Stunning!!

This is On Stage going to looks like in a few years.

Outstanding, Jo! Please grow yours well, and I'll live vicariously through yours. : )

This is 'Stagefright' : P

Don B.

Great visit Jo! I was at Giboshihill for the first time recently, and like you was blown away by their property... A generous sized town lot filled with random beds of amazing hostas, and complimented by an impressive collection of interesting small trees and all manner of companion plants. I could have stayed all afternoon, but sadly we were en route... and miles to go before I sleep! But I shall return. Well worth a visit.
Jan

Yes, indeed, Jan - a hosta heaven by Kevin. Imagine having almost an acre in which to garden with predominantly hostas? Oh yeah! What did you bring home?

Don, you crack me up! Your little gaffer is VERY pretty! Now show it its Canadian friend! That ought to cheer it up to know someone else is rooting for it! It does really well in the sun as you can see by its colour in my pic. I was amazed at the gold when Vanessa sent me a pic and more so in person when Kevin was bringing it out. Kevin's looks more like Melati's and is in some shade for the afternoon.

Melati - so much to look forward to as yours is sooo lovely. How old?

Mug, thanks! Big grin here.

About 6 yrs Jo.

Beautiful specimen! Hmmmm I think a trip to Cobourg is in my future :)

My Chrystal Ball sees it as a probability - you are likely 40-50 minutes closer to them than I am? Travelling mostly 120 on cruise got me there just under 2 hours. I was expecting a longer drive but was pleasantly surprised. Now that I've found Giboshihill, I don't think I need to venture out further. He has so many unusual hostas to satisfy any collector. You will LOVE it. Take DH along - he will be in awe too or I will eat my hat!

lol Josephine, I am sure DH will be thrilled at the prospect - not!
His thing is sailing and mine is hostas. One day on the weekend I garden and the other one we sail together and every once in a while he feigns interest in my hostas :)

Now that is an arrangement made in heaven!

My departed DH and I were power boaters aka "stink pots" to your "rag-baggers"...lol...is that terminology still bandied about on the waters? He loved to say "honey we've got the world by the a$$!" Yes we did. Then the three kids started to grow so we sold it to buy a bigger house. Back in the 80's you could sell a large boat and make $ on it! The water then came in the form of a pool, lol. Life can be really good - lots of hostas always help!

Jo,
I'm glad you had a great time. It's always a great place to go. I am very lucky to have some amazing hosta places nearby. You picked out some nice plants :)
Vanessa

Thank you Vanessa!...don't forget little CP, left it with Kevin. :-)

Jo, you picked out some winners! I got to see Bridal Falls in person last year and loved it. I've seen a mature On Stage in a garden in my neighborhood and it is gorgeous. I am back at walking the neighborhood so sometimes I take the opportunity to stroll over and have a peek. Fingerprint is new to me. All are beautiful hosta. You have good taste!

I am so glad you enjoyed your trip to Giboshihill. It sounds like an awesome place and a must see. With so many hostas there, I think I could easily spend a weekend there!

If you are planning to go again sometime, please let me know. I would like to join you, if you don't mind. How about you Paula? Would you come too? Anyone else? Wouldn't that be awesome to be able to meet each other?

Sounds like a magical day, nothing better than wandering hosta gardens with the knowledge that you can BUY something, too....take a bit of it home with you, so to speak.
Your On Stage is beautiful, I did not know that it was being registered under a new name. That will be hard to change, in my mind. Did I understand correctly?

I was thinking maybe I could come along, too, BUT you are all in Canada and that would be a bit far for me...here's a link to Giboshihill, should anyone want to take a virtual trip.

Here is a link that might be useful: Goboshihill

Jo, those are mighty fine specimens. The only one of those I have is On Stage. I would love to see a pic of your Mini Skirt, as it's available here and my Mighty Mouse is doing nicely (but increasing slowly).

My On Stage is always the last hosta to come up. I leave the scapes on until spring, so I don't inadvertently step on him. Here is On Stage on June 2, the latest he's ever come up. I would move him to a more protected location from the wind in my yard as the leaves can tear a bit but slugs seem to leave him alone. Otherwise he's doing fine, the leaves don't bleach where he is, so I'm not moving him.

Are you putting these hostas in the ground or just potting them?

NHL, thank you for the compliment! Glad you like my new babies...and, yes, you definitely would not want to leave once you were there! I need to return where I no longer need a personalized tour and spend my time familiarizing myself with the hostas' habitat as they (Giboshihill) are zone 5 also (5b). There were many I want to see again. I started to take pictures, then quickly lost myself to the beauty around me.

I love the idea of meeting Paula and anyone else interested in going! However, I will likely return in August or later. That said, All hostas are extremely pristine right now, as they usually are in our own gardens at this time of year. Prime viewing time!

Mary, your sentiments are so true! Who knows, perhaps one day some of us Canadians may get a chance to meet some of our American hosta friends! That would be a delightful day to be sure!!! Thank you for posting the link. I meant to but forgot to do so. I realized my pictures were of a few specimens more than the various beds I meant to photograph as well. That is what the second visit will be for - to capture the artistry of "placement" and companion plants which include small trees and shrubs.

