Those are great ones...Forced to choose, I'm thinking 'Key West'.

Don B.

Key West passes the 'eye-ball' test in my garden. Make sure you provide it with some morning sun.

hostasrgreat - LOL at the "eye-ball test". Love it.

My goodness! Any one of these three!

http://www.nhhostas.com/daybreak-hosta.htm

http://www.nhhostas.com/dawn's-early-light-hosta.htm

http://www.nhhostas.com/dancing-queen-hosta-starter-plug.htm

How much room do you have? Key West isn't large; it's huge.

Not on your list but what about Fried Bananas? Mine is now in its third or fourth year (lot of shade in my yard) and is now really looking good. Divided it when I first got it so that also slowed it down some, I'm sure.

Yeah, ci_lantro, Key West certainly does get enormous from the looks of it! My six year old saw photos of it and said, "That one's HUGE! Could I make a fort in there?" And you thought voles were bad! :)
I almost grabbed Fried Bananas at a local nursery...shall I make a return trip? Hmmm...

Meyermike, thanks for giving me even MORE to wring my hands over...those are lovely as well! A little bird told me not to order Dancing Queen or Queen of the Seas, and I'm pretty sure it's something to do with an upcoming wedding anniversary (yep, I married a good man).

Looks like Key West is a sure bet. Anyone have opinions on the others? Fat Cat and City Lights seem especially similar to me...are they?

How much sun does the spot have? H. "Rosedale Golden Goose" can take a bunch of it and still look good. It has a great, bumpy texture as well. H. "Fat Cat" is fairly similar, but it grows a lot slower than Golden Goose (think "Sagae" slow...it's a seedling of it.) It's also not nearly as sun tolerant. Still nice, though.

Good question flower-frenzy...I could actually site it in quite a few places, ranging from shady to sunny. I have a pretty blank slate, since I am a newcomer to the wonderful world of hosta!

I do like the idea of the nice texture and faster growth of Golden Goose...those are helpful characteristics to know, so thank you. I always welcome a strong grower!

LOL C'mon guys! Poor Jadie probably got a migraine by forcing herself to whittle the list down to 4, and we gotta throw the kitchen sink at her with our off-list suggestions...Sorry Jadie, we really can't help it! LOL : ) We are taking enabling to a whole new level!

Cheers,
Don B.

Haha, thanks Don! Heaven knows I've succumbed plenty to the enabling around here, and I've enjoyed every minute! For so long I managed to lurk around but not "drink the kool-aid," but then without even knowing it, I was completely swept away. I am a very disciplined budgeter, and the last few months I have drawn down every other budget category I can in order to pocket more hosta money.

Since hosta puns are in around here, how's this one...I told my husband that I'm not using the car much so I can put extra gas money in my hosta budget, and he laughed and said, "if those plants are keeping you from using the car, I guess you're a hosta-age in your own home!" Har, har, har.

I keep reminding myself that I have my whole life to enjoy this newfound passion, so I don't HAVE to have them all now. The stunner I am desperate to buy this season will be no less stunning in next year's order! (Deep breaths...put the hosta down...)

We used to use "gold" - you can tell from how many hostas names start with Gold and Golden. But the hosta gurus decided we should fall into line with proper plant color naming... and the international concensus is "yellow"...

so a lot of us oldtimers had to break some pretty set habits...

In a totally different direction: my Blaze of Glory is just into its 3rd spring and continues to awe me with its ever widening leaves (already 50% larger than August Moon and similarly shaped), tall scapes and almost white blossoms. It is not golden yellow like the ones you are discussing, but a pastel yellow that is outstanding. It literally 'glows' in my garden.

It is one I would be pleased to have several spotted around my gardens, in both sun and shade, just for it's contrast.

Theresa

Did not know that reason, IdiotHe....thanks for explaining it to me. Because sometimes, I see one definitely YELLOW, like Dawn's Early Light early in spring, and something like Dick Ward which is a brassy gold....

I like the Rosedale Golden Goose. It was a bonus hosta from Hallson last year. It is a very crisp leafed hosta with a brisk attitude. I got Key West about a week or so ago, so have nothing to report....except it didn't wilt even a tiny bit once it arrived here, it is standing NICELY TALL.

If you budgeted for it now, get it by all means. You won't be sorry.

I have a few very sunny spots (afternoon sun but remember I'm in zone 4 and have a sprinkler system). In those places I grow Key west, Sun Power and Zounds. All have performed well and all are fairly large hostas. I would recommend Key West though I do not have direct experience with the others on your list.

Doug

I have Fat Cat. Third year... still tiny.

But it has Sagae as a parent, so it may take off all of a sudden!

do you have tried Hosta "Zounds"?? a realy beautiful one!

Jadie, if you haven't decided yet, I'd go with Sun Power. Still my favorite.

SUN POWER

Zounds

August Moon, an oldie but very reliable

Blaze of Glory, 3rd year

Ah, you guys, I was so ZEN last night about the whole thing, now I'm back to "just one more won't hurt!" You are all very good at what you do. :)

I'm leaning towards Key West to impress the kiddos (but still no forts in it, thankyouverymuch) and Sun Power will probably jump the cart too. Zounds and Blaze of Glory are definitely on my longer term list, thanks for the pics!

You are all fantastic! I'll be harassing you again soon, I'm sure. And idiothe, thanks for the explanation...I read a comment saying something about "back when we still called them gold" and wondered if there was a reason. Much obliged!

Hmmm... I didn't throw a hat into the ring on this...

Gold Regal is old and relatively inexpensive... and looks great in a grouping of three big ones with its sports Alex Summers and Rascal. All are more upright (vase-shaped) than a lot of others (Zounds I like - but tends to get bigger sideways but not so much in height.)

Gold Sculpture (parent of the giant Garden Party) is attractive and reliable specimen.

Most of the large yellows tend to have a kind of bloom on them... kind of fuzzy yellow. I just noticed on a garden visit this morning how bright and shiny Daybreak looks today... and looks great with its green centered sport, Day's End.

Idiothe, I meant to tell you that I enjoy your hosta stories. Have you ever considered writing a book?

Would love to see pics of your Gold Regal, Daybreak, Day's End and Gold Sculpture, PLEASE.

I second irawon's plea! I've not heard of Gold Sculpture before...of to THE library I go...

Anyone growing "Made You Look?" I saw a photo somewhere and it sure made me look! Now I don't remember where I saw it.

This post was edited by jadie88 on Mon, Jul 1, 13 at 16:48

Well, jadie, maybe you should buy "Rosedale Golden Goose" for a sunny spot and another hosta on your list for a shady one? Just enabling.....lol!

Irawon, what is the hosta to the left of your Zounds?

Ooh, good eye, Paula...what a beautiful soft variegation. And doesn't it look like one of those leaves is a reverse of the others? Whatcha got there, Irawon?

I'm a big fan of the golds and have a bunch of them plus a lot of gold seedlings. In my yard, there is one hosta that immediately attracts the eye to the extent it's hard to focus on any other, no matter what the color. And that's Sun Power.

Paula and Jadie, to the left of Zounds is Wide Brim, one of the first hostas I bought way back when ... in 2007.

Irawon,

Thanks for info but I have Wide Brim and it was also the first hosta I bought! I think it would have been around 2002 at my previous home - I took a bit with me.
Unfortunately, mine does not look as lovely as yours - what are your lighting conditions?

Paula

Paula, I have 4 of them. The one in the picture above grows at the southern edge of limbed-up spruce trees.

Here are two book-ending a Krossa Regal in the middle of the same bed. I think you can tell the light conditions from the picture.

They look really nice. Thanks for posting the pics.

Paula