praying hands .... ken
{{gwi:1022541}}

What you might want to do is choose plants that are the opposite color of each other. Your eye sees the same form and shape and color but in reverse so it flows but is interesting. Here are a couple possibilities. (The Lakeside Symphony is not mine. I ordered it last year but it never showed varigation so it must have been something else). You could either put the 2 (or 3) next to each other as the Piedmont Gold and Sentimental Journey are, or put one with other things in one place and a little ways away the complimentary plant. These are all larger plants so any of them could be a feature by themselves.

Spring Fling -- love the ruffles

Hart's Tongue and Praying Hands -- very different shapes

Liberty -- stops everyone in their tracks

Ice Age Trail -- one of the nicest streaks

Bold Ruffles -- unruly mass of blue catches everyone's attention

Fire Island -- small bright gold that brightens up any spot

I could go on and on...

Those photos show excellent contrast! I try to do what you described, because I am into texture and shape, with color being secondary here. Were there more obvious flowers, then my anal tendencies would take over and they'd be in that color's garden.

I use height in stages to try to feature my hosta. Of course, since I also love heuchera, you should see a gorgeous June snuggled against the dark purple of the Velvet Night. In another garden, June is very much more green. It frames a bright Lemon Lime hosta.

Janice, like my Japanese Maple collection, I frequently plant my hosta in pots and bury the pots. Not only can i easily rearrange, but the voles are thwarted.

I hope you don't mind this question, because I'm not being smart, but why do you always have so many words in quotation marks? What does that mean? You ask good questions, so I always read your posts, but that always indicates to me that somehow you really don't mean the word(s) that are in quotations.

Thanks,
Christine

LoL Christine! My daughter asks me the same thing about the quotation marks, and "no", I don't mind
you asking the question!

Well, I'm somewhat "compulsive" about putting them around the names of Hosta, because somewhere
in my memory bank, it seems the thing to do with a title etc.! In other instances, it's for emphasis,
sort of like underlining and for a direct quote, of myself or others or something I've read!

I seem to type like I talk, by emphasizing and using exclamation marks! I bet it can be annoying
to read though, if you aren't inside my head to understand why I'm using them! If it is to most of you,
I will "try" (the emphasis here to convey it will be difficult to pull off changing an old habit) to use less
of them! I really hate being compulsive and am about very few things, but I'm thinking that is the real
problem, here! :o)

janice

P.S. In a way I guess it seems like a Chris Farley routine I once saw, however, in most instances
it is not for the same type of emphasis I think he was conveying! LOL

Quotation marks are used for quotations, that is for things that are not the words of the speaker, or writer.
Elipses, on the other hand.....are used when ever I think of it!!
Linda C

I really like elipses, too! Another thing my daughter questions and says is "distracting" (her words)! :O)

janice

I love ellipses! Ken couldn't talk without them. LOL

I've always wondered about the quotation marks also, I'll admit it. LOL Sometimes I have to read stuff twice to figure out what it says. roflol I'll admit, sometimes I may not be too bright. ;D

Hosta names actually use 'these' and not "these"...(insert ellipses here) that is the proper way to name them. :) So 'August Moon' would be correct but "August Moon" would not.

Janice, we may have to put you in quotation rehab and rip the key off of your keyboard! LOL!!!

LOL, Andrea!! I have been posting since this thread, and HAVE NOT used "s! It was very difficult and I have recently learned,
as you pointed out, that the ' is the proper mark around hosta name. But, My left pinky just feels so left out of the game now,
if I don't use the "s!

Oh, well---"such is life"! Whew--just had to do that!!!

janice

I may never post again if people start to check my punctuation!!!! I'm lucky to be able to find spell check on my computer and now I have to worry about how you feel about my sentence structure!!!

Janice, I ("NEVER NOTICED") that you did that and after all, all of us who frequent this forum are considered 'strange' to normal people.

I enjoy you just the way you are so don't worry about how you type something.

Back to hostas! The most unique hosta I have is Rhodeifolia with it's rabbit ear look and I really like it. I have the kind that is about 12 inches high and is green with a yellow border on the leaves. Sorry I'm still in my nightgown so can't go out and take a picture.
Now the next thing to go through the forum will be how we are dressed when we read and answer posts on the forum!!! I also am a tea drinker so maybe that may be another survey!!

OUR UNIQUENESS MAKES US SPECIAL so don't take that away from us.

Connie

I must admit - when I am reading a thread and come to the first of your "'s I usually SOB (scroll on by). I sort of put it in the same category as people who make circles with smiley faces to dot their i's.

