The very pleasant-looking pips of 'Remember Me'.

Don B.

One more

Moccassin, you make me green with "bird envy"! We have lived in western Oregon for 39 yrs. and I have seen 1 Lazuli Bunting and flipped out!! It was gorgeous! I am sure it was very lost. I haven't seen one since! I feed the birds and we have lots of Swallows, Juncos,Robins and others. We are supposed to have Western Bluebirds , but I have never seen one of those.

Moccassin, you make me green with "bird envy"! We have lived in western Oregon for 39 yrs. and I have seen 1 Lazuli Bunting and flipped out!! It was gorgeous! I am sure it was very lost. I haven't seen one since! I feed the birds and we have lots of Swallows, Juncos,Robins and others. We are supposed to have Western Bluebirds , but I have never seen one of those.

I enjoy the Robins, Blue Jays and several varieties of Woodpecker I see around my neighborhood. We're also treated to the occasional flyby of a breeding pair of Bald Eagles, who have been responsible for several successful seasons of thriving offspring. They have a nest about 1.5 miles from here, at Standley Lake Regional Park. They are fun to go see after a short, easy hike. We also have a pair of Mourning Doves that have made a home in one of our Black Pines.

Don B.

This is my bad boy that rules the feeders. He has already added 3 holes to the tree. I started with one woodpecker and now have 3.They stay year round. I do a good buffet.

Great shot, Paula!

Don B.

What a beauty, Paula!

Last year, we had a papa woodpecker come to the feeder with a young male fledgling. Papa was sitting on the fence, Junior on the feeder. Then down comes Mr. Bossy Bluejay, who thinks he is gonna run Junior away. Nono, here comes Papa, who is perhaps not the size of Mr Jay, but he stands tippy toe and shows his massive shoulders and sharp beak, and Mr. Jay left the building! I hope Junior was watching how his Papa did it.

Wish I could get the kind of pictures you do, Paula. I took a shot through the window this morning of THREE MALE BUNTINGS on the ground beneath the feeder, which had squirrels on it. Oh I could not contain my joy. Then the male goldfinches showed up, and the cardinals as usual. It was a banner day for the feeder.

We have some hawks in the area, and a couple of large owls, and some nesting osprey....since we are not very far from water, the river and Mobile Bay are within walking distance. What else will show up this year?

Oh yes, the little turtle that was about to die of thirst last year seems to have spent the winter beneath some big pots, and I disturbed him when I moved them around. He was within a foot of the water bowl I put out for him! I think he had a near death experience, and our garden is now his safe haven.

Those Bluejays are bossy, all right! I see them throw their weight aroung my neighbor's bird feeder all the time, bum-rushing the other birds outta there. They need a taste of their own medicine from time to time.

Don B.

A good one my wife snapped from her cell phone in winter, Mr. Owl in the Aspen above our rear deck, through the sliding glass door.

Don B.

'Rhino Hide' last summer, just after receiving it from NH Hostas...

...And 'Rhino Hide' on April 10, 2013.

Don B.

Three 'Guacamole' and a 'Fragrant Bouquet'. Going to be replanted in this spot, on the north side of my house, when spring resumes. They're waiting it out in the basement after I rudely dug them up and put them in 5-gallon buckets once 9News changed the forecast to super-low temps. Sure enough, it's currently 8 degrees farenheit. Holy guacamole it's chilly!!!! :)

Don B.

This post was edited by Don_in_Colorado on Wed, Apr 10, 13 at 5:20

Found a type of Lamium I really like at WalMart, and a 3 buck Hosta. I don't know what it is, but I love the look of the leaves, with some corrugation going on. It's a four-eye plant. WalMart brought their plants in during this record-setting cold snap. My local Lowe's left all their Hosta and others outside, and simply put a tarp over the racks. Dozens and dozens of Hostas with leaves like overcooked pasta. Sad sight to see.

Don B.

Oh yeah, the Lamium...

Don B- Your two pics of Rhino Hide are two completely different hostas! One has a green edge, one has a yellow edge. Check your tags again. Too much weather excitement in Colorado for sure. Don't worry, I am anal about labeling hostas, but I have 3 pots w/o tags. I probably repotted them late last year and was sure that I would be able to ID them in Spring. (eyes rolling).

-Babka

Hm-I would have no idea what it could be, then. Guess I'll have to wait and see.

Don B.

Speaking of mistaken identity for Rhino Hide, here is my #1 TC Rhino Hide in June 2012. Blue as can be still, and the stripe is narrow and the substance is apparent.

Neither of the photos you posted look like Rhino Hide, compared to mine from Naylor that is a TC, and even the Rhino Hide OS I got in November from Don Rawson.

Here is the TC version:

BTW, this is pipping right now, with about 7 new eyes showing. Pretty good, huh.

Beautiful, Mocc. 7 eyes is great.

Don B.

Not The best light,but here is a view of part of my garden from today. My apologies to the folks up north! Phil

Phil, that is one of my most favorite views of any garden. I know right where I am with the tall green vase so I can find the Sagae. I get my bearings with it. Like a stadium full of hosta.

Hey Phil-

I'm ready to begin my Spring walk through your woodland heaven.

-Babka

Here is a pic of Lakeside Ripples,and it IS a large one!

Oh, Phil, you're just teasing us.

bk

Hard to follow Phil's hillside garden, but I created a plant screen (in pots, what else) to protect the hosta display garden from late summer sun a couple of days ago now. Oh my aching back! But as of this evening, it is not exactly correct--I had to close all of the umbrellas and set elevated pots on the ground as storm preparation.

Thankfully, it skipped over us entirely this time, just a lot of rain and medium wind here.

