Don-Les is unvailable at this time but I can answer for him: He has had no success with Great Expectations in two states and four gardens. Three ago he bought Dream Queen because he does like the Great Expectatios appearance when prime, but last year he lost that too. Last year he bought Dream Weaver for me to start me with my hosta container garden, hoping I will have more success. I m excitedly waiting for dormancy to break to see how she is doing. If she does well I am very tempted to try GE in pots. I'd helped pot up the two teeny remnants of DQ last spring, which is what has gotten me started in container hostas. They were eaten by vermin. When dug up the plant showed evidence of crown rot. He told me when he bought it the roots looked ike octopus arms. He has records showing all of the GE he'd lost looked the same way, regarding their crowns. Each had been planted at different depths and it didn't seem to matter. For what he spent on his GE's and DQ, I wouldn't balk at the cost of Beach Boy from what I have just read in your thread, if it is sturdier. My girlfriend has Thunderbolt and I love it. She also has GE's that are growing like weeks. Which brings me to ask if unusually heavy fertilization helps with growing the GE family. I feel she uses a lot of liquid fertilizer during the summer-like once a week. Her DH mixes Miracle-Gro literally by the buckets and pours it over her hostas. (He does this in the evening, of all times!) It could have to do with the volume of water too. I don't know if this helps or hurts, Don. All I can do is pass on the message. Theresa

The experience that I've had with the three (Dream Queen, Dream Weaver & Thunderbolt) is that, to a hosta addict, they have many differences. Thunderbolt has been the slowest grower for me. I have had to separate an all green sport from it once and will have to again this year. This picture taken in May of a Thunderbolt I have had since 2008. A slow grower but I think its worth it. This is Thunderbolt in June last year: Dream Queen has been the hardest to grow for me. She gets smaller every year and the leaves seem to be twisted, whereas Dream Weaver has cupped leaves. Dream Queen: Of the three I am partial to Dream Weaver. The cupping is beautiful and the leaf size is the largest of the three. My Dream Weaver in May: Sometimes Great Expectations gets put into the category of these three girls but I have tried three times to grow GE and cant do it so I have nothing good to say about that hosta.

Thanks, "Holiday-ers" ... altho I am LOL! Cause part of the magic of the camera is framing what you want to share...so, SEE, you don't see any of my many, many WEEDS! Bee Balm this evening ....this area is part of the Door Arbor vignette: Closer side view: Beautiful Bee Balm getting ready to bloom ...close-up: Hydrangea & Red Sun (yup, I painted that cast iron sun 2 yrs ago): Maybe some of the Bee Balm will bloom for July 4th...it's RED! TFLookin'! Jeanne S.

I am also willing to pay for the voo doo lilies if Irises aren't your thing. Please message me. Thank you!