Irawon, thank you! :-). Mini Skirt has her own thread somewhere on here (probably drowned in the sea of threads, lol) so I'll happily insert a pic for you. She is so cute! Your OS is quite established judging by the girth of the pips I see. I too would leave it where it is doing well if it were mine. Yes, Kevin also mentioned about it's very late emergence in the spring and that I should mark it well. Will I pot them or plant them? Good question....

I chatted with Devon/Smithstudios the other day and when I had mentioned the streaked seedlings he sent me, how they had all developed new leaves, etc. I then expressed my concern in terms of over-wintering them this coming winter. Being inside the garage out of harm's way didn't necessarily guarantee survival, as I found out this past winter, having lost some that were in the garage. He simply suggested to go ahead and plant them, they will do fine here having better odds in the ground than in pots. He is right about that! And I'm following his advice. I SO do NOT want to lose them.

For now, until I can find a suitable spot for my newbies and other potted hostas, they will continue in their current nursery pots but I fully intend to plant them in the ground sometime during the next month or so, making sure they have time for the roots to take hold. I've already planted some that were potted last fall. Many more to go, but I enjoy hauling a pot out from under the little tree and taking a good look at it whenever I feel like it or when I am watering it. Once they are planted, it is more difficult to get up close and personal! Lol

Well, I'm very late today, but I must go outside and reconnect with my garden and it's occupants! There has been a wonderful, gentle, steady drizzle since early morning but has since stopped. Time to do the walk-about.

Here is herself, Miss Hosta 'Mini Skirt'!

newhostalady, that sounds like a great idea. How does a Friday work for you? Anyone else want to go to Giboshihill?

I just checked out the link and they have 'Candy Dish'!

This post was edited by paula_b_gardener on Wed, Jun 11, 14 at 15:27

I wouldn't be able to go until July at the earliest. I was actually thinking more in line with Jo---August or September---even though it must be an ideal time now for picture taking. As for a Friday, that day is fine for me. Paula, were you thinking of going sooner?

You've got a great Mini Skirt Jo!

I wanna go!

But...I'm in Colorado...sniff, sniff..... : (

Don B. Sad

ROTFL, Don! How I'd love to enjoy your company on that trip! What a riot that would be! too bad you are so far away. ,,,sniff :-(. Wait! I got a lottery ticket for my birthday recently - maybe I'm a millionaire! I'll pay for your trip! Lol. And Mary's! :-). Well, I can dream, can't I? But I better check out that ticket anyway.

Paula, let's stay in touch re this trip - my email is enabled on GW and so is NHL's. We can make plans three-way that way? Anyone else who is interested can also contact us.

Last evening I completed one of my goals...and that was to take one of my four BME's and incorporate a mini planting with Mini Skirt. It turned out okay. Two or three more of this type of setup for the other minis...if I don't change my mind. Enjoy!

I wish you could come too Don. I would love to meet you!

Josephine, I love you mini hosta garden - it is perfect! I found a site online that sells miniature items for gardens.

I am happy to go when it is good for everyone. We will be back from vacation on August 11th, so after that would be fine if that is what works best.

That looks really good, Jo. Nice work!

Don B.

Okay, this is just a test to see if I can post a pic of my OS. Here goes.....

Jo, don't you go and tempt me with your cute minis! I can't keep up with the hosta pots I have! LOL

Let's figure out our visit to Giboshihill when you are back from your holidays Paula. We can email each other.

It worked, I can see your wonderful On Stage!

Hosta takeover, good on the first try! Thank you for posting your pic...the more the merrier! What is it about OS? It makes me take a breath whenever I see it, every time! Yours looks devine!

Well, NHL, at least you can pot more than one in a pot and it won't be heavy, lol. They are hard to resist, aren't they?

Don, Paula, NHL, Takeover, thanks for looking! Got your email, Paula - will do! :-)

Oh, thank you, Jo. My DH took time out last night to s-l-o-w-l-y explain how I can participate with photos. Twice. Eh, I should just be able to push a button and voila! Pix!

My OS is 4 years old and has never really fared well. After year two I thought perhaps tree roots were strangling it so I dug it up, cleaned out all tree roots, and replanted. Still, it languished. This year I was studying it and noticed that sometimes it looked perky, other times it looked as though someone had just stomped it.

FINALLY noticed it was whenever the sun was directly on it for more than a few minutes it would just collapse and then take awhile to recover after the sunlight had moved on.

So this time I dug it up and planted it in one of the darkest spots in the bed where it receives just minimal amounts of filtered light, and it's really improved. Looks happy for the first time ever.

I don't think my experience is typical with On Stage, I think it's simply because it can get so hot here and it's leaves are too thin to handle it. Further north I think it would appreciate more direct light.

Good to hear you found the ideal spot for yours. I'm watching for any sign of sunburn as it is exposed to direct sun till very early afternoon. I'm trying to duplicate the hosta vendor's environment for it. So far the gold has deepened and is striking! :-)

Josephine: thank you for your wonderful post about our gardens at Giboshihill Hostas. I took a photo of Squash Casserole for you just in case you didn't get your photo. Hope to see you again this summer.

