Help put together Deane's Dream border?

10 years ago

I'm not sure if it's ok to ask for help putting together a garden...please let me know if it's not!

We just built a shady patio for my ginger husband and I want to edge it for him with a specimen hosta garden.

The patio and my planning so far, six small-medium hosta:

Dimensions of the border are 8 x 2 feet on right and 12 x 2 feet at bottom. Protected NE exposure, four hours morning sun. The husband likes hosta that are showy or "weird."

I am going to put in an order at Fundy Beauties but they have TOO MUCH to choose from!

My number one choice is Deane's Dream because it's the name of one of his favorite punk rock songs.

I have also been considering:
Gold standard
Touch of class
Hanky Panky
Katie Q

Is there anything else you would recommend in the small-medium category? I promise some nice "after" pictures (after we get the sod in there). Mail order is kinda changing my usual impulse shopping habits!

Here is a link that might be useful: Dean's Dream song

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Comments (28)

Jon 6a SE MA
10 years ago
Minuteman.

..or Patriot

would be my choices.

Alternate with some Hakonachloa macra Aureola and you would have a show stopper.

Jon

Here is a link that might be useful: Some edging examples

This post was edited by jonnyb023 on Tue, Jun 18, 13 at 11:17
robo (z6a)
Original Author
10 years ago
Hmmm, the minutemen were another good punk rock band, this could be the start of a new theme! Praying hands is a good DEVO song...

This post was edited by robotropolis on Tue, Jun 18, 13 at 11:49
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Jagd51
10 years ago
Hanky Panky is one of my favorites....changes color all season
Also checkout Bridegroom/Invincible/Irish Luck. Of Course personally I like the really big plants, you just cannot fit as many
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
10 years ago
London Fog is unusual...so is Ripple Effect...I actually have one called Cabbage Patch that is as some call "ugly", but no hosta is ugly...another hosta grower grew it from seed...he called it an open pollinated seedling.
I am new to posting pics, so until I get the hang of it, I will post a pic at a time.
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
10 years ago
Here is Ripple Effect
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
10 years ago
Sagae will be huge eventually, but it is a vase shaped hosta that stands majestically upright...a show-off.
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
10 years ago
If you prefer sedate but pretty, check out Marilyn Monroe...the green ruffled one showing off her white underside, the hosta on the left..Great Expectations is under the peony, in front of it is First Frost, two smaller ones in front are left to right Katsuragawa Beni (they are small) and Hydon Sunset. That is Striptease to left of the bright Great Expectations. This bed is only in its second year, as are the hostas.
egflynn
10 years ago
Katie Q is a stunner. I took this photo of KQ at the botanical gardens two weeks ago, though it really doesn't do it justice. There's more (teal-ish) blue in the leaves than my camera could pick up in the afternoon sun.
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
10 years ago
Last but not least, love blues...this pic showcases Flemish Sky-small blue one on left under large Krossa Regal...English Sunrise is yellowish...Fire and Ice, and in front is Cabbage Patch somewhat 'holey' from visiting slugs...just in case you are curious about it lol.
beverlymnz4
10 years ago
I like your idea of sticking to small-mediums. You won't have to pull out plants in a few years.

I have a hosta Tongue Twister that may or may not fit your punk rock theme. It looks good all year and certainly looks punk to me.

-Beverly
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
10 years ago
Here is cabbage patch...it was missing from previous shot...since I am only one of two people who have this hosta, I am proud to show it off...just wish the slugs didn't like it...had lots of rain and I can't keep up with the ammonia wash for all the hostas, ugh, slugs...gotta get the beer out, may as well let them go to slug heaven happy!
robo (z6a)
Original Author
10 years ago
Cabbage Patch is a real cutie! Really does look like a head of lettuce or cabbage.

These are all great suggestions. I am now possessed with a HUGE urge to add Ripple Effect. And Hanky Panky sure looks great!

Looking at the Flemish Blue and the tongue twister...maybe I am really into ripples? But that photo of Katie Q is super nice too... My shopping list could get a little ugly here!

This post was edited by robotropolis on Tue, Jun 18, 13 at 14:25
flower_frenzy
10 years ago
H. Spritzer is easy to grow and a bit unusual. I like its glossy leaves and semi-upright growth habit.
flower_frenzy
10 years ago
H. Olive Branch is an unusual color. My pic makes it look a bit on the blue side, but the leaves are a deep olive green with lighter olive green centers. It gets about 11 inches high and 24 inches across. I haven't seen another hosta like it as far as colors go.
flower_frenzy
10 years ago
It's also hard to beat a good June. With 4 hours of morning sun, yours would get a nice yellow center on the leaves. If I had to pick a favorite hosta (God forbid!), this would be the one.
robo (z6a)
Original Author
10 years ago
flower-frenzy, I had been looking at spritzer but I thought it was a lot more chartreuse? Maybe just in the spring? PS June and everything associated with June is also my fave.

