Bunnycat,
I have had a lot of folks ask that question. I give them no verbal reply.I just take them to my 3 year old "First Frost' and that answers it. The grey blue color with the orange tinted cream margins is spectacular! I am an A.H.G.A. member and I was a voter on this one. Just give it a little time and you will be impressed with this Hosta. Fast growth isn't as important as ability to grow in different zones.If fast growth was a major factor 'Paradigm ' wouldn't have made the cut.I feel that you will see a big difference in "First Frost' and 'El Nino' in a couple of years. I think that it would be in teresting to see what the forum members think should be nominated for 2011. I would place my nomination based on the Forum input.

Thanks,
Denny

First Frost was my favorite this year. She just stands out like no other. Doesn't burn in the sun like others and the slugs don't bother it either.

I have a young First Frost,and it is growing well,but it is far from mature. Planted in 2006. Nice color! Phil

I voted for Praying Hands, but have no complaint about First Frost winning. I have seen a couple of older plants and agree with Denny. I added Cameo to my nominations to try and get another good mini considered.

Buxas,
'Praying Hands' was in my top 3 nominations. The only thing that kept me from putting in first was that I had had several people visiting my gardens in a months time ask me "what is wrong with that one"? I even had one lady proclaim to her entire garden club that "this one has the virus"! I then began thinking more about the novice vs the collector and First Frost moved into Praying Hands spot. I love Praying Hands but I think it is a bit over the top for your average gardener... I am sure you feel my pain?

Denny

Personally, I can't STAND Praying Hands. I hate everything from the form, to the growth rate to the name. THere is no redeeming quality to this hosta IMO. Someone gave me one and I haven't intentionally gotten rid of it, but I certainly don't pay any attention to it either.

I do like First Frost a lot and it is doing nicely in my garden. Not setting any growth records, but looking better each year so I have problem at all with it being HOTY.

Alexa

Alexa,
But how do you REALLY feel. I can't help but think that you are holding back and that will catch up with you someday! LOL!

Denny

LOL Denny

I guess my feelings about it are pretty strong. I didn't mean to offend anyone, that is the beauty of hostas - there is something out there to appeal to everyone.

Alexa

Alexa,
None taken. Just trying to liven up this sleepy forum today! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or there wouldn't be hairless cats! LOL!

Denny

Hey Alexa, if you don't like it, send it my way! ;)

Karen

I got First Frost this year from Hallson. The color of the margin is striking - very bright, even more so than the picture below depicts...

{{gwi:365309}}

I'm thinking that 'Dick Ward' is a very worthy hosta to be considered, although I don't hear much about it!!
The one I have is stunning---to my eye!!!

I posted it's pic. on another thread but just so you can see why I'm so enamored of this one----

Another matter is whether there is sufficient numbers to support the sales promotion connected with being named Hosta of the Year.

Price is also a consideration.

I think H.Rhino Hide may be the best hosta ever but it will probably not become HOY because of somewhat slow growth and a small or relatively small plant may not make a good retail presentation.

Not a simple calculation, the reason H.'So Sweet' was the first or one of the first was the numbers available for sale at that time.

A young H.'Praying Hands' for example would not make an impressive plant at retail, remember we do not represent the larger market and HOY is a marketing tool for the growers.

Hi Denny,
It's not that I don't like First Frost, I do. El Nino is my favorite, along with June. I like the whole family.
I bought First Frost in 2006, and it must have been a first year TC(much to my surprise), it was so dinky. I didn't even take a picture of it that year. I have a pic of it last year, only one, since it was a wretched-looking thin hosta. This year it GREATLY improved, much to my surprise. The coloring is striking, but I still like the sharp contast of El Nino. I like the cispy white edge on blue. It looks fabulous next to yellows like Stained Glass, other blues like Hadspen Blue, and anything dark green. Once the yellow margin on First Frost fades to cream, it more resembles Aristocrat's coloring (at least to me).
Once it matures, First Frost is certainly pretty. But is seems to take a while to get to that point, unlike many of the past HOTYs. I'd think that the vigorous ones must be easier to sell to the genereal public.

