liberty is the improved sagae .... both.. in 5 to 10 years.. will be a 5 to 8 foot wide plant .. give them lots of room ...

so i would suggest a solid color .. and personally i would opt for a blue ...

isnt there another post about the best blues..

ken

Thanks Ken,
That's why I picked Sagae and Liberty - plenty of room - wanted something that would take up lots of space. I like the idea of going with a solid color. Actually had thought of using a blue but the bed gets quite a bit of sun so don't know if it would hold color good. What is more important to me though is wanting something with the same growth habit as the other two. Been browsing the hosta library, which is great, but doesn't help much in that area.

BTW, I saw your picture of Liberty - simply awesome, as my 5 year old would say (-:

You might try Regal Splendor. Its elegant looking. I just planted a Sagae next to mine and I think they will be good together.

Poppy, thanks for the idea. I had originally considered RS but than dismissed it because I know the blues are not the best choice for sun. But I guess if color doesn't matter- and it doesn't - than he would be a good choice. I just found a post that someone else started a while back about large uprights - saw a "Gold Regal" that looked kind of promising. But I haven't taken the time yet to look him up...kind of busy today...my hubby's birthday and I shouldn't be getting so side tracked...

You might consider Sun Power, Golden Sculpture, Sweet Susan, Green Velveteen, Green Piecrust, Sum & Substance, Parhelion (variegated, but a very thin, elegant edge), Choo Choo Train, T Rex, Nigrescens, Niagara Falls, Komodo Dragon, Montana Macrophylla, or Journey's End. All but the Parhelion and Journey's End are solid colors and all will do well in sun. There are many others, but these are some I've grown and really like.

Thanks dhaven, I just spent some time researching your suggestions. I really like Komodo Dragon...that's a new one for me. I love its upright form...so elegant...also Parhelion. Even though I haven't decided yet what I am going to go with...I do know that these 2 are going on my "have to get" list for this spring/summer...Thanks again for your input...

I would suggest Guardian Angel...blue-ish...ultimatly biiiig and less upright than the other 2.
Linda C

Sorry Linda,
I didn't see your post until today. I like Guardian Angel, but I have different plans for him already...in a different bed with Blue Angel and Earth Angel...thanks, though, for the suggestion. Happy gardening....

From my limited, I said very limited study of Japanese design unequal sided triangles look the best. Then repeat triangles inside the larger triangles, even 5 or more can be more triangles.

I'm rather untidy in my approach to landscaping looking to create something that looks like it just appeared rather than orderly, neat, balanced and contrived. Don't listen to this if you are a straight line orderly person.

Since I know one cannot teach taste so I'm not trying to teach you mine just explaining it.

EO, very much agree with you...don't like straight contrived lines myself, but in this case, the "bed" is already there. 2 sides are our driveway and the 3rd side is a sidewalk. Not quite a perfect triangle, but almost )-:

Again, I am talking about my taste! I would put one point in the middle of the driveway side, now you have planted a triangle inside of an existing triangle then maybe a little yellow weed hosta along the driveway to edge the area. Then a meandering path into this area before you plant.

If you can see this, a path up to whatever is in the back with a fairly large stone in front of that plant called a viewing stone or kneeling stone designed to invite the visitor to stop and contemplate.

It is not clear in this photo but the stone with the hose laying on it was placed there to invite someone to stop and look, even the distance was a bit back from the edge for better distance. It is intentional if imperfect effort to cause an effect without screaming stop here.

EO...not sure what I will end up doing. The triangle is there already and it seemed the easiest thing to just go with it...emphasizing it rather than trying to hide it. I am not very creative, and I read somewhere that formal looking beds are easier to plan than informal. I have to agree...with formal you have some rules to guide you. With informal, there are too many options. I like the looks of informal way better, but don't know if I have it in me to come up with something that will look nice when I am done. So formal seems safer, at least for me...but maybe I could come up with something if I worked at it hard enough. Anyhow thanks for your input into my post and I will have to think about it....Thanks also for your picture...I always love getting to see more of your place...You have done so much with it and it looks beautiful.

Trillumway, I don't want to wear you out it just seems you want to step out of you comfort zone so I'm trying to encourage you. Remember as Ken says; "they are just hosta", you can't go far wrong.

Try searching Japanese gardens and stealing or coping the design using whatever you have. They use plants as rocks to make mountain ranges, not sure I'm clear but find a photo of a mountain range you find pleasing then sub plants for the peaks.

The Japanese Zen garden is actually predated by the "recreate a mountain range" school of thought.

I'm going to suggest what I plan to do "some day", build a fair sized hill (maybe 2ft) to plant a fairly tall growing gold like H.'Gold Regal' to make it even taller. Now plant a little zig zag with a low growing gold down to a circle of the same small gold. Then a tall growing blues on either side or even another tall but smaller gold.

