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sherrygirl5

Your very best grower this season!

My best grower this past season was one of my Dream Queens I have 3 and this was their second summer. They are in different places in my yard. This one more than doubled its size. Just love it when things happen the way you envision! Tell me about yours!

Sherry

This post was edited by sherrygirl on Tue, Oct 28, 14 at 10:10

Comments (29)

  • zkathy z7a NC
    9 years ago

    Old Glory! Good looking, vigorous, no complaining hosta.

    Kathy

  • sunnywood4bChazyNY
    9 years ago

    My Emerald Roughcut nearly tripled in size. Last year it looked awful with brown patches on several of it's leaves. I was so concerned about it that I asked if might have a virus.

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    9 years ago

    As I was thumbing through my albums, I could have chosen about three to four good growers but the one that stands out the most would be Wheee!.

    New last year, it looks like it easily doubled or tripled in size this year. This is a great hosta with substance and can take sun like a trooper in my zone! It over wintered in a pot and was finally planted mid-summer.

  • hostanista
    9 years ago

    The most notable one in my 2014 garden has to be Pineapple Upside Down Cake. This was his 3rd growing season.

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    9 years ago

    Hostanista, it looks like it leapt this year! Wow factor!

  • DelawareDonna
    9 years ago

    Lovely photos of some best growers. On Stage was impressive in her first year. Grows in a lot of sun.

    DD

  • gardenweed_z6a
    9 years ago

    'Liberty' reached its zenith in my garden after creeping over the past 4 or 5 years. Sorry--no pic. Even this late in the season it continues to be elegant of form & retains its foliage beautifully. It's becoming my all-time favorite and I'm glad I gave it sufficient space when planting.

  • southerngardening24
    9 years ago

    Pineapple upside down cake has a very nice shape and color. Will add it to my collection if I come across it. Thanks for posting it!

  • sherrygirl zone5 N il
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Josephine, glad to see your Wheee did so well! I added one of those to my garden this summer. I'm hoping for results like yours. Thanks for all of the great pictures, will have to add some of those to my wish list!

    Sherry

  • newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
    9 years ago

    My best grower was Striptease. I purchased it in 2012 and have kept it in a pot. In 2012 it had 4 eyes. In 2013 it had 13, and in 2014 a total of 24! It is desperately needing a repotting, but hopefully it can hang on until next year.

  • funnthsun z7A - Southern VA
    9 years ago

    Mine would have to be Luna Moth. She doubled this year, at least.

    Pic from above:

    She is MUCH bigger than she looks in these pics, too. I'd say she was at least 2 feet across, maybe more. Just gorgeous this year!

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    9 years ago

    It's on my list! Wouldn't she look fab with Lakeside Shore Master? That's where she will grow when I get one.

    Thanks, zKathy for the "perfect" nudge! Gorgeous indeed!

    Jo

  • funnthsun z7A - Southern VA
    9 years ago

    Jo, my Luna Moth is very near my LSM. Here's a pic of when they were first coming up May 1:

    They play well together :)

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    9 years ago

    LOL! Could you have posted that pic earlier in the year when Luna Moth was in discussion? I wouldn't be surprised if I got the pairing idea from you! Thanks for the pic of the two of them, Funn! They DO look great together.

    Love your pics - and those heuchera too. :-)

  • mctavish6
    9 years ago

    There are some great looking plants here. Josephine I especially liked the way you presented Wheee! Very clever.

    Luna Moth and Lk. Shore Master look wonderful too.

    My selection is Cathedral Windows. Not so much because of the growth but because of the color. For a couple years I had it on the west side facing hot sun. That whole family is pretty sun tolerant and it did grow. It looked so pale though. I couldn't figure it out. I kept comparing it to my sisters beautiful, vibrant plant. This year with a new east facing garden (thanks to Faye and her wonderful hubby) I had a new possible situation. That garden is now my prime growing spot. It's got enough light in the morning and afternoon shade . It's open and really wonderful. I will post some progress pictures of the making of that garden soon.