This was the first year my Earth Angel looked special, so FF isn't the only one I've wondered about. Some, like cute-as-a-button Blue Mouse Ears, look super even as babies.

and jbranch, if I'd bought mine from Hallson's, I wouldn't have been wondering for 2 years why people like FF so much.
I decided last year that anything that grows slowly is best ordered from Hallson's, even if they cost 2 or 3 dollars more. The root systems can't be beat, and the hostas always flourish.

~Bunnycat

Bunnycat,
I understand your concern and I never really compared FF to Aristocrat. I do feel that FF is a better grower but I must admit that they are similar.I must also bring up a couple of HOY's that are slow to become beautiful. Sagae and Stained Glass both come to mind. If they were judged on tc beauty only, neither one of them would have a prayer. Paradigm also gets better with age. As I stated in a previous post,if you would like to put up a nominee as a forum choice, I will be happy to vote on the forums behalf. The rules are simple....
#1 Must be a good garden plant in all regions of the country.
#2 Must be widely available and in sufficient supply.
#3 Must retail for about 15.00 in the year of selection.

And that is it ...We start with a large number of nominees,vote it down to a smaller number and the eventually end up with 3 finalist. The HOY is one of these 3 on a final vote.
Ithink it would be fantastic to get input from yourself and other Forum members.

Thanks Bunnycat!
Denny

Denny~

Wolverine is widely available and grows nicely, don't know about other regions. I think you(?) said Orange Marmalade was a runner-up? Don't know how easy it is to find locally, but it sure is an eye-catcher. Love mine!

My Sagaes were small when I bought them in 2005, and are finally looking really nice... and uh oh, now too big for where they are. Dig and tape (or rather, tape and dig)
I have Stained Glass that were a bit larger in 2005, and grew well, but found some later locally in pots that were older. They are w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l placed in amongst daylilies. They really brighten up the daylily gardens with their bright yellow to chartreuse leaves. Once the daylilies are done blooming, all that is left is big green grassy leaves. I love more than hostas (heresy!!!!)

I resisted Praying Hands for all of the reasons given above until this year. Every time I walk by it I wonder "what was I thinking?" A young plant looks like a weed. I have to be careful that I don't accidentally yank it. Hope DH doesn't rip it out. He keeps trying to kill the Lady's Mantle with Roundup. Same with the poppies in the spring.

~Bunnycat

Bunnycat,
Yes 'Orange Marmalade' was a contender to the finish this year. I agree on how beautiful it and Stained Glass are. The catch or so that I am told is that some growers will not vote for a patented Hosta. I do not share this opinion.I am just the messenger.

Denny

Denny, thank you for a detailed explanation of this process, not sure many collectors understood or appreciate the factors that go into the decision.

I would not vote for a patented hosta either because it would place power to control supply with only one source.

I too have First Frost, a young plant, but I think in time it will look lovely.

And for all you guys and gals that CAN'T STAND Praying Hands, do not look at the pic........

HA!

Tanya

What's wrong with Praying Hands? I like its curliness and its quirkiness. Maybe some of us just adore the ugly children because the pretty ones get all the attention.

Lainey

Beats me, Lainey--at least as far as the name goes. It really doesn't appeal to me,
in it's form--but I like the name!

There are some--I hesitate to buy because of their names, but this wouldn't
be one of them!!! :>/

I would respectfully suggest the following to be considered for HOTY. IMO and in my garden they have been standouts!

OLD GLORY

PINEAPPLE UPSIDEDOWN CAKE

LEADING LADY

Thanks Caliloo,

I will make a note of these hostas. "old Glory' is patented ,however. Thanks for your input! I will note input and do a Forum tally when it comes time to vote.The Forum vote will be in my first round of nominations so come one gang! Do your "Hostriotic Duty!"

