Oh, and on the list I purchased today in the gallon pots, add Spilt Milk as a possible 'return'?

I have Blazing Saddles - received as a gift. It is "OK". It is a good grower, but nothing special in my book.

I am jealous of your "Pineapple Upside Down Cake (huge--crammed pot)" I have one, but it got hit by voles. I potted it up, but what should be it's "leap" year ain't happening. I have seen photos of mature ones, and they are really knockouts.

Sea Gulf Stream is on my list. What the heck is not to like about

Ok . . . personally, I haven't had luck with Rainforest Sunrise. I think I've purchased it twice and neither came back in the spring.

Of all the hostas I bought from Hallson's, the only one I lost was Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Maybe it was just me, but I didn't lose any others. They all sound nice.......

Well if we're talking about underperfomers, I do have a 5 year old Alex Summers that just keeps getting smaller. If he ends up finally disappearing, I will not replace.

Hey! We're not here to talk you OUT of buying hostas! lol
If you ask me, you need to buy another dozen before the weekend is over - now get to it.
Pam

LOL, Pam!! You're the devil!!! I've been SOOO bad, and you're no help at all!!! LOL

Well, I had 'Rainforest Sunrise' before, too, and it did the same for me, ronnie!!!

I had a small couple of eyes of Pineapple Upside Down Cake, too, anitamo, and it disappeared on me, too,
but I just (today) found one small eye popping up after going missing for two years!

I sort of had my doubts about the 'Blazing Saddles', as I indicated and I think I will return that one,
and maybe the RFS, though it seems to be very popular. I loved it the one summer I had it, too, but if
it's not going to return--I can do better with something else!!!

Weed--I lost the 'Alex Summers' due to the blight thing, otherwise it was looking really great after two years!
You might check to see if you're having any root competition from a tree or shrub nearby, but you've probably
already thought of that! I had the same experience with a 'Bob Dean' hosta--and it's in a raised bed with no
competition, and now I'm down to one eye after having it crammed into a pot originally, too!

I'm going to wait a couple of days and hopefully more of you will weigh in with your thoughts!
I sure appreciate your input! It really helps me decide which ones to return as I really want to
return maybe two, afterall!

My Rainforest Sunrise is just fine in its 3rd year. The form of Praying Hands is so special that I keep it in a prominent place -- it gets lots of comments. Nance

I can't really talk you OUT of any of those,Janice,but I bought a pair of PUDC's a couple years ago. One of them reverted to Pineapple Poll,and the other is so small,and doesn't seem to be increasing at all. I've had Praying hands since last year,and believe me,it doesn't get any prettier! I guess it has to grow on you,(pardon the pun)! I still can't believe they picked it,over Liberty!! Good luck with your new plants! Now,if you can just find a place to put them all? Lol! Phil

Thanks for commenting 'tomahawk' and Phil!

About that RFS--what was and is the conditions it was/is planted in? The ones I divided
and planted were in a raised bed, with an ash tree (trimmed high)! I have a Frances Williams
in that bed nearby and it has flourished there for years.

Hey Phil---you're right about that--WHERE?? will I plant these all! If I could be 100% secure in
planting in my barrels and pots I would do just fine! However, I've determined not to plant above ground,
anything I highly value (or is high priced to replace) unless I can divide it and plant part
in the ground directly!

And, you said in another post, that my yard is "a jungle"! That's exactly what Steve says ALL THE TIME,
but I feel it's more of *a paradise* to me. ;o) I always took that statement (from him) as a negative, but, finally
I explored more deeply into his meaning, and he confessed he really does like the effect, but, he's just not one
to put much in a space (or thinks he's not) and I've maxed out all spaces, in the garden especially, as you can attest
to--having been in my garden. When are you coming back this way, btw?

However--I do still have grass to mow so there's always a possibility of eliminating more of it and increasing
the hosta territory!! heehehehe!

Janet,
What Pam said - go buy more. BTW, did you know that Knollwood's are 20% off this week. Sorry, that was probably a dumb question. I'm sure you did!!

George

I can send you a piece of Alex Summers if you want - I have 2 HUGE ones.

Praying Hands will not get any better looking, it is butt ugly no matter what size it is.

Rainforest Sunrise is fine for me, but I have heard some people have had diffficulty, so I don't know what to tell you on that one.

Good luck with whatever you end up with!

Alexa

Whew--it's HOT AND HUMID out there today! I'm figuring out ways to acquire more *spaaaacce* for all the
in-coming hosta and the newly acquired ones at the KNOLLWOOD SALE----Dave!! You're right--I have it on
my calendar from the first inkling I get about the date and I pre-shop several days ahead to see what they
may be getting!

I was trying to remember to let you know about it, AFTER I got first dibs on what was there--ahead of you! LOL
No--really--I was going to email you and tell you about the sale but I'm so focused on making *spppaaaace*,
that I forgot! btw--they had the reverse of June (can't remember the name) but it seems they are so wildly popular,
they flew off the shelves BEFORE the sale--all of them!!!

