mature sizes very greatly ..

first frost is from halcyon ... which is kinda medium ... as compared to the potential of MA ... do you know where to find that info???

you need to define the word 'space' ... for us to comment further ...

ken

MA would be on my must get list if I was starting over. Give it plenty of room. Here's a pic of MA in its 3rd year. As it expands further some of the surrounding plants will get moved. Leaf margins change to white/cream - pic below is mid-July

Paul

The space I have left over would only fit a medium not large hosta. I like me beds to have space between plants and not overcrowding each other. My Halycon is in the section of the bed that probably gets the most shade. It is 3 years old and just normal sized. This new plant would be going next to it. When I first made this bed, I went to store and tried to buy all hostas that the tags stated would get to similar size in maturity. My hostas that get more sun in this bed seem to get way larger than I expected throwing the symetrics of my planned bed out of wack. I did not count for this so I now want to add another medium size one to this side so I want look so out of balanced.

Well, seems like First Frost might be a nice pick for your needs, then. : )

Don B.

Paul....
That Montana Aureomarginata is in its THIRD YEAR?
Oh gee.
I have one poking up eyes, a new hosta this year. I mean that picture it looks like a TANK.. That is going to be a major presence in the garden.

I am in AWE.

Here is mine with eyes poking. Looks so innocent and small.

It's hard to beat 'First Frost'. It's one of my top 5 favorite hostas. Mine never burns, rarely has slug or bug chew holes and looks nice year-round. It's a vigorous grower for me as well, but stays at a very manageable size. Mine is in sun until about 1 pm. I live in the PNW.

This post was edited by flower-frenzy on Sat, May 3, 14 at 21:18

I would say montana Aureomarginata is the best of all hostas. If you do not have room because you have other hostas in that area, dig them up and give them away.

First Frost or El Nino, which begins with white edges sooner than FF. Both medium. Both winners.

-Babka

Wow your first frost looks great. I saw El Niño at store but I read here it was very slow grower. I want to give away my plain green hosta and halcyon but can't due to my grandmother giving to me and she passed. Also hostas become like children I can't just get rid of them now that I have them. I need something between old green and halcyon to make them stand out like in everyone else pics. That's why I wanted first frost to go in between them for some color variation.

Dueling Hostas? We've got some folks here very planted in one corner or the other....

OK, someone has to say it. First frost between old green and halcyon. Then dig another bed put MA in there and start looking for companions:)

Beverly

I can tell right now that I must create a new RAISED bed for the MA before it gets too big to move. I haven't decided where, but I want to let this big guy grow to full potential just to see what might happen here in zone 9a.

So far this year, I'm encouraged at the way the hosta have responded to our growing conditions. And they survived the first two growing years with an ignorant hosta gardener. It's been a process of education, which I credit this forum with offering a graduate level program in hosta gardening.

I don't have First Frost, I have only a few which are supposed to become giants. I guess my guard was down when I ordered this one. I'll blame it on Tony Avent, who said the Montanas with their early emergence would be good to grow in southern gardens. Yeah, Tony made me do it. And I am so glad I got it.

Right now, this morning, the eyes of the MA stand over 6 inches tall, and are shining in the morning sun. I still have the containers of new arrivals in the staging area of morning sunlight behind the east-facing deck. I pointed it out as one of many, to my DH, and he saw right away which one I meant. I must really hurry to find it a home where it can go wild.