The big one looks like Sum and Substance?
I'd say it look like mine, but mine didn't like living in a pot and is no longer among the living! lol

Yes, each grouping/pic has Sum & Substance, Gold Standard and Patriot. It's the difference in the Gold Standards from the two separate pix that I'm confused about. Those are 2 matched groupings at opposite ends of the small shade planting area.

Maybe this makes it more clear.

Meanwhile, I hope the S&S will manage in the pots. I bought them last year and left them in their 3 gal. nursery pots because the pots elevated them at the back of that space so they could be seen over other things planted there. Then I completely forgot about them. When I saw the naked nursery pots this Spring I thought they were (rather expensive) gonners. But, as soon as it warmed up they came back.

They're in much bigger pots now in the same spot. So I'm hopeful. But if it, ultimately, doesn't work I will have gotten a year I didn't deserve out of them. ;>

While we're at it, I'm also looking for something to hang in the center of that area for a little interest against that thin hedge. I asked about a fern suggestion on another forum but if anyone here has an idea I'm interested.

Monrovia is an old respected nursery and was at one time the largest wholesale nursery in the country, BIG BUTT I can tell you from experience in the business that accurate labeling is always a problem with employees and it might not be different if you were dealing with an individual grower labeling their pots.

All that said you have S&S and Gold Standard, good buy.

I guess I'm not being clear. In the original post I'm comparing the plant on the right in the top pic to the plant on the left on the bottom pic. Those are not two different perspectives. They are photos of two different groups of plants. I've got the difference between a Gold Standard and a Sum and Substance.

The leaf coloration is the same but the height, the leaf breadth and the form of the plants are different from one another even though they were both bought as Gold Standards.

I can see that labels can get mixed up at the grower's. And, since they are very similar to one another, I guess it's even more likely that they could have been mixed up before they left the wholesaler's. But if they aren't the same which is the Gold Standard and what might the pretender be? Or, perhaps they both are Gold Standards and there's a natural variation or a degree of maturity that I'm not understanding.

They look like Gold Standard to me, both of them. One looks to be one more mature eye, and the other is several younger ones. These are probably propagated by division and one pot got one big eye, and the other got some smaller ones. Regarding the Sum and Substance. When it gets too big for the pot, you can divide it up, and give some to your friends, and keep a nice big clump to put back into your pot for a couple years.

Thanks. That clears it up.

At that age I don't think you can draw hard and fast conclusions. There are many sports of GS that are slightly different so wait for a year and compare later in the season.

Also, the color of GS can vary quite a bit depending on light.

Imrainey, groups of 3 in garden design always work. How about a mirror image S&S or sport (but taller)in that spot? Or a statue? Or an obelisk?