J - ROFL!!! You are so right, on all accounts, especially that lambast part. Everything I do is wrong!! I just don't tell my hostas that, so they don't know they are supposed to die.

George

Dave, I had a similar experience with Paradigm . . . In my northern Indiana garden, I planted a nice sized one and watched it explode -- it was always the one that wowed visitors. In May we moved to central Tennessee and brought 125-150 hostas, either bare root or with minimal soil. They're all in pots at my daughter's house, waiting for our house to be finished