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Favorite small hostas

16 years ago

Hi all, I was going to order my mom a couple hostas for mothers day (I know...waiting till the last minute!!) but she doesn't have a lot of shady space, so I was hoping to find a couple small ones for her. She has a few hosta now, not really any of the yellows or blues or unusual ones.

Would love to hear your suggestions!!

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Comments (18)

ademink
16 years ago
Blue Mouse Ears (its a must-have)
Kabitan
Remember Me
Lakeside Baby Face
Lakeside Elfin Fire
Lakeside Zinger
Bill's Dress Blues
Crepe Soul
Maui Buttercups
deebs43
16 years ago
I like 'Country Mouse.'

(For scale, that's a 'Blue Mouse Ears' to the left...)
Related Discussions
Choosing Hostas
Q
Comments (8)
There are so many to choose from! Try searching this thread for "favorite hostas," "top ten," etc, then look for the mediums. You might also go to the websites of any of the forum's favorite vendors, since they usually allow you to browse by size. A few such websites (google them for the exact addresses): Hallson, Naylor, Land of the Giants, Green Mountain. Select their medium or small category (depending on how many you want to plant and how big the tree trunk is), and see what catches your eye. I will warn you, though...it was on just such a project that I first poked my nose in the Hosta forum 18 months ago, and now I'm pushing 100 hostas! It is addicting. For what it's worth, here are the first mediums that come to my mind as personal favorites: I love Deep Blue Sea (highly textured blue with nice thick leaves) and Touch of Class (stunning variegation, also good sturdy leaves), El Nino (blue/white), and Candy Dish (beautiful solid green with a piecrust edge).
...See More
Favorite small blue hosta
Q
Comments (8)
Another idea for a small blue is 'Baby Blue Eyes'. One thing I like about this hosta is the new growth is a lovely blue even in the late summer. Where as many other blues have had the blue wax melted off due to the heat. Stays a small size too!
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What are your favorite small/medium hostas?
Q
Comments (12)
Ken, I've got a great Rainforest Sunrise, so you don't have to track down a pic. I'd already thought about moving a section; your endorsement confirmed that decision. Lois -- Radiant Edger is terrific! My Hadspen Blue is probably in too much shade; it doesn't look nearly as good as yours. Maybe I'll move mine. The shape of Hadspen Heron is intriguing; how large is it? From the pics, I'd guess that both HH and Golden Specter are somewhat small. Thanks for your input! Nance
...See More
best / favorite variegated small hosta(s)?
Q
Comments (19)
Thanks for the recommendations, folks! It gives me something to float by the parental units and keep an eye out for. Gesila, my folks are in TC. I suspect the nursery you're thinking of is in Interlochen. (I can't remember the name either.) It is AWESOME! But as I live down by Detroit, I rarely get there. The bed in Q is approx. 30ft x 2ft. There are plants (glads, astilbe, mums, etc) along the back of the bed & a trellis at one end which is why I'm looking at plants that are taller than mini's but top out at about 12inches. I would be planning on leaving some smallish spaces here and there along the front of the bed for colorful annuals such as wax begonias (which REALLY seem to like the raised bed). My preferance would be to not go the mail order route. I'm an apt dweller in the Detroit area so I don't get to my folks' place that often. I wouldn't want plants to arrive at my place and be growing them indoors for who knows how long, nor want them to be sitting in pots in TC for however long. Actually do have a couple Rainforest Sunrises planted up there. (One of my favorites truth be told.) I do think I prefer its appearance when grown with a bit of shade. The one that gets quite a bit more sun is a little too washed out I think. Hmm, I should probably ask my sis how tall and wide "Fire and Ice" and "Whirlwind" have gotten at her place -- though she lives in Adrian which is even further south than me so her conditions would be different. Her beds also get more shade as I recall........
...See More
tepelus
16 years ago
Such a tiny hosta with such a giant scape and flowers! It's kinda funny, but cute!

Karen
canadian-hosta-girl
16 years ago
hahaha look at the flower scape on that mini mini thing , it doesnt need a tree for shade his flower scape give him plenty of shade LOL

very cute , hope it is better then cats eye , i have had that one for 4 years and it is still one eye and is always struggling ....
remember me doesnt do well for me either here...one eye in its 4th year as well...

i havent planted blue mouse ears that i bought last year and i see it as 2 eyes this year i cant wait to see how it looks....
yardmom
16 years ago
This is my second year for Country Mouse, and both the one in the pot and the one in the garden are growing nicely. I agree about the flower scape!

Some smalls that are nice and grow well are:
Lakeside Babyface
Grand Tiara
Geisha
Lakeside Ninita
Little Sunspot
Tick Tock
Blue Mouse Ears
glosgarden
16 years ago
'Little Wonder' is wonderful.....
Gloria
esther_opal
16 years ago
Do growers have enough experience with Country Mouse to recommend it.

BTW, I have it but I certainly could not recommend it based on my personal experience. I've seen many interesting, cute, special colors that caught the eye of the market that never lived up to expectations.

I can remember a lot of talk about Fire and Ice and others that make few list today.

AND, it is expensive today!
AND, I paid the price?

If it survives the driveway this season Ken has promised to trade something special for it.
ademink
16 years ago
Fire & Ice sucks, IMHO. Melts out and goes ugly early. Blaaaaah
deebs43
16 years ago
This is year two for me with Country Mouse. Last year it had two eyes; this year it has three, with a weak fourth just breaking through now (the other eyes have unfurled). So far, so good...but...I have it in a protected courtyard, tucked in a small rock garden area of the courtyard. It's definitely in a warmer microclimate that the rest of the property. (Plants in the courtyard behave more like it's zone 6 than zone 5.) It could very easily be trampled or smothered in a less protected place. So, I can tentatively recommend it...with caution that it is small and delicate.

That massive scape is a hoot, however, and always gets comments from visitors. :-)
esther_opal
16 years ago
Talking bout
Talking bout
Country Mouse
Country Mouse

All I am saying is
Give Change a Chance
All I am saying is
Give Change a Chance
greenguy
16 years ago
is popcorn small enough? it has been a fantastic grower and a great looking plant for me
botanybabe
16 years ago
My faves are
Arrowhead

Grand Tiara

And of course, Emerald Tiara

Lainey
bunnycat
16 years ago
Medusa is my favorite.
I also like:
Chartreuse Wiggles
Blue Mouse Ears
Lemon Lime
Tick Tock
Eola Salad Bowl
maozamom NE Ohio
16 years ago
These are all great hosta listed but I'm surprised no one recommended Pandora's Box

mao
sugarman
16 years ago
Little Red Joy
Blue MOuse Ears
Lakeside Babyface
Cracker Crumbs
Popo
Cheatin'Heart
Leather Sheen
Rock Island Line
Vera Verde
Tasha
16 years ago
Little Wonder and Little Sunspot.

Those are the only small ones that I have grown to date. I'm going to expand it this year.
flowerchild59
16 years ago
I also like
wylde green cream
any of the "drop"s like gum drop, gold drop
purple lady fingers
kabitan
snow flakes
yellow boa
green with envy
harts tongue
sea octopus
vanilla cream
any of the tiaras are nice and cheap too.
yardmom
16 years ago
Pandora's Box is a great mini! I didn't list it 'cause she asked about smalls, not minis. I just listed smalls.

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