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drc215

adhd...

drc215
9 years ago

Attention Deficit Hosta Decision!

I am still working on the list of hostas to plant under my birch tree and I am trying to adhere to Ken's advice to stick to proven, vigorous plants beginning with "the mama".

Right now I have very limited space to plant hostas, and they are all so beguiling!! And seeing the pictures that everyone posts of their beautiful hostas is akin to being in a candy store.

Doing a lot of research and still trying to include as many fragrant hostas as possible. I come up with a list and boom...I am like Jack on Will & Grace, so easily distracted by another pretty!

But since I am not planting till spring I do have time to sort it out and brutally eliminate the fabulous losers.

In the meantime I am plotting where to put more beds. I have to acclimate the DH on the idea of putting in another one. It takes time and finesse to sell the less grass means less mowing concept. You would think he would love the idea since the lawn boys have all moved out!

Comments (13)

  • mstrecke
    9 years ago

    There are a LOT of choices! Add to that the fact that certain Hosta can grow better or worse depending on what region / area you are.

    A Hosta of the year collection may not be a bad place to start. There are a couple on the list that I may not agree with, but the majority are keepers.

    You may also benefit from the A - Z hosta picture posting and follow up discussion that happens on this forum in the winter.

    Pictures are of plants in forum member gardens rather than the "Glamor Shots" you sometimes see. When one or 100 catch your eye, compare your growing conditions / zone with the grower of the plant to help determine if you will have success with it.

    Margaret

    Here is a link that might be useful: Hosta of the year list

  • bkay2000
    9 years ago

    I don't think I would choose fragrants if I were in Wisconsin. Plantaginea are native to zone 7. There are so many gorgeous hosta you can grow there. Most of the really gorgeous hosta aren't fragrant.

    If I didn't live in zone 8, I wouldn't have as many fragrant hosta as I do.

    JMHO

    bk

  • tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
    9 years ago

    No reason to fear fragrants in z5 Wisconsin. Folks in colder climes than us do fine with them.

    tj

  • bishop5
    9 years ago

    Last week I visited a Hosta garden at a local park here in Iowa. They're Plantaginea was large, as well as looked and smelled wonderful.

    Susan

  • bkay2000
    9 years ago

    Yeah, BUT.....there is no fragrant hosta that is as pretty as Great Expectations and some of that ilk.

    There are so many beautiful hosta that grow well in zone 5. The choices are endless.

    The prettiest fragrants are the Guacamole clan. Most of those are the same size and shape, just different colors. Generally speaking, the fragrance is light, unless you plant them in mass. Then it lasts only a couple of weeks.

    That was my point.

    bk

  • don_in_colorado
    9 years ago

    I wouldn't recommend Great Expectations to ANYONE, no matter what their zone is. At least most fragrant varieties grow well. Just my opinion.

    Don B.

  • bkay2000
    9 years ago

    That's true, Don. They are mostly bullet proof.

    bk

  • drc215
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi, thanks for the advice everyone. From reading previous posts, Great Expectations never made the list. But being a optimistic, stubborn fool I am going to stick with fragrant hostas. I do have a Guac growing in a back bed and it is doing fine. Have a Sum and Substance that is in too dark of a corner so have to move it next spring, not sure where though.

    Back to my list!

    drc

  • bkay2000
    9 years ago

    They will do great for you. I didn't mean to imply they wouldn't.

    I'd just be tempted to try some of those nice white centered hosta, an Olive Bailey Langdon or maybe a Great Expectations. You know, all the ones that haven't done well for me. Seems like zone 5 can grow all the finicky ones.

    bk

  • User
    9 years ago

    How did I miss your thread.....ADHD is so intriguing.
    I love how you present your story. Faultless logic. You are a spirit after me own heart.....and a few others I know on this forum, both male and female who are "presenting a story" of their own. Very true.

    The easy sell could be the way to go. The real consideration is that you keep it from becoming an issue of YOUR space/HIS space, and thus a power struggle the likes of which only war provokes. So be sure to let me know what your solution to that would be. Subtlety is the name of the game.

    You go ADHD....we are right behind you.

  • drc215
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    bk - I would love to plant an Olive Bailey Langdon, love it, What I really want is a Lakeside Paisley - love the variation on the leaves.

    Thanks Mocc! Sold him this weekend on enlarging the east side bed cuz I told him we could put a Rose of Sharon there - he loves them. So I figured I would add on a couple of feet in the front. The bad part is that it gets lots of hot west sun in the afternoon. So I will need to start another post to get suggestions for growing hostas in that situation.

  • User
    9 years ago

    How precious you got results so quickly. Proof you are dealing with a very reasonable individual.

    DRC, in your zone, a lot of sun for Sum Substance. It can take it. Move it so it grows accustomed to it before full summertime heat arrives. Then give it lots of water. Cannot go wrong.

  • bkay2000
    9 years ago

    One of Mocc's favorite plants and one of my top 10 is Squash Casserole. It takes afternoon sun in Texas until August 1 without burning.

    bk