Denny

I'm just gonna have to break down and get me one of those LL--thanks--Alexa--I think! LOL

Here is a pic of my First Frost from 2006,it's first year in the garden.
{{gwi:1051440}}

I forgot to post my photo of First Frost..... the image is clickable to enlarge.

I like Praying Hands, and have had it in my garden since the first year it was widely available. However, I see one compelling reason why it should not be HOTY. Like it or loath it, this variety is definitely a novelty hosta, completely unlike other varieties. While I find it an interesting variety, and worthy of a place in the garden, I certainly would not like to see a large number of new varieties with the same growth habit and leaf form. Can you imagine a whole bed of different varieties, all with the closed, twisted, pointed leaves? I believe the HOTY should be a more typical representative of the genus as a whole--clearly recognizable as a hosta, even by novice growers.

I work with a local hosta seller every spring, and the typical reaction ratio to Praying Hands seems to be about 40 percent "Yuck!" and about 60 percent "Oh, neat!" More people want it for the name than for the plant itself, and many have heard the name and are disappointed upon seeing the plant for the first time. A 'yuck factor' of 40 percent seems too high for a HOTY.

This same logic would eliminate White Feather as a contender for HOTY. This variety sells hand over fist, but it's decidedly not a typical hosta, being rather a novelty plant with a lot of pot appeal in the spring. Add to that the fact that it turns mostly plain green and rather boring later in the year, and you have a variety that isn't going to do much to promote hostas in general, and make no mistake, promoting hostas in general is one of the main purposes of having a HOTY.

Orange Marmalade might be a good choice. My only hesitation with this variety is that it hasn't been around long enough to really judge the mature plant. Of course that's going to be a problem with most of the newer varieties. Personally, I would like to see some of the older, classic varieties considered for HOTY. For example, Montana Aureomarginata would make a wonderful HOTY. Spilt Milk, while not having been around long enough to be considered a true classic, is a very unique yet mainstream variety.

I'm a bit confused by the comparison of Aristocrat and First Frost--in my garden they are very different. First Frost is of Halcyon lineage, as are El Nino and Sleeping Beauty, and there are minor differences between these three varieties. Aristocrat is a Hadspen Blue sport, and it has a much wider light edge, an overlay of colors between the edge color and the center color, and a different growth habit, being more horizontal in habit. It also has a more rounded leaf than any of the Halcyon offspring. Although not a very fast grower, Aristocrat is one of the standouts in my garden, enough so that I picked up a second one this year.

It was nice to see a mini finally make HOTY, and Blue Mouse Ears was a good choice. It might make sense to have a whole new category of HOTY for minis and small varieties, since they are gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds. The American Hosta Society now has a separate popularity poll for minis, so perhaps it's time to give the little ones separate recognition for HOTY as well. There are plenty of worthy varieties out there, with many more being introduced each year.

dhaven,
Thanks for the terrific input! I like the mini idea. I will bring this up at the next meeting and tell them that it came from you on the forum. Your insight is compelling and thought provoking! Keep it coming..

Denny

guardian angel would be a great hoty - don't think there is a plant that would be a better choice

Denny--Thank you for the kind words, they are much appreciated. It would be great if you would bring the mini of the year idea to the attention of the group. Feel free to tell them that I've been in hostas for over 30 years, and have worked at a very successful local hosta seller for the last 10 years, so I have a pretty good idea of what's going on in the retail hosta world. And please emphasis that I believe the category should be mini/small, not strictly AHS mini size, as that would preclude too many excellent varieties that are not officially classified as minis.

Hi, I am new to this forum, I have learned alot already, I have been trying to find LindaSue hosta and Cindy, does anyone know where I can order them? I love hostas only have a few, but am making a shade garden this year and want to get more. what`s good companion plants? Thanks, Deb

Jim's Hostas has both 'Linda Sue' and 'Oh Cindy'.

Is this what you meant by 'Cindy'?

Cowboy