Hello, Olga! What a lovely thing to do, thank you! And please extend my thanks to Kevin too. He has a terrific memory! Yes, I shall return indeed!

Your thoughtfulness is appreciated.

Jo

P.S. You have created a beautiful website. Congratulations!

Gorgeous, beautiful, outstanding, amazing......so many superlatives and so many lovely hosta. Jo, your new baby could not be more perfect.

And Paula B, I'll cut to the chase here for you. The idea that your DH is a sailing fan gives you an opportunity to get a small bed of sailing themed hosta for him. I would suggest the first one, if you do not have it, be SMOOTH SAILING. There is a Sails Ho, which I am not familiar with. I also have a small yellow called Smiling Sailor. Not specifically sailing, but High Tide is a great blue. Then there is a sweet tall green with some ripples called LS Full Tide. The link below goes to Don Rawson's "Boater's Garden" list. I'd think one like Harpoon from days of sailing whalers would suit a manly sailor.

But Smooth Sailing is one I loved from day 1.

Here is a link that might be useful: Boater's Hosta Theme Garden

Hi Moccasin,

Yes, I have Smooth Sailing and lots of nautical themed garden paraphernalia - lighthouse, anchor, etc. but thanks for the suggestion.

Paula, please give me a link to the online miniature garden items you spoke of. I am in love with the mini bowl setup that Jo did. It so reminds me of my small bistro table and two chairs in the heart of my garden. How perfect that bowl of minis seems to me. I have the bowls, with mini hosta already in them. Just no toys!

Paula, Mocc, I picked up a few items at Ego's...a working miniature swing for my granddaughter, a tiny ceramic birdbath and that twin but opposite facing chair. Some of our garden centres are carrying miniature "fairy garden" items such as these. I want to incorporate some mini conifers into the next potting of minis. Here goes a trip to Garden Gallery! Two weeks or so ago I saw a large clay bowl containing a mix of dwarf conifers to the tune of $199.00! Got the idea of including a conifer from that. :-).

I'm thinking Ken would like that! I'll post when I finish that one.

Last year someone posted some exquisite miniature gardens. Maybe a new thread might make them reappear, hmmmm? I think I will work on that unless someone beats me to it, maybe. What am I waiting for? I'll start with posting this finished one first. That should get things rolling. :-) and buy me time completing my second one. Yes, please share your source for these miniature garden items!

Ciao!

Hi Moccasin, the link is attached.

Josephine,
I bought some dwarf conifers last year and a couple more this year; they are lovely.

Here is a link that might be useful: Miniature furniture

Jo, I must ask a belated question.
Was there a Top Gun Contest?
How did I miss it?
Which hosta were in the contest?

Here you go, Mocc! Feast your eyes! Beware: beautiful hostas! Lol
I flipped through the thread and you are absolutely right, you somehow missed this one! I wonder which hosta you would have submitted? Would it have been Squash Casserole? Or? :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Top Gun Contest

Thanks both of you....Paula for the Miniature Furniture link...and Jo for the TopGun thread.

I have missed threads before when new, only to discover them after umpteen posts are on it and somehow it hits the top of the front page. But this one was a serious omission....to a hosta lover.

Now. I'm off the see the tiny chairs and tables! Dreamland.

Paula sweetie, your link really busted my allowance wide open. Only a few pennies left of it. That link has some serious miniature garden toys.

Among other things I ordered the bistro table and chair set in white....now I must paint OUR REAL set white or offwhite. And I got the chicken coop with chickens...don't you know my DH mentioned building such a coop and getting about 3 little egglayers tonight? It was meant to be! Then the garden bench and chair and the arbor and the wagon like the one I have really, and the martin house and the bee skep (for Quilting Bee Hosta) The watering can and the garden tools and the galvanized tub ..... it is hard to stop once you get started.

I can see these adding a lot of eye level appeal to otherwise plain plantings of multiple hosta or fern etc in bowls or tubs. This kicks it up a notch from simple pot feet!

Is there a contest for Miniature Gardens? I am enchanted by the bistro table with the gazebo or arbor. Jo, you can make one as beautiful as that 200+ $$dollar one. Very exciting to think of a couple of the tubs set up. However, I know this is not my main passion. It is a great diversion adding variety to the garden experience.

LOL, Mocc, look at you go! I too like the teeny bistro set. I found out by looking at the link that mine is the "courting benches", a romantic description and befits Blue Mouse Ears and Mini Skirt!

No mini contest from me, but I'm thinking of some other for later on ;-)

Jo

I just wanted to share what I found in the Zilis Field Guide....FYI

Mark Zilis wrote that in 1991, the Watanabes of Gotemba Nursery told him that 'Choko Nishiki' was found in the wild and given to them by a collector. Paul Aden registered this plant as 'On Stage', but 'Choko Nishiki' is now recognized as the correct name.

Choko Nishiki it is then! Now I just have to keep saying it in my head till it sticks...

Jo, just think of 'Paul Aden was sneaky, Choko Nishiki' Now, repeat 50 to 100 times, and you got it!

here to help,
Don B.

You got it Don, you clever man! Lol, but it works! :-)
Thanks!
Jo