I have both Guacamole and Stained glass,, and I love them both. I also have Cathedral Windows, which I love, more green but with a gold center. I don't grow September Sun, but the picture on HL is pretty.

I have pictures of Guacamole and Cathedral Windows on today's blog post, if you would like to look. The pics are actually mid-summer last year.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hostamania

bkay, I don't have September Sun either but I do have Stained Glass and Guacamole. I have Stained Glass planted beside So Sweet so I will show you pictures of the changes in color over the season in my garden.

My sun conditions will be different than yours but this spot gets half day of mid day, hot, sun. It is right by the entrance to the house so it must have plants in it that hold up well through the whole season. I've moved many out after trying them for a while. I am happy with the ones that are there now.

I don't relate to the "sick yellow" since yellow is my favourite color but to each his own. I dislike the splotchy, streaky, misted ones that lots of people seem to love. Anyway, maybe you can tell by the pictures if this is a good yellow for you or not.

Hi,
September Sun is a margined August Moon; not sure if that helps. I do have it. Ya, it is fine in performance. However, if I wanted something special I don't think I would choose it. I do really like the fragrant ones you chose and the pictures others posted.

I am wondering if the heat impacts the "hold up" power of the plant. So...substance may be key, or at least help. Assuming it does, Paradigm has an impeccable track record. Good grower, easy to grow, thick substance, nice texture, adapts to a wide variety of conditions and nice flowers; not fragrant.

The wide yellow center is bright, but calm. It is easy to combine w/ a variety of perennials or other plants. The green margin has a good width to help w/ combinations.

Rick

I had September Sun for 8 years and loved it. I got Paradigm in 2009 and after just one year, I gave away my September Sun. I am really tight on space and the two look very much alike. Paradigm is a very strong grower for me here in Zone 9 CA. I can highly recommend it. Here are photos of the two:

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Babka, I might have to have both of them. I just read where I was oohing and aahing over Paul's Paradigm on another thread. As far as I can find, Paradigm has not been trialed here, nor is it recommended on Tony Avent's list for warm climates. So, I think I'll put September Sun in a pot and put Paradigm in the ground. That way, I'll have a backup.

How big a pot do you have it in? (I might put it in a pot in the ground so I can bring it out for the winter.)

Thanks for the recommendation, Rick.

Mosswitch, I'm odd about yellow. We have alkaline soil here. If you plant an acid loving plant, it turns yellow. So, I'm predisposed to think yellow leaves means sick. Thanks for the photos. I still think I want a stained glass.

Thanks McTavish for the wonderful photos. I think I'll keep Guacamole in a pot.

I hope this planting in the ground does better than last time.

bkay

Bkay-

My Paradigm is in a 3 gal. plastic nursery pot, and has roots out the bottom, so it may have to be divided this year. Most of my hostas are not on Tony Avent's list for warm climates.

-Babka

bkay....you must try Cathedral Windows even if not for the spot you are talking about here.
I got it from Solberg several years ago and we are offering it this year to our society as one of the club specials.....those of us who have grown it in 7B are telling everyone they have to have it....it preforms very well in our heat and humidity.
SG has not done well for me but that may have been my fault....Guac always does great....SS is okay....all are in the ground...

The color differences in Guacamole are subtle (undetectable sometimes in deep shade); Hosta Library pics show it at its best. Stained Glass, by comparison, is always a show piece. Fragrant Bouquet, also fragrant, is lime green, not yellow, and would make a nice contrast to So Sweet.

But the other part of your question seems to relate to planting in the ground. I don't grow many in pots, but I'd assume that ones in pots left out for the winter in Tx would be much more likely to go completely dormant in a freeze than ones planted in the ground. Does your ground even freeze in your part of Tx? Hosta have to go dormant. Nance

I have tried Stained Glass three times. Needless to say for some reason, it has not been a good grower for me. I am not even sure if the last one made it through the winter. I have high hopes for Cathedral Windows. It was pretty as a new addition last year. I should know in another week or so. Guacamole grows for me, but it does not color up nearly as pretty as the pictures I have seen. September Sun is a so-so grower for me. Polar Moon has grown much better. Paradigm and Brother Stephan are still pretty new, but growing. Another possibility is Old Glory. It gets pretty big and is a beautiful hosta. I also used to think that I wouldn't care for yellow hosta, but once you have seen them glowing in your shade, you will want to add plenty more. Good luck with your plants in the ground. I know it can be done because I have seen them on the Texas garden forum. I just never did figure out a way to make it work.

Last year, there were two articles in the Morning News about gardens with some hosta in the ground. Both gardeners were very proud of their hosta. So, I'm going to try it. I tried it once before, but did not REALLY prepare the bed. I understand that's the key - very deep and thorough bed prep. Two of my clients have them and there is one on one of my dog walks. None of those do very well. There are a few little spindly leaves full of holes.

If it doesn't work, I'll dig them up and put them in pots. I'm just running out of places to put pots in full shade.

No, tomahawk, the ground does not freeze here. In fact, the ones in pots probably don't freeze either. This winter, we had some really low temps, but it's rare. Usually, we don't get below 25 F. and that's only for a night or two at a time.

However, the Dallas Arboretum is doing trials and has had successful trials in the past, so I'm going to give it a shot. I'm using So Sweet which has been trialed at the Arboretum and so has September Sun. The Arboretum is only about 5 miles from my house, so it could work here. We'll see.

bkay

2 words:

Cathedral Windows

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