Mocc, Mary, & Josephine, You have really gotten what I tried to express. This was an experience in FAMILY, TEAMWORK, and LOVE. My friend's husband (who is also, of course, my friend for 30 years) sat in a lawn chair on the sidewalk, holding this grandbaby or that one, watching as various adult family members took turns at hacking away at that viscous clay-y soil and the roots of what I think are holly bushes. Indiana Jones using his machete to clear jungle was a piker compared to my friend's daughter Miril hacking away at the holly roots with the kitchen knife. We really could only cut a 9 or 10" wide trench in this clay, into which I poured bags of topsoil to mix with the clay soil. Without most of the adult members of the family shoveling or hacking at roots, we could not have gotten the hostas & heuchies a proper amended trench in which to be planted. Yeshiva boys who had never held a shovel in their lives were shoveling away like machines at my direction, as I sprayed water on each newest layer of clay uncovered, to make it workable. The numerous little children stood in wonder at our activities, watching as though we were conjuring sunbeams into cookies. They liked "gardening", they said, and wanted to "help". I told them the best way to help is to "supervise" us (if you think I was letting toddlers near $250 worth of hostas and heuchies....). They accepted that and watched. I had to retrieve some balls and other toys which had come precariously close to the tender shoots of the plants, but they didn't. Whew. With all this frenetic activity, overlaid by the dozen-plus grandkiddies all under 8 running around, asking for water, trying to sample the desserts, playing ball, planning the skits to entertain their grandfather, waving from upper story windows down at us--you name it, it was going on--I still managed to follow my garden schematic, clipped to a holly bush, and get the job done. A miracle. Another miracle was how my friends were not the slightest bit fazed at this maelstrom, not missing a single beat as they set up the BBQ and passed around food fresh from the grill. The sense of family and love just totally permeated the whole atmosphere. I have tried to capture this utterly beautiful thing to share with you all here, but it's elusive, like a skittish butterfly, to express. Mocc, WHAT SIZE POT should I plant this Wheee! beauty in? I could put at least a 12" pot next to my 18" pot of mini-hostas (YES!! Holy Mouse has made it back from the 2nd squirrel attack and has 2 new leaves!!). Perhaps the gaiety of the whirling leaves might actually better be showcased up in the air in a pot.

This year after the flood... I had a small blue NOID catch some crown rot... I searched the forum and read previous threads on crown rot... I tried the bleach solution method... make up a few gallons of 10% bleach and water... dug up the hosta... washed the plant up to the leaves in it... and potted it...the plant did not suffer anymore rot whatsoever.. its like the bleach solution hardened up the soft... where the hosta was planted got dug up six inches in all directions from the crown...the dirt was discarded and the area watered thoroughly with bleach solution... I went back a week later and filled in the hole with new soil and planted a High Society... this was a month ago and the High Society still looks beautiful =) Below is a link to a thread that I found most informable... Here is a link that might be useful: Previous link from 09 on crown rot

Back home now. Sorry that I didn't see all of these messages before I left. Idiothe - 800?? That would have been something to see : ) I just decided to start collecting this year and decided that I'd buy 25 this year and 25 next year - 'cause 50 hostas ought to be enough for anyone, right? Ha! (Am I the only one that makes note of one I "need" whenever Paul posts a picture? I guess this is how it starts...) teresa mn - Not sure if I'll get that way again before Fall, but it's good to know that there are other resources out there! By the way, I did make it to Venero Gardens and was quite taken with it. Very charming and I definitely got a lot of bang for my buck. Two of the hosta I selected were HUGE. Sun Power is about 20 inches tall and Alex Summers about 24 inches tall! That's a lot of instant gratification for someone like me who's just starting out. No nursery I've ever been to sells anything anywhere near that size! Thanks again thisismelissa! ~Patti

I placed an order with Hosta Patch and plan on ordering from Direct Source as well. They both have excellent ratings and great prices. Two others that I am considering are Hosta Farm and Green Hill.