Another--BTW, Dave, if you HAVE to manage the size of Niagara Falls, and you HAVE to find someone to take a
piece off your hands, again--I'm here!!! The one you gave me that I divided to share with Buff didn't make it in
Spring '07 (thankfully, hers survived)!!!! But, remember me-only if you HAVE to control it to make room for what
YOU bring back from the sale!! hehehe

Alexa--that is so nice of you to offer a piece of your A.S., but since I do have an eye coming from an ebay
win, don't disturb yours. HUGE, you say??? Oh my--I bet they are truly awesome! Got pics.? I loved the one
I got from Hallson's, especially as it matured and mine had 'June-like' colors that were more evident in my
shady spot! Again--THANK YOU, for the offer!!!! :o)

Just throw 'Pineapple Upside Down Cake' over here and I will take it!! LOL!!! That is one I have on my 'want' list and think it looks great!

Well, I wound up taking back 'Blazing Saddles' and defeated my original intention, of saving money
by picking up 'Fire Island' as a replacement. Who was I kidding, anyhow--right?

I'm so ridiculous!!

Alexa--if the eye I receive is teen tiny--I might take you up on your offer, afterall!!!
I keep thinking about how you said you have TWO HUGE bunches of it and if you're still
willing, maybe it won't have too big an impact to give me a little bit of one of them.

I just love how hosta look when they have lots of eyes and get soooo big, that I hate
to have anyone spoil their maturity, and form this far into the season!

I find that if I HAVE TO divide one, doing it just as the eyes are appearing seems to affect
their 'form' very little, if at all!!!

Is it true, that dividing hosta will set them back in their maturity--as I've heard and alluded to above?
Very few of my hosta are so big (except Capt. Kirk) that they NEED dividing! That one really is a good grower
and has filled out the whiskey barrel more than once, as I've divided it out for friends and it seems to affect
the repeat growth very little, but I wonder if the leaves would be larger if I hadn't divided it so many times?

It just keeps on going on--this hosta-mania--doesn't it!!!

And what about poor Blazing Saddles, feeling all lonely and dejected. That has to be the low point in a plant's life.
To be purchased, taken to a new home, and then returned to the garden center, only to be replaced by another plant. Oh, the pain poor Blazing Saddles is feeling right now...
My heart aches for him...
Pam

LOL, Pam! Don't get me started!! I'll weave a tale in my head so vivid, filled with abandonment issues, pity and remorse,
that I'll wind up getting in my car and driving all the way back to 'reclaim' or 'redeem' him!!

I know, SOMEONE will come to love him--surely no hosta need be left behind!!! Should I call the nursery and
tell them you're 'on your way' to adopt or bail him out?

tears.....

Here is a link that might be useful: tears

Oh my word--now you've done it--that's just cruel, Pam!!!! Sob!!!!

It's good the see all the enablers out in force in support of Janice. And while I was shocked to see J TAKE BACK BS, I was happy to see the see her addiction has not yet been cured, you'll LOVE FI, particularly this time of year, it's a wonderfully bright beacon in the yard!

Is it true, that dividing hosta will set them back in their maturity--as I've heard and alluded to above?

Any time you injure a plant it has to recover and it will be set back for a year, perhaps two or more. You end up delaying maturity and while leaf size will probably suffer in the interim, by the time it gets to be all-growed-up you couldn't tell.

janet,
I am full up on hostas, so only got some annuals while at Knollwood.

About Niagara Falls, mine was at least eight eyes last year and lookin' GOOD. This year it is doing the hosta disappearing act. Two scrawny little eyes.

Piedmont Gold on the other hand is 6 feet wide - might be my fave this year!

Dave

Thank you, Pieter for your comments!:o)

Oh no, Dave! I know N.F. has been one of your favorites. Baby those two eyes and hopefully it'll be back
in full force next year???

I'd already decided I wouldn't know where to put it anyway!!! It's gettin' bad! I've inched out more and
more around the back beds and if I didn't have to maintain a path for the lawn tractor to get through to
the front yard, there'd be no grass left, like ken suggests is the only way to have a proper garden space! :o)

Update on what I've returned--the 'Blazing Saddles' you already know, but today I took back 'Rainforest Sunrise'
in exchange for another 'Krossa Regal' (can't have too many of those to fill in and add height) and another 'Earth Angel'
one of my top 3 favorites! The one I have is tucked into a corner, flanked by a barrel of 'Blue Umbrellas' and a barrel of
'Powder Blue' so you don't see it really well. This one, I want out and easily in view!! Love it--so much!!!

I discovered that I had purchased RFS last year and promptly lost a good portion of it BUT I found that two of the eyes
I had transplanted to around my two *frog* ponds are doing great this year! So, if I have to buy a second of something it
would be 'Earth Angel' instead and 'Krossa Regal'!!

This is one HUGE leaf!!