The one you found two of....My guess is Shade Fanfare.
Jen

Hi Kate,

Welcome to the forum. As you already know, there are friendly, knowledgeable people here. Come back often.

I think your new choices are really good ones. You will enjoy them.

My guess is that your old-timer is Francee. A hint about the plantaginea: they need some direct sun to do well, so the more the better.

Steve

Thank you, margo and steve, for your comments.

More sunshine for plantaginea--hmmm. I think that spot gets some sunshine--I'll have to go out and check several times of the day for the next week and see how much. The only spot I have for hosta that gets more sun is where I planted Gypsy Rose. I put her there because I thought she could take quite a bit of sun. What do you think? Which hosta needs more sun--plantaginea or Gypsy Rose? I probably could switch those two, if necessary.

As for the unknown one, maybe it would help if I described it a bit more. It is not like the nondescript green-edged white found in every common garden in the U.S. (I also have one of those--what is it? aglomarginata --or something like that?) This unknown is different than any I have seen--much rounder leaves, wider white edging, and the lighter green color is an unusual shade, different from any other hosta I've ever seen (not the shade of the green 'n white one found everywhere). Does that help any?

Thanks for any input you can provide. : )

Kate

I would say that plantaginea would be prefer the sunnier spot.

Here is a picture of my 'Shade Fanfare'. When I saw your picture it reminded me of my 'Shade Fanfare' since it's a lighter shade of green and has a wider white margin.

You're right, jen--that looks a lot like my two unknown hosta.

Would Shade Fanfare have been for sale 15-20 years ago? That was about when the "old" hosta were planted in my gardens.

Kate

Shade Fanfare was introduced by Paul Aden in 1986. Here's mine. I agree that this is what you have.

Steve

Shade Fanfare is a much better suggestion than mine. And as for which hosta wants the full sun, definitely plantaginea, although GR can take some. In the right setting, your plantaginea will take off and fill a lot of space. GR, on the other hand, is slow, and much smaller.

Steve

I agree on Shade Fanfare. Steve's pic did a much better job of capturing the unusual shade of green mine exhibit. Thanks for your help on that one.

I've been thinking over plantaginea. I could have it switch places with a second Gold Standard that is over by the new Great Expectations. That place gets direct sun most of the morning--and the shade that begins around noon is dappled shade for a couple hours. Then I could put the 2nd Gold Standard where the new Gypsy Rose is now (direct later afternoon sun--actually, probably gets sunny by mid-afternoon) and move Gypsy Rose where the present plantaginea is (near the new Rainforest Sunrise--they would get some mid-day sun).

Much as I truly appreciate all your suggestions, I must take the advice for lots of direct sun with a grain of salt. This is Kansas (practically in Oklahoma)--July and August are usually over 95 degrees, sometimes over 100 degrees for several weeks at a time. It's not pretty what that can do to a hosta--as I found out when we had to take out the giant tree that had been allowing morning sun and providing high shade the rest of the day. I remember one of those plantaginea practically frying on the spot--which is probably why I only have one left (started with 3 a decade and a half ago). Do you think the new plan--plantaginea in nearly full sun for a good portion of the morning might be adequate? I hope-- : )

Kate

I think you've got it right, Kate. Latitude plays a big part in the intensity of the sun. What I can grow in sun at 42 degrees north is different from what can be done in the Kansas heartland. You just have to try different places for your plants (a potted plant might be helpful) in order to know what you can grow in how much sun given your latitude and climate. I think your plantaginea plan (great alliteration, BTW) is right on target.

Steve

Kate, if I am looking at the right thing, from my perspective it appears you have a couple of plantaginea seedlings down there in the bottom RH corner of pic2 next to the larger plantaginea, which is known to be a great seeder (as evidenced by the gazillions of progeny in its family).

How do you like the technicality of the use of THAT word "gazillions"?

If your gn/wh NOID is shade fanfare it is tougher than the one I had in north central (Mtn. Home) Arkansas. Even nicely shaded by oaks and a spirea it never seemed to handle the heat well and perished. Yours is looking pretty good.

See what it takes to be a successful hostaholic?

Les

OK--I'm going with the plantaginea plan, but I do hope I don't get quite a full gazillion seedlings from it, or I may end up disliking it more than I do the prolific dandelion!

Les, the only thing that saves me from becoming totally hosta obsessed is my rose obsession. Nearly every spot in the yard is taken over with roses (around 70 of them)--I would have to dig up roses to have room to plant more hosta (not about to happen!)--though I'm sure, like roses (there's always room to squeeze in one more rose), the hosta will probably start finding wiggle room for more hosta. These plants do have that tendency, don't they.

Thanks for the help. I can't wait to have some large "show" hosta like I used to.

Kate

Just completed all my switcheroos (and added another one in there), and plantaginea now gets almost all morning sun and what's more, the color contrasts in that area are definitely improved. The other switches led to a better color palette in that area also. Sooooooo--now we wait and see if everything is going to grow, but thanks in the meantime for all your ideas and information. Appreciate that.

Kate

I admire your rose affliction, Kate. With such a love, a name like Kate and a "handle" like dublinbay it comes together like a Rose of Sharon. I realize R of S is a hibiscus and not a true rose, but I couldn't think of anything else. But beauty can go a long way!

Personally, roses are like VAMPIRES to me. They reach out and drain my blood when I am way far away from them. I like hostas because they don't bite me.

Les

I must admit, it is nice to NOT look like I got caught in a catfight after working with hosta. However, I still willingly "shed blood" for my roses regardless. : )

Anyone else check their newly planted hosta hourly --to make sure they are doing all right? Talk about compulsive! LOL

Kate

Kate, you and I are in somewhat similar situations. I've been a roseaholic for enough years to have 250+ here on my half acre, and arms that always look like I got run through the meat grinder. I'm thinking that some of the wonderful really big roses just might provide shade for the new hostas that are arriving any day -- a dozen to be exact -- all of which will have to live in pots.

Landlady, the only reason I don't also have 250 roses is that I don't have a half acre! Size keeps my obsession (somewhat) under control. LOL

Kate

Update: I know you've been sitting up nights wondering how these beds turned out. Well, here are my newly re-arranged hosta beds, assisted (of course) by the wisdom of this forum. : )

I really like these combinations much better just in terms of aesthetics. Hopefully the placement for sun is improved also.
Left side: Gypsy Rose.
Center bottom: Rainforest Sunrise
Right side: ??? Kind of an everyday nondescript hosta that has been growing there for at least a decade or more. What do you think? Something like Albomarginata? (Hope I spelled that right.) You can see the shadow of the house receding as the sun moves into its afternoon position.

Bottom: Cathedral Windows
Top: A division of a hosta I've had for decades. I think it might be Gold Standard. These two will get a fair amount of sun in the afternoon.

This is a different spot in the gardens. It gets morning sun, and shade or dappled shade in the afternoon. I think the solid green added in here was a great idea.
Center of the pic, to left of red flower: Great Expectations
Right side: Decades-old hosta, probably Gold Standard????
Bottom: Another decades-old hosta, probably plantaginea--given this sunshiny place, per your recommendations.
Left bottom and left top: Decades-old hosta which we ID-ed as Shade Fanfare.

Touch of Class--with a new red clematis planted behind it. This hosta is located several feet away (other side of a path) from the hosta in the previous picture.

I'm satisfied. Just need to finish putting out the mulch. Thanks everyone for your help.

Kate