When I started typing this message and picked out the hostas I like, I wasn't even focusing on which Hostas you posted, I just happened to pick out the same one, Olive bailey....

Olive bailey langdon due to it unique look,
and
Minute Man - due to the sharp contrast it provides.

Right now I'm loving the bumples on my silly Paradigm, who can't decide who she wants to be when she grows up....

Tanya

Jade Cascade - my favorite of all time.

Anything w/ Montana bloodline - love 'em!

I had a conversation with Kent about this very topic last weekend and we both came to the conclusion that, like so many other things, ones taste and preferences in hostas changes over the years. Though I will always love my OBL and FW (they were among my first too), a couple of years ago could not buy enough blue/cream ones with round-ish leaves. Aristocrat is one of those that I will never get tired of, but since I dont think I will ever find a "better" one than Aristocrat I have found myself moving on to the undilating edge ones and the red petiole ones.

ARISTOCRAT

RESTLESS SEA - one of the undulating edge ones that I really like a lot.

PHANTOM - which has the undulating edge AND the reddish petioles

Alexa - my favs keep changing year to year....one year it's the ruffly ones, one year it's the vase shaped ones, one year it was the minis (which I'm thru with). I think this is the year of the ruffles. Some of the ones I purchase a few years back are really starting to mature. I never expected my Spring Fling to get as ruffley as it is this year.

Every year I think Sagae and Grand Tiara are favs.

Ademink, I too love the "montana" look. My other favorite type is the Wolverine-Lakeside Dragonfly look - long slender leaves that make a tarantula-looking clump.

Whenever I am at my hosta dealer, I can't seem to leave without a Touch of class in my hand. I have a lot of them, but another always goes home with me.

Both my TOC's are reverting.....send me a stable one! LOL

Looking at my small collection it seems that last year my favorite type was yellow centered/green margins. This year I am leaning towards the big ones with corrugation.

Even though I am only in my third year of collecting, I know already that my favorites will change. Last year, I bought a lot of minis-still love the colors and shapes, but not crazy about the size any more. This year, I really am drawn to the pie crust/rippled edge ones.

Also, like my TOC. Want that Aristocrat!

Blue and green or blue centered are my favorites.

{{gwi:1023234}}

Paul

I love the Tokudamas... I think OBL is lovely, but given the time I think the Tokudamas develop even more character.

I'm attracted to subtle variegation... so Sergeant Pepper and Royal Flush are near the top of my list. At the top are June (the old kind, with a center that never really gets yellow and certainly not cream...) and Touch of Class.

Lately, I have been "caught" by the TOC look. The "flame" in the middle of a blue leaf would contrast with most of my collection. I was looking at Striptease and Thunderbolt this weekend. But, truth is, they would be there to compliment my true favorites.

Paul, who is that blue with green margins beauty you posted? Will those leafs get big and round? That could be my favorite color combination.

harryshoe- Mourning Dove, picked it up last year. Hostapedia says 4x8 size leaves. Hosta Library has a pic with a cream margin, but in my shade maybe to green-yellow so far - will see if changes as gets more mature.

Paul

Here is a link that might be useful: HL - Mourning Dove

I'm a sucker for ruffled or rippled edges. And I love the golden centred, dark green margin look - gold standard, brother stefan, dick ward, stained glass, rainforest sunrise, among others. Every year, I have to stop myself from buying more of that kind.
I do like the tokumadas - at least in the garden; they are lousy pot subjects.
More and more, though, I find myself attracted to solid colours - blues, goldens, deep green. They seem to soothe the garden.

I am hooked on the ruffles too. Probably because for the longest time I thought hosta came in "the green ones and the green and white ones" and had no idea the leaves could be ruffled like my Spring Fling which really leaped this year!

chris

I like mine Blue, Cuppy, and Corrugated.

Anything with colorings/markings...I lean toward thicker-substance leaves.

I'm glad I'm working on building a "garden" with balance and texture; otherwise, all my hosta would look the same.
Gayle

I like hostas with substance, they draw me from a distance, and when I am close I can see all that cupped, corrugated, possibly wavy leaf. Then a wide yellow, white or cream margin is very helpfuil. Therefore, OBL, Francis William, Cathedral Windows, American Idol, S&S, Blue Umbrellas, Krossa Regal and soon T-Rex and Guardian Angel are very satisfying in my garden.
Bernd