Alexa

Connie, you're missing the point. It's not the sentence structure, just the meaning behind it! :)

I type as I talk, too, as do most people. That's why public speakers use speech writers. I try to use html or the "age-old" emoticon method: enclosing the emphasized word in asterisks. Since the development of message boards vs. the now-ancient BBS, html offers actual punctuation.

I can underline titles, speak excitedly, indicate I'm changing my mind, SCREAM, be colorful, etc. Then I flip into a blank email message, copy in my text, spell check it and put it back in -- if I remember. My spelling stinks.

And, returning to your original question, which are always good questions, I loved the Jimmy Crack Corn, Wagon Gold, and some of the really interesting "pie crust" type. I received a fabulous 'Embroidery' from my secret hosta Santa, which has a great, outlined edge. The corrugated ones are cool.

I wish I had a digital camera right now! :)

Thanks for answering my question and not taking it the wrong way.

Christine

No offence taken Christine.

I'm still trying to get through your second paragraph in your response to me! I don't know where I was when those points of correct sentence structure were taught but I sure don't remember them and I am probably too far gone to relearn and frankly I don't care! I have a hard time just typing some days as my fingers seem to touch all the wrong keys and get ahead of each other. One year of typing class 49 years ago is all the formal instruction I have had and I just barely made it through the class with a C grade.

I'm sure there are others here on the Hosta Forum who don't know or care if there is correct sentence structure in a post. They just want to learn more about hostas as I do.

Happy Hostaing to all of you!

Heres the picture of Rhodofolia I talked about earlier.

Connie

Check out 'Devon Green', 'One Man's Treasure', 'June', plantaginea . All plants that stand out without colours, but just because of the very nice foliage

Lovely 'Rohdeifolia', Connie!! Looks very similar to 'Wolverine' but perhaps larger?

And thank you, all, for the suggestions. I have many of them but am noting those I do not..
for future consideration!!!

And, I thank you, also, for the suggested proper ways of relating (or not) on this Forum.

Let's see if I have it right--yet!

PROPER FORUM PUNCTUATION AND *KEY* USAGE TO EXPRESS THOUGHT:

"Quotation marks" to emphasize thought or proper names or hosta--NO!
Astericks for *emphasis*--ACCEPTABLE!!
Elipses......ACCEPTABLE!
Italics to indicate excitement or emphasis--ACCEPTABLE!!

Oh, what about dashes------??

Anything else I've over-looked? LOL

I'm joking, folks, and I also realize that "you can't please all the people all the time"!
(a direct quote from someone that's not me)! Some people are very easy going
and easy to get along with and don't irritate easily and others--well, who knows
what's "on their plates" that may make them less tolerant of the rest of us, on some level!

I really enjoy this place and the folks that frequent here and hope that we all can feel comfortable
"in the skins that we are in" and that we don't have to worry about being judged for simple or
silly things that have nothing to do with who we really are! Or, maybe they do--whatever!!! :O)

I feel that as long as we are kind and considerate with and of one another, and respectful of one another's
thoughts and differences, (whether we agree or not) then that should be what is most important--at least to me!

And, I love the humor that is often displayed--I love to laugh and I think if I or anyone else can make you smile,
despite what may really be going on in your lives, that makes you feel otherwise--then that's just how it should be!!!
And on that note--thank you for the laughter and private encouragements in those times of my life on this forum!
Hopefully, you know who you are and You ARE the best of what happens around here!!

And, I'd also like to thank my family and friends, who have made it possible for me to be here today
to accept this award! Sigh! ;o)

And--no offence taken by your question, Christine, for sure!:) I'd much rather have the opportunity to explain
myself than to be misunderstood or critiqued behind my back where I may be totally mis-read! :O)

janice

I can't help myself - I HAVE TO (using all caps is shouting on email) take this opportunity to carp about grammar. I actually enjoy all the quirky use of dashes, ellipses, asterisks, quotation marks, (both single and double) even when used incorrectly, which is almost always. But I might as well offend absolutely everyone and spill my guts - it's grammar that makes me sit up. Somewhere in this thread someone used the phrase "I'm going to use less of them". This is incorrect. Less is used when referring to an 'amount', as in water; 'fewer' is used when referring to that which can be counted, as in 'fewer' hostas. I have lost many friends pointing things like this out. Now, at age 65, I have three left. I'll probably lose everyone on the forum, now, too. My kids hate me. Neighbors run when they see me.

:) I'm not serious. EVER. (Except about the grammar) (Ken, please note - my nickname was actually 'Testy Westy' in my corporate job!) Ken has referred to me as 'Testy Westy'.