And then, I got my photos out of the camera, and want to show the Rhino Hide with all of its 7 or 8 pips looking wonderful to me. .......isn't it amazing that only HOSTA PEEPS can be interested in staring at an almost-empty pot full of soil? :)
God bless us every one!

Hi Moccasinlanding,
A question about 'The Shining'...How does it perform for you? Like something we've come to expect from a 'Guacamole' family Hosta? Or is there anything not too great about it? I have one, but it was dormant when I got it last year, and it is just breaking ground. Being a Fellow Fragrant Freak, ya think I'll like it?

Thanks,
Don B.

You want a spring picture? I'll give you a spring picture.
Here is an ice covered corkscrew hazel - pic taken minutes ago through the window. It's too nasty to even step outside.
This is sooooooo depressing!

Don B, about The Shining.....
Perhaps I already uploaded a picture to another thread. But it is an interesting hosta with some good substance and a textured yellow-gold leaf. Pictures in Hosta Library indicate it might fade somewhat to creamy white in a lot of light.

It is a sport of Cathedral Windows, so it comes through the Stained Glass line, and of course the Guacamole line. It has fragrant pale lavender flowers. A medium-large hosta. Said that morning light draws out the best yellow in the leaf.

I won't list the Guacamole 27 sports and the grandkids, but with Stained Glass (yg) sports it goes:
-----Amber Glass (yy)
----Cathedral Windows (yg)
-----------The Shining (yy)
-----Emerald Charger (yg)
----Tortilla Chip (yy)

I have all of the Stained Glass sports except for Amber Glass, which has to be an oversight on my part since it is (yy) and I love the yellow-golds. Emerald Charger is a great growing hosta with a twisting leaf, a real cowlick, bright and strong. Tortilla Chip is already up and growing, having arrived late in October, so I will have to see what sort of plant it makes. Methinks it will be gorgeous....I mean, Fried Bananas is its cousin, you know. And so is Fragrant King and Fragrant Queen.

You and me, Don......the more fragrant hosta we have, the better it is! Quite different climates we have, but these hosta grow from the mile-high city to the sea-level Gulf Coast and manage to look good doing it.

Ohhh, did you want to see a picture? hmmm, right now just last year's shots. If you already have Fried Bananas, then it could be passed up.....you decide. I was trying everything to try for the most fertile of the fragrant hosta.

Thanks, Moccasinlanding! I already have it, but haven't seen it yet because it was dormant when it arrived; It's just breaking ground now. Thanks for the pic and the great info. I'll post a pic when she comes up.

Don B.

I had to remove a dead Aspen tree in my backyard today that was brittle and a threat to snap in two pieces. Unfortunately, I had to move my 'Blue Hawaii' that is just pipping...it had 12-15 eyes last year. I just counted 46 eyes! I'm going to go replant it now in some nice bright shade.

Regards,
Don B.

Good times! :)

It's definitely spring. I had to work on my hosta today longer than I planned. I got a sunburn!

bk

January...

...and today. Had to mow the lawn today.....yay!

Don B.

Whew! Good thing I mowed my lawn last weekend :)

Don B.

My blue mouse ears taken today... Second season.

My Pineapple Upside Down Cake taken today. Second season.

My Fire Island taken today... Second season

My Fire and Ice taken today. Second season.

My Mama Mia second year I've had it.

Thanks for the pics, Brandy....Do you have one of your 'Albomarginata' as well?

Don B.

My first hosta, the albomarginata taken today. 3rd season I've had it.

Last but not least my brand new Wheee! that I bought and added over the weekend!

Brandy, that is a full albomarginata in your container. Are YOU also a container grower? It seems there are a lot of us around the forum. You also found a nice Wheee!

I got my Wheee! last year around May, and it was shocked by our humidity and heat, and never seemed to do much. This season, it is coming up already, and I hope it has the twists and back flips that yours shows. IMHO, its best look is while it is emerging. After that, it becomes so twisted it looks like a curly top with a bad hair day. But I still admire it as a unique plant.

Thank you Moccasinlanding! Yes, my albo is going tob eb HUGE this year! It has been with me 3yrs now! Yes, I am a container growere. For several reasons. Mostly it helps keep slugs out. But also because the ground is so rocky here in MO. And you can move them when and if needed so they don't get too much sun or bad weather. I know a couple of neighbors had thier hostas in the ground somehow and they just don't do well. So mine are container hostas and thriving and beautiful. I am the envy of my neighborhood!
All of mine are different and unique. So the Wheeee fit right in. I just adore it. I was so impressed that Lowes had it. In this area, unique hostas are hard to come by in stores like this. I bought my 4 "babies" last year from a private grower. and paid a pretty penny for them, too... Even for seedlings. But I am so glad I did and no regrets.

Hey all! And again my apologies to those from the frozen tundra! Here a couple of pics from today in the garden. Pictured are; Earth Angel,just unfolding her wings, my big Sagae,still expanding,and one of my seedlings that came from Cinnamon Sticks,that I call Cinnamon Blue. Phil

I still can't figure out how to post multiple pics! From another era,I guess. Here,is a new pic of Earth Angel. Phil

{{gwi:973412}}

Here is a pic of Cinnamon Blue,which came from seedlings from Cinnamon Sticks,many years ago. They don't look anything like the original. Phil

{{gwi:973438}}

Nice pics, Phil. You're right, 'Earth Angel' is a plant to really look forward to. Of course, your others look great as well.

Don B.

I decided to bump this thread just to tease us all.......

I just spent a fair bit of time reading this thread and thoroughly enjoyed myself!

We had a spatter of snow today that didn't last....it was depressing so I decided I would look for Spring now, just to tide me over....lol

This was a great thread, Don et al...I can only imagine next Spring's postings!
The pip pictures are absolutely stunning...I have a few of my own but will remember in the spring to get horizontal (ladybug level) to capture better pictures. :-)
Jo