This would work in one corner of your triangle like this little rock arrangement that is a poor example of a classic Japanese arrangement.

Here is a link that might be useful: jap rock arrangement

Actually, thanks for stretching my thinking a bit...I am going to try and see what I can come up with...I really appreciate your thoughts about the Japanese gardening style. I love it's quiet understated elegance...its emphasis on foliage rather than flowers...the idea that "less is more." Just never thought of trying it with our place. I'll have to think on it....your pictures are an inspiration. Wow, 17 years in one place. The longest I have ever stayed in one house is 4 years. Never long enough to really do anything with. Hopefully, this place will be different....

In my business selling plants I was all over the country and had an opportunity to see some special gardens. I didn't feel I could do that then one day I visited a very small subdivision home that was just a small jewel.

The main thing was less was more and placement and scale was why her small garden stood out.

At that point I decided to "TRY" to do that, in some places I know I've gotten close and know I could have done better had I taken more time to plan in other places.

After the high of buying and the pleasure of planting you will have to live with it.

A little landscaping trick plant large close getting smaller as you move away giving the illusion of distance. I you buy this argument then you will plant one (1) large closest to your house and small ones at the other points of the triangle.

Watch throwing bright colors around because the eye will always be drawn to the white in the rear so I like white and bright up close and on an edge.

Plant in odd numbers 3-5-7.....

Here is an area planted to be quiet, contemplative, peaceful, restful.

Now how do like it with this beautiful yellow heuchera, I really like it that is why I bought it but it will go up on heuchera hill.

EO,
Thanks for all the encouragement. I am going to step out of my comfort zone and see what I can do. If it doesn't work, I can always move things around until I like. I agree with all the landscaping tricks pointers you gave me. I haven't gardened all that much, but I have read a lot, and what you say is consistent with much of that.

I definitely like the second picture without the heuchera, kind of distracts from the whole scene.

Thanks again for stretching my thinking a bit...

"I definitely like the second picture without the heuchera, kind of distracts from the whole scene."
trillium

The point is your eye is drawn to that bright spot and you should decide if that is what you want to do. I offer if you just mix bright spots randomly all over that will be all you see.

Haven't done what I'm about to suggest but download photo's of various plants you are considering, resize them so you can place them all on the screen, move them around, then add and take away until you have the scene that suits your taste. Also consider groups of the same plant, etc.

This photo is very pleasing to "ME" but who doesn't like June? It was 4 Junes planted in a diamond shape and one reverted to blue and I still like it, hardly a collectorÂs display.

"I definitely like the second picture without the heuchera, kind of distracts from the whole scene."
trillium

The point is your eye is drawn to that bright spot and you should decide if that is what you want to do. I offer if you just mix bright spots randomly all over that will be all you see.

Haven't done what I'm about to suggest but download photo's of various plants you are considering, resize them so you can place them all on the screen, move them around, then add and take away until you have the scene that suits your taste. Also consider groups of the same plant, etc.

This photo is very pleasing to "ME" but who doesn't like June? It was 4 Junes planted in a diamond shape and one reverted to blue and I still like it, hardly a collectorÂs display.

EO, Sorry I was gone for awhile and didn't see your reply...

You have given me a lot to think about...glad I am in no hurry to plant this area because it's going to take me some time to figure out what I want now. That's a neat idea with downloading pics and creating something on paper before trying it for real.

Love your Junes......

Love your Junes......"
Trill

Understand I'm talking directly to you, would you like 4 completely different plants as well? Not trying to exclude anyone just don't want others to be offended thinking I'm trying to impose my taste on you or the list.

I can download a photo and save it then open that photo and resize it to fairly small size or different sizes for scale then open another and resize it to some size. Now I have 2 photo's open and you can open any many as you like the only problem will be the size of the photo you've resized and your screen. If you want to try this I'll try to take you through it or call me 502-594-8363, I'm sure others with more computer experience could help us both?

I guess I would have to see what the 4 different plants would look like, but I do know that I really like the look of those 4 growing together like that. I have always been drawn to the "subtle", especially in gardening. I guess that's why I like hostas so much...such an endless variation of greens, whites, yellows and blues. I appreciate bright, colorful plantings in magazines and in other people's yards, but they are just not "me" (-:

Thanks for the offer to help with pictures/resizing/layout but I think I will be okay. I've done some scrapbooking online and am familiar with the process, just never occurred to me to use it for something like this.

Thanks for all your time....

"Thanks for the offer to help with pictures/resizing/layout but I think I will be okay. I've done some scrapbooking online and am familiar with the process, just never occurred to me to use it for something like this."
trill

Great teach me how to scrapbook, I only pictured how it could work but had not done it. I use photobucket and will download any software if you can teach me this process? My email is wilddog_202@yahoo.com since others may not be interested.

Email on its way (-:

With those two, I'd recommend Krossa Regal.