Westy (editor in pre-hosta life)

I hear ya, Testy!!...I feel pretty much the same way....probably because I know grammar but can't type worth a toot!
Connie is that sweet woodruff in the front of your picture?
Linda C

How about a Tequila Sunrise

[Ahem]

I really was just curious. Luckily, Janice understood, since that's was that about which I was very clear.

I'm with Westy, though. My mother was an English teacher. Her mother was less-than-lace-curtain Irish, who married into an extremely "known" Detroit family. She exemplified pretention until the day she died. So, in my family?

If one "jus' wanned ta" one didn't get to have or do it.
One dined, one did not eat.
One had children, not kids.
I could go on, as could we all.
I am rather grateful to my mother for insisting I take typing in 1972. I stood my ground, though, when I went to college. I didn't want a typewriter for papers. I wanted a sewing machine, which I still have and use!

However, the important thing is that we are understood, hence my question. It does cause me to cringe when someone intelligent, well educated, and just plain smart murders prepositions, or can't speak in the right person, etc. It was pounded into me that how one speaks is how one is perceived. So.... I try not to swear. OK, I fail miserably at times, but I try!

Connie, I love that hosta. It does resemble 'Wolverine' to a degree, but I think the leaves are more elongated? Is it one of the nice, thick-leaved hosta?

I've had a field day this last month on eBay. Keep 'em coming, ladies and gentlemen. I buy from your recommendations!

Christine

Whew. I love youse gize.

Westy

How 'bout those unique/unusual hosta?

Deshima, that is a beautiful hosta! I will definitely keep it in mind!! It is clearly of *the type*
I've come to appreciate, while not that unique, for my garden, it is definitely a beauty I'd
love to have!

BTW--thank you for your pics. McT--as alway--a treat for the eyes!!!

And, ken, I know 'Praying Hands' is a very unusual hosta and would be a great addition
to my garden....for many reasons! :o)

janice

THATS TEQUILA SUNRISE?!! Gotta have it.

You spoke my mind (as usual), McT! ;D

Yes Linda, that's Sweet Woodriff. I added it to my hosta bed last year and it sure is filling in nicely. I read on the forum that it doesn't disrupt the growth of hostas. I also added coral bells and ladies mantle for more contrast. I had just hosta in the bed and nothing else but spring bulbs for years so got brave and put other things in and I really like the look.

Connie

Yeah, that TS reminds me a lot of my grey-green 'Cutting Edge'! I think I just may have to, *AGAIN*, agree with you McT!

If I had to pick just two or three of my favorites, CE would be right up there!!!!Sigh!

I'm going to be more self conscience posting here now.
I was raised by WV hillbillies and I feel that
I've come a long way when I taught myself to say tires instead of tars, fires instead of fars, etc.
I just do well to speak correctly.
Grammar, spelling, sentence structure and all that other stuff is....well....there's just no way I'm gonna get it down right.
I guess for those of you that it bothers..I guess the best thing for you to do is just stroll on by when you see a post by sassy7142. lol
I try my best, I really do. I think I get my thoughts across ok. Whenever I've asked a question on this forum I've always received answers. I guess there's some that understand my poor grammar. lol
You know the saying about old dogs and new tricks.

That Tequila Sunrise caught my eye too! WOW.

Hey J,
The ones I like, that dont grab your attention, but make you stop and look are 'Secret Love' and 'Starlight' (for unusual blue color), 'Cutting Edge' and "Blue Canoe'(for a different shape), and 'ringtail' (just because). These are common... so you probably already have them.

Cutting Edge
{{gwi:1022547}}

'Blue Canoe'
{{gwi:903473}}

Ringtail
{{gwi:1022548}}

'Secret Love'
{{gwi:1022550}}

I also like this Trio that changes color during the year. They are similiar, yet different and thats why I grouped them together.

'SeaFire' (top), 'Jimmy Crack Corn' (left), 'Squash Casserole' (right).
{{gwi:1022551}}

As for expression in a post, I dont mind creative minds...
"Quotes", CAPS, exclamation points, ...dot-dot-dots..., cartoons, (parenthesis), *stars*, --dashes--, typos, grammer bloopers, cute foxes and most other things just don't bother me. In fact, I've said it before, I really like cute foxes. Am I dating myself? (know-it-alls, now thats where I draw the line, and it hasnt happened on this thread. whew!)

Sassy, you can make yourself self-conscious, but that would be a rather sad waste of time. My question was to understand Janice, not to worry about sentence structure, as Connie focused. I, frankly, happen to love accents. Particularly those such as a strong WV accent that causes tires to come out tars, or darling to come on dahrlin. Or father to come out paw(r). Accents make people interesting. Boy, when I hear a man's deep voice out of southern Louisiana? Scrape me off the sidewalk, 'cause I just mmmmmmmeeeeeelllllllttttt...