This post was edited by robotropolis on Tue, Jun 18, 13 at 15:22
flower_frenzy
10 years ago
Robo- Spritzer is a bit more on the chartreuse side than that picture shows. The pic was taken on an overcast day, plus my phone camera puts a blue tint on everything.

I consider Sum and Substance to be truly chartreuse, though, and Spritzer is nowhere near that color....at least not for me.

This post was edited by flower-frenzy on Tue, Jun 18, 13 at 17:16
dg
10 years ago
One or two fragrant hosta would be nice.

Deb
don_in_colorado
10 years ago
Not exactly freaky or weird, but 'Luna Moth' sure is beautiful!

Don B.
chris-e
10 years ago
If you find that you have any left over small spaces after you plant, you can always fill in with one of the Mice. They came in a variety of colors and variegation.

chris
User
10 years ago
Oh you must get Atom Smasher....that sounds Punk!
I have it, and it is a mini/small. But don't turn him down for that.
Picture: that golden looker is Atom Smasher. You could squeeze him in some where?

I also recommend Mango Tango, just got one myself.
beverlymnz4
10 years ago
Hear's Tongue Twister:
robo (z6a)
Original Author
10 years ago
Remember how I said I started this thread with TOO MUCH choice? ;P These are all amazing suggestions. A lot of them aren't available from Fundy, but I could probably get them from Hosta Choice Gardens. I think they have a pretty good selection! Luna Moth, Tongue Twister AND Atom Smasher all look totally amazing. I can't wait until the goutweed is gone and I can start filling up my other beds!
robo (z6a)
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks everyone for the suggestions! Just placed an order for Deane's Dream, Hanky Panky, Touch of Class, Marilyn Monroe, Gila River and Lullabye which is a Spritzer hybrid.

I decided to order just from Fundy Beauties for now, which meant some of the amazing varieties listed above were not available. But don't worry...I have a list.
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
10 years ago
Robotropolis...have you received your new hosta yet? How's the garden coming? Jo.
robo (z6a)
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi Jo! So sorry I didn't see this. I was vacationing in Florida...traumatic, I know.

Sod is in, bed is built and mulched, and I'm ready to plant! I know the timing's all wrong, thank goodness NS is so rainy and my back yard is so shady.

I will have to wait until fall for my Fundy Beauties order. But I still have an itchy finger whenever I get to a nursery so have a few hosta to get in the ground - mostly for the back bed. You can see (at a distance) abba dabba do, blue angel, blue arrow and lakeside dragonfly. Blue angel is destined for a dark corner of the yard.

Getting ready for a planting party...
{{gwi:1021783}}

Speaking of hosta companions, I thought I'd list some of what's going to go in with the hosta - I have some "fern-jacked" (side of the road) ferns, a couple of royal ferns, two densi-gem yews, a rhody nova zembla, dwarf maidengrass, and two h macra aureolaes to be planted in this picture.

The back bed (on the right) already has Japanese quince (lovely in early Spring), what I'm assuming is a hicksii yew, a jumbo forsythia and two big burning bushes. It used to have a half dozen very sad junipers, a huge infestation of English ivy, and an even worse goutweed infestation. Needless to say even bare soil looks pretty good right now to me compared to what used to be there!

For perennials, what survived the goutweed eradication is some kind of purple spiderwort, lungwort (which if I'm honest I am not in love with) old orange daylilies, some lanky butterfly bush and two very tall clumps of zebra grass.

I have my eye on a GORGEOUS JM Inaba Shidare at the local nursery. At $250 for the size it's a steal but I am too miserly to go for it yet. Hoping it lasts until the fall and goes on clearance.
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
10 years ago
Hope you had a great vacation, Robo...

You sure have a pretty planting area there! Lots of good 'bones' ...
I gave my rhododendron nova z. to my neighbour to make room for more hosta..I needed the space...my rhododendron sure looks good over there lol.

Your garden looks pretty good, even now...you must be excited about HOW it will look next spring, if not this fall, once your plan comes to fruition and you get the plants you decided upon.

Good luck with the sales and don't forget to post photos as the garden progresses. :-)
Jo
robo (z6a)
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks Jo! I have another big bed (12x30) at the back of the lot - the rhody is the start of getting year-round privacy in that bed.

It was too bad I couldn't get my hosta order sooner, but he just didn't get back to me in time before the weather warmed up too hot for mailing unfortunately. But fall will be good! I can't wait to get out of wheelbarrow mode and into maintenance mode. Someday!