature.

 

'Fat Cat'

Big, fat, round, yellow leaves with nice puckering and texture.

 

 

'Olive Bailey Langdon'

Rounded, very corrugated blue leaves with a wide irregular gold margin.

 

'Marilyn Monroe'

A very nice hosta with soft, ruffled edges, and reddish-purple stems.

 

 

'Dawns Early Light'

Yellow hosta's as a rule are more sun tolerant than other hosta's. I lost some shade in this area last year and had to move a hosta that couldn't take the sun so I'll see how this yellow one does in this spot. Yellow hosta's add a lot of color and contrast to the garden.

 

 

'Avocado'

Where did I plant Avocado?  Next to Guacamole of course!!!

 

 

'Rainforest Sunrise'

2013 Hosta of the Year.

 

 

'El Nino'

 Thick leaves are powdery blue with a pure white edge. This one has been on my want list for a few years. This one came from a local greenhouse.

 

 

'Kiwi Full Monty'

A beautiful hosta with dusty blue leaves and a chartreuse center, with a thin white line between the center and margin. Actually looks a lot like 'Striptease'.

 

 

'Stiletto'

This small, fast growing hosta has long, thin, green leaves, with a rippled white margin. Great as an edger or in containers. I put this in one of my hypertufa planters I made last year.

 

 

'Lacy Belle'

I had success with keeping a hosta overwinter in a container so I'll try another one.

 

 

'Twist of Lime'

A small fast-growing hosta that works well as an edger.

 

 

'Teaspoon'

This cute little hosta has teaspoon-shaped, cupped solid green leaves. Must be an early bloomer. It had flower scapes when I bought it.

 

 

'Toy Soldier'

A small hosta with blue heart-shaped leaves and bi-colored cream and green margins.