    So... here is a 2012 picture of Cathedral Windows. I don't have any from 2013 (another story, crashed computer and lost pictures). It looked pretty much the same last year only bigger. The second picture is this year in the new garden in October. What a difference! That is the best thing I've learned this year. Sun is ok and preferable for some plants but the color can sometime be improved with more shade.

  • santamiller
    9 years ago

    Fabulous pictures!

    For me it was my first experience in three years of hosta keeping that I had a leaper. This Guacamole is potted and is three feet across.

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    9 years ago

    Thanks, Mc T! :-). had a bit of fun....

    Love the vibrancy of your 2014 shot of CW. There is beauty in both exposures I think.

    Santa, Guacamole looks superb in that setting!

  • sherrygirl zone5 N il
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Wow mctav, what a difference with location! I dont have Cathedral Window yet but may have to add it.

    Sherry

  • hostanista
    9 years ago

    Thanks Sherrygirl for nudging me into comparing photos of 2013 and 2014 growth. I like seeing them side by side this way - you really get an appreciation of how far they've come. During the season you kind of get used to how they look - you sometimes don't get a sense of just how much they've grown until you revisit those older pics. I found a couple more that impressed me with their 2014 growth.

  • hostanista
    9 years ago

    Another winner.

  • zkathy z7a NC
    9 years ago

    I've got to add this beautiful Plantaginea. It's in the garden at my office. I planted it this spring as a small two leaved eye and it seems I picked the perfect place. Took this pic today leaving work. We're supposed to have our first freeze Sunday night. I hope it finishes blooming by then, but if not I may make a special trip into town to cover it because we have two weeks above freezing predicted after Sunday and I want to smell its blossom.

    Kathy

  • sherrygirl zone5 N il
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hostanista, love your comparison pictures! I am glad I did this post. I have added lot of new hostas over the past two seasons. Since I have been reading posts on the forum I have paid more attention to the plants I have. I have seldom taken pictures of my hosta. Have gotten a new appreciation, I guess. Love the forum, just wish it was busy all year!

    Sherry

  • pitimpinai
    9 years ago

    We had a very wet spring, so all my hosas did extremely well. The trio in my backyard are most satisfying:
    {{gwi:272944}}

    Clockwise from the left:
    1. Regal Splendor - ~ 5 yrs. old.
    2. No-name passalong - have it for about 5 yrs. It is spectacular this year. Has produced some seedlings around its base too. Can't ask for more than that.
    3. June of course. Need I say more?

  • DelawareDonna
    9 years ago

    Pitimpinai - Your passalong looks like Ventricosa to me because of the pointed tips on the leaves.

    Katherine Lewis grew on the same par as On Stage in its first year. The leaves morph from yellow to ivory by the end of the season. One of my favorites.

    {{gwi:1094402}}

    DD

    This post was edited by DelawareDonna on Fri, Oct 31, 14 at 14:49

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    9 years ago

    DD, you sure have many beautiful hostas! I hope your knee is all healed.
    Jo

  • DelawareDonna
    9 years ago

    Thanks, Jo. My meager collection cannot compare with yours! I'm having rehab sessions for my knee because of the pain which is subsiding at a much slower pace then I would like, but I should be good to go on my cruise in November.

    Funn - I had to have Luna Moth when you first posted your photos this summer.

    DD

  • mountainy man z8 Ireland
    9 years ago

    Some lovely photos on this thread, I especially like the combination of Lakeside shore Master and Luna Moth, I have neither so you know what that means...

    Denis

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    9 years ago

    Denis, I take it both of us will be showing off our new Luna Moths next year? LOL

    My LSM was new last year and was my Top Gun hosta for 2013. You will absolutely love it when you get it....I meant "them"...

    Have a wonderful cruise, DDonna! We will be here when you get back!

    Jo

  • pitimpinai
    9 years ago

    Thank you, DD. You are the second person who identify that passalong as Ventricosa. Thanks much.