Anyway! I absolutely love the pictures. I've added so many new hosta to my "must haves".

Do you guys have any of the unusual reds? I have a small list I'm hunting. And, have any of you seen 'Hacksaw'? I love it.

Blue Poppy, I absolutely love the trio you have above. I have all three and am contemplating a new garden of just hosta. I have a huge heuchera collection, which always compliments the hosta. Can you see an dark, eggplant-purple heuchera framing the brilliant colors of those three? My mind is twirling.

YEAH!
Christine

Sassy, just be yourself! Don't worry about the details of how you express yourself! Anyone who doesn't like to read
what you have to say, can just "SOB" you, like they do me! I use to feel badly knowing that was being done, but I realized
that no one really knows me here, beyond what they *think* they do, unless they have taken the time to email me on the side,
as some have!

So, again, don't worry about it, and know that not everyone is judgemental on that level or would disdain you.
And those that would, probably are so very uptight about who they are, and *aren't*, that they just have to find reasons
to bring others down, to elevate themselves to fit their own self-prescribed standard! I think, in the largest part,
you are amongst friends!

And, I'm not suggesting that the comments by Chrisine and Westy are in that league of *unkindness*. We all have our
compulsions, and I think they are just telling us about theirs.

Bluepoppy, I love your pics. and your suggestions. I really love the triangle of seemingly similar hosta.
I've been trying to get a 'Squash Casserole' having lost the largest part of mine this Spring, but so far,
I'm not being very successful. I bid on one up for auction, on ebay(10 eyes), but didn't hang in there long enough!

And thank you for your thoughts and I'm so glad you like my "fox"! He's one of the funnest things I've done, personally!
I'm such an amateur at the graphics but I really find it fun trying! I haven't done much of it in awhile, knowing that not
everyone is as tolerant of me as you!! :o)

I hope Sassy feels better having read what you had to say, as well!

janice

Thanks Christine & Janice. I'll try to remember what you said.

I think the only unusual hosta that I have is Corkscrew. Just got it last fall so it's still a baby. Kinda neat looking though.

WellsaidJanicequitefranklyIcouldthinkofseveralthingsthatwouldbefarmoreannoyingthanaccentsand"s.hahahahahaha

lololololol, Andrea!!!!!

Andrea,
Get this: I didn't see what you'd done when you typed.
I had to go back and look!
I read diagonally across paragraphs, so often I get what's being said, not how it's being said -- which is why I asked Janice. I had to slow down to read, but didn't want to miss anything. When someone has a great sense of humor and great questions (great = applies to me, too!), I never SOB.

Then, I noticed you didn't have spaces. My SIL, who teaches elementary ed, who just got a Masters from the Univ. of MD, who has a tendency to write complaint letters? She doesn't understand or use punctuation and prepositions are a foreign language to her. And we wonder about education today. I digress into an in-law rant. I didn't even notice!. But yes, it would become ... ARRRRRRGHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh!

Christine

Hi Janice how's your shoulder?

My Three pics are "Silver Threads & Golden Needles", Ice Aged Trails" & "Hyuga Urajiro"

Teresa has history about "Hyuga Urajiro" I love this little beauty. Can't wait to see how it matures.

These may be what your looking for.

I had ordered Hyuga this spring but the place I ordered it from ran out. :( Bummer!

boy you guys have digressed a bit...

if i wanted a. retentive spellign/grammar/etc .. i will go back and practice law and let the judge ream me out for a typo ... geez ...

but hay .. if thats your thing.. all the power to you ....

for me, this is all about the garden ... i am in my relaxin clothes.. i am sharing garden stories.. and i really don't care about the rest of it all ...

as noted.. i type [if you call it that] as i talk ... no further formality is needed .. would you really correct my grammer if we were face to face.. would you take me off your list of friends if i drawled or misspoke??? then why should it be any different here????

and my stuff is a lot easier to comprehend after a few adult drinks .... lol ..

be yourself.. and who cares what the rest of the peeps think about your posts ...

just have fun here.. and RELAX .... ken

PS: whats the topic??? .. oh yeah .. winter lightening made the list yet??? check it out at the lie-berry ....

PPS: all typos intended .... or i dont care.. do you know which it is?//....lol ...... have a great day ...

