You NEED 'Hanky Panky', you can't go wrong with 'Ice Age Trail' and you will appreciate 'Dream Queen'...

Pieter

Golden Sculpture is at the top of my list for next year. I would also love to hear something about it. Looks amazing on the hosta library webpage.

Veneros are nice folks. The catalog is so extensive, it is hard to know what to tell you without a list of what you already have.

I notice you have four medium-large yellow hostas out of the eight...

nothing in the halcyon/June family (my favorite group)...

and I don't see anything of plantaginea heritage for fragrant flowers (my second favorite group)...

and I don't see any in the Striptease family (my third favorite group, with Kiwi Full Monty being my first choice - Hanky Panky hasn't been nearly as strong a grower as the rest of the group for me)...

Mary you might want to reconsider Zounds--it is really super slow. Mine started off with two eyes five years ago and is still two eyes. Has not really impressed me yet, there are a lot nicer hostas out there.

LOL...nobody is paring down!

In that case, it looks like this order is "a go" and I will let my family know that Mother's Day has been "taken care of"! Shopping here on computer gives my legs a rest from hostessing at a Mex Restaurant, 5 de Mayo last night...and the lake flies are out in a vengeance in the yard...they exist in only 2-3 places in the world. Nasty things, but the Sturgeon eat/need their larvae here at Lake Winnebago.

I do already have Hanky Panky, Dream Queen (& Thunderbolt), Halcyon, June and Striptease.

Idiothe, my list of already haves certainly proves your point about making suggestions. But thank you for the thoughful analysis of my order, I always enjoy your posts. It's true that I have mostly yellow here, that's because I've sort of earmarked that as something I've wanted, but not had much of...I don't think I have much in the yellow yet...mostly just limey/chartreuse colorations, like S & S (and a few sports), Guacamole, Sunshine Glory. From a distance, my beds just seem green, green, green with not enough pop.

Kiwi Full Monty, I would love, but it's not on their list.

I've looked at their list (again and again) and here are a few different ones that stood out to me as having something different...what do you think of these?

Awakening Angel...this blue looks different...it's super low..only 15" high with a 60" spread. Thought it might look cool near my Sum and Substance, or any taller, limey type.

Alligator Shoes...instead of Yellow River?

Blue Jay... In blue, I have: Bl Wedgwood, Bl Cadet, Bressingham Bl, Bl Angel, Bl Mammoth, Bl Mouse Ears, Krossa Regal, Elegans., Hippodrome, Winfield Bl, probably a few more that I can't think of. (They don't offer Fragrant Blue, also on my list.)

Your help makes my shopping more fun, no one in my family is even remotely interested! I appreciate everyone on this site, even though I haven't met you in person.

true Mary, none of us are paring down - just squeezing more hosta beds into limited spaces - it's challenging and fun - occasionally indulging a spouse's request for an iris or herbs

so Mary... how about saving the shipping, come over and pick them up... and you'll practically drive by my place - would love to show you around!

In the meantime... yes on Alligator Shoes as a replacement for Yellow River... it takes maturity for it to show its really excellent pebbly character, but it has been a much better grower for me.

But you want something to get attention... so consider Victory. It is a brightish green with yellow-to-cream margins. It is sport from Elatior, so it has an upright form, incredibly big dramatic leaves, and tall flower stalks - like 6'. It would certainly make more of a statement than either YR or AS.

my favorite bright yellow in spring plants aren't on their list... Whiskey Sour, Fruit Punch, Fire Island, Dancing Queen...

My local hosta society will have a plant sale in 2 weeks, and while potting I noticed many great names, so there I will get my new hostas this year! I do not know what I actually will carry home.

My 6 yr old grandson loves gardening, also weeding LOL. So I bought him an Empress Wu at a nursery to start him off in hostas, and told him it will be the biggest! He has the best spot in his - my former vegetable garden- for Empress Wu anyway, will be huge. We got to start the young ones early, as my grandfather did with me.

Thanks for the invite, idiothe! What a thrill! I am driving over for the convention, and did consider waiting, but decided to pay the ship $, before they sell out of their best divisions, etc, during convention week.

Would LOVE to meet you and see your place! If you're too busy to show me around at convention time, I do drive over 3-4 times a year....I consider the TC my 2nd (and preferred) home. I used to live there. (Went to the U, taught German in Anoka and Mpls schools before I moved to WI.)

I'm going to go look up Victory now. Still have to place the order.

We are going to be on the "Open Gardens" list - places people can check out on their own. You'll have a car, so I'll plan to see you then! We are "Harbor Lane Gardens" in Plymouth, right off 494, 15 minutes from the convention hotel. If weather permits, we are hoping to have drinks and horses' ovaries on the deck Friday night, which is an "on your own dinner" night after the auction.

I don't think you'll have trouble identifying me - last year lots of convention goers used my description... "fat, bearded, bald, pony-tailed old fart" to zoom in and say "Hi - aren't you the idiot?" If they let me, I'm hoping to do some Ole and Lena jokes before the serious speaking at the dinners.