As a noobie this year and acquiring some 20 or so new varieties most of those HOTY. I find myself looking at my sagae and earth angel and really saying wow that grey blue/green with the cream margin is sweet... but then again I look at my new clump of guacamole and think for something I thought was going to be plain and green this thing really is making a pretty clump(its showing its variegation strongly atm) And my freebie fave so far has to be Lakeside Cha Cha... I really like the gold greens... and for a bonus it has a nice stable looking cream ruffled margin... I really think its gonna turn out beautiful... BUT overall I think the greyish,bluish,greenish centers with yellowish to creamish margins have to be my favorites... I really am wanting a first frost and a liberty for my collection... maybe one day I'll try the same with the white margins like the blue ivory or such... I think they're beautiful as well.... for some reason I see a lot of interest in the ruffled edges on plain green hosta... and colored petioles... I haven't quite got that bug yet... I'm still new to this and more attracted to the color I guess... I have acquired some Tokudama Flavocircinalis and one OBL and can't wait for them to form some bigger clumps here in a few years either =)
I seem to be rambling... lol
John

I love the Paradigm type, round and corrugated with a gold center, but also am a huge fan of montana Aureomarginata. The Golden Sculpture corrugation is fantastic, and Journey's End has really caught on this year.

But....in my yard, it's almost impossible to take your eye off Sun Power.

I`m going to have to go with ruffles and ripples, too.
And anything that stands out as a little (or lot) unusual.
I also have a huge thing for huge, beastly *wow factor* hostas. Some hostas that really catch my eye are: Atlantis, Blue Canoe, BoJangles, Capitol Hill, Color Festival, Cascades, Crinkles Clink, Ebb Tide, Emerald Ruff Cut, Golden Meadows, Gunther`s Prize, Ringtail, Victor, Aquamarine, Radiant Star, Curly Fries, Manhattan, Queen Annie LeMay, Seventh Heaven, Spartacus, Strawberry Banana Smoothie....somebody stop me!

When I first started growing Hosta, I ignored the vase shaped ones as not really being as important as the "real" hosta. Then I found Montana Auromargeneta and quickly added many more Vases--and everytime I see a Vase standing so proudly among the "real ones", my heart just leaps at their beauty. Mary

I guess I am currently having a love affair with the ruffled leaves beauties...guardian Angel is really loving all this rain we are having and eating Eternal Flame and Wide brim. Still waiting for Golden Meadows to leap.
Then I also am into arrangements and contrasts...like Paul's Glory next to Wheaton Blue and June sort of tucked under Krossa Regal and American Dream ion the other side of Wheaton Blue.
Linda C

Like others, I've become very fond of the ruffles (Spartacus contributed to that). I just ordered Deep Blue Sea from Hallsons because I like the bumpy texture. I also love the Mouse family, not only because of size but the thick texture appeals to me.

Funny--on a hosta forum, "what's your type?" doesn't necessarily mean "tall, dark, and handsome!"

Massive blue with deep corrugation and heavy substance. Ones that are so big that you can see them from a block away.

I tend to shy away from the same if it is cupped due to the collection of dirt and other things in the leaves.

I am a huge fan of pointy leaves. I love the likes of atome smasher, kikutti, laevigata, torifrons, corkscrew, and so many more. The pointier, the better. I am buying plants to further my breeding efforts that have good substance, ruffles, and of course, long pointy leaves.

I have to have that Aristocrat! I've got a long list I'm taking to the convention...and no where planned to put any of them! I think all of my other perennials are going to get torn out to make space. :)

All of the above!

I think what I like best is the immense variety. I think it was photos that Shade posted that first got me that way. Looking at them was like looking at a rich tapestry of colors, shapes, sizes. That's what I like best!

I have no great preference,as I believe you should diversify. I am not a big fan of minis. In my woodland garden,they get lost among the giants! I guess I like the large to giant ones,but not too many big blue ones. I like the interesting variegated ones,and I'm a big fan of centrally variegated ones. Phil

I haven't seen a hosta that I don't like,but I love Christmas Tree,Patriot,S&S,Big daddy and Great Expectation!

I think I agree mostly with the last three posters.
It is so hard for me to pick one characteristic or trait that I like best in hostas, I just LOVE hostas period, every time I think I've got enough I find myself drawn to more. I'm fascinated by the different patterns, colors and the way they change over the season, whether it be subtle or bold.
Jel said it best I think, "a rich tapestry of colors, shapes, sizes".

My experience with minis is now to not plant them together with medium or larger plants, on which the eyes focus first. I stepped on Mouse Ears twice, put a bag on Twist of Lime. I try to place them into their own areas now.

Krossa Regal just can't beat the versatility of that color, and those 4 foot flower spikes will stop people in their track every time

I actually like placing minis next to giants for the extreme contrast in size. Removing minis from around a giant is also easier than removing a large or medium that is next to them.

If you like very tall scapes try Tall Boy. They grow to 50" and taller.

I prefer ones that are variegated although I realize the solids have a place in my gardens. I like a larger more rounded leaf vs. a thin narrow one, and I'm really loving the ruffled edges this year! Plus, I'm with everyone else who loves the variety of colors, shapes, and sizes that hostas provide.