Here is a link that might be useful: winter lightening

If you have some free time you could check out the hosta library on line. They have many pages of hosta listed by names alphabeticly. Or you can scan many photos at the same time. I had no idea there were so many varieties. Good luck in your search.
For myself Im just happy as a pig in ... when I get answers to my questions here. I would never disregard somones help just because they misplaced their grammer. But this comes from someone who routinely mispells the word mebay, and just about every other word too.
Have a nice day. Frogged

Talk about diverging from the subject line. Wow!

Janice I'd like to see the secret garden you started. I have a grotto in mind that I'd like to create. It would consist of a fern patterned cast iron bench, a gurgling fountain, hostas, and a stone path leading to the bench. The one thing that I had added to another bed for height, texture and movement was an ostrich fern. It is so impressive to me that I've ordered two more for the grotto.

Kindly,

Donna

PS: Janice I miss the fox too. It amazes me that it only takes one person to ruin it for the rest.

Hi, Gloria!! Good to see you reporting in on this thread! Did you mean to insert a photo of your described hosta?
I'd love to see one if you have it!!!

And, thank you for asking about my shoulder! It's still attached, so far! :o) Actually, I believe the type of work
I'm doing in the yard has strengthened my Rotator Cuff, therefore helping hold the humerus (not funny) bone
more stable rather than the *wrenching* in place formerly experienced. I'm still looking at surgery to repair
the problem, but if I can wait till February '08, when the rider/exclusion will expire, our insurance will bear
the larger portion of the expenses.

Good to hear from you, Ken! Glad to hear you are amongst the *more tolerant*, as I suspected! :o)
The 'Winter Lightening' is definitely one I'd described as *unique*!

Welcome Frogged! I don't recall seeing you post before, but then I confess to not reading all the threads,
if they don't pertain to something I can benefit from. Also glad to see you are *personality/grammar*
tolerant! Hope to see you post more often.

Hi Donna! Maybe someone can start a thread on *Secret Gardens* or *Garden Rooms/grottos*!
That could be fun! Wanna be the one??? :o) I'd love to see your *grotto*!

The *fox* is still around, just waiting to be sent to hide, again, which may not be long coming these days! LOL
But--you know--*he/she* has to show up on the *Conversation* side!!! :O) Which, BTW, it's awfully quiet
over there right now!

janice

Good God, you guys who are so worried about grammar have totally missed the actual question and the total point.

If you're choosing to worry about not worrying about it? Knock your bad selves out.

Janice? What's the fox? Can I see?

I was just looking at some of the Lakeside hosta. There's a 'Down Sized' that looks pretty neat. I'd be interested to hear reviews of 'Blue Haired Lady', too, if anyone has one.

Christine

I'd love to hear about the famous 'Blue Haired Lady', as well! There were some who thought they had the real deal
and found out they had something else!

Christine, I have posted, on the Conversation side the saga of "the fox"! I have linked it here, but I need to
post this warning to those who have *issues* with quote marks and grahics--there are plenty in this one! :o)

Here is a link that might be useful: Birth of the *Fox*!!

"You know the saying about old dogs and new tricks."

I'm an old dog, would love to learn some new tricks. I met 3 ladies in NY that looked like the "Supremes" so I asked them to do a number for me. Amazing what one will do for 200.00?

OMG! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Were you on a budget?

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!

Alexa

I have 'L.S. Downsized' as well as 'Blue Haired Lady' (originally sold to me as 'Old Coot'). I love BHL, but LSD is a mini that you can easily overlook. If I have time I'll post a pic of BHL. The leaves are like the ears of a Lop eared rabbit. They're satiny and a cool shade of blue. I'm still looking for 'Old Coot', to keep my BHL company (poor thing).

Yes Janice I can start a thread on secret gardens or grottos...that is if I ever get mine made. Right now its just a pic in my mind.

Donna ;o)

Janice haven't posted pictures yet. I'll get to it soon.
But the hosta library depicts the three hosta's exactly as I have them.

Oh, man!
I've gotta have an 'Old Coot' now, too.

Thanks for the input. BHL sounded so interesting!

Christine

Here's a pic of 'Blue-Haired Lady'. She's just losing her wax I guess, usually stays a matte blue longer than this, must be getting more sun than normal.

And I still need an 'Old Coot' to keep her company!! I figure if I ended up crossing the two, I'd name the seedlings 'miracle babies'...LOL!

Donna

LOL, Donna! That would be great--or you could name it "Issac"! :o)

janice

Gorgeous, Donna.
I'm pretty lucky or eBay sellers appreciate a safe, sure thing. Or, they see me coming.

A couple of vendors are letting me combine auctions that cross over a week. I'm picking up some very cool things, all based upon pictures like yours and reviews here.

I can't wait until my shade garden is make-able.

Christine