Beautiful, Mocc. I must acquire one. Is it a large or medium? That's why I think you'd like 'Mister Watson'. I'd say from pics I've seen, SS is nicer than 'Mister Watson', but MW is no slouch. A nice gold with those narrow green margins. A medium-sized variety. Mine is a third-year plant.

Don B.

'Mister Watson' on May 23rd.

Don B.

Supposedly, Smooth Sailing is a large. However, mine is not quite there yet. :)

Whatever it becomes, I'll be happy with it. I haven't measured anything except the trumpet bloom length on Doubled Up! So how big this is now....not a clue. I'd say if you get one, give it room to become a large w/o having to move it. I don't think I've ever seen it look bad since it arrived last year.

Smooth Sailing is gorgeous and just made it onto my wish list. Why oh why can't we stop ourselves?? :)

'Smooth Sailing' is a beauty! Ahhhh...another one for the wish list.

Hostanista, I found "why can't we stop ourselves" was the wrong question to ask....it should be "why stop ourselves"...more appropriate.

Not thinking in a money way. Just in a creation of something beautiful way. Begin the vision, and that is where we should ask the question "why stop ourselves." We have choices and limitations one way or another, so always more than one way, more than one definition, one vision, more than one way to find/create joy in a garden..

Don, this is the third time I've been over here to comment about Mr. Watson. Each time, I was waylaid by another post and picture, and I got lost in HostaLibrary . But now I'm here to tell you. Your Mr. Watson looks pretty good. You are doing with it what I am doing with Smooth Sailing, and oh yeah, I knew you'd take the bait. hehehehehe.....like my parrot says, "You're so funny."

Just remember, "It's for your own good." :)

They are sure both nice plants... pretty different as Mr. Watson developes pretty substantial corrugation while Smooth Sailing is... well... smooth!

My Mr. Watson is M-L... would be a large if not crowded by the plants around it in a raised bed. It gets a tremendous amount of sun and handles it well until late in the season.

I sold a large division of it today and the nice lady said - "so what is it supposed to look like?!" The older foliage is bleached out to parchment and the new flush that was hidden under the canopy is actually a green on green - so none of the MW looked like the plant actually appears most of the season.

I have Smooth Sailing with my sci fi group... Starship, Stargate, Dammit Jim... one of these years I'll move a Captain Kirk in there...

'Mister Watson', pic taken July 5th.

I understand you perfectly, Mocc. I will get a 'Smooth Sailing', while you acquire a 'Mister Watson' at our earliest convenience. I've heard of a great place called Harbor Lane that may have both of these guys in stock. I'll shoot the proprieter an e-mail and find out for sure, but the selection there is quite nice, from what I've seen of the outgoing stock. Very competetive prices also, so I'm told. I'll have to order more than one plant though. I'll peruse their available fragrant stock when I get the opportunity.

Well, good show, Mocc... pip-pip, wot-wot and other British-sounding noises! My dear woman, I bid you good evening, as I must retire for the night. Holes to be dug and hostas to stomp into those holes tomorrow. Stimulates their roots, you know. ; P

Cheerio,
Don B.

Good morning, chaps. Actually, Mr. Watson seems to be a rugose guy similar to my favored Dick Ward-- and Rich Uncle too which is solid gold. Maybe Midas Touch, also solid gold. It is the texture of the leaf that make Dr. Watson so attractive in its pictures.

our smooth sailing was at least twice this size 15 months ago when planted in this very spot. this spring it was so small i potted it up and left it sitting in the same place - no joy - moving time, eh?

mr Watson same age left in pot doing much better then smooth sailing

Awwww, the poor little thing. HH, I'm sorry to see it not taking to your kind treatment. Strange isn't it. But then Mr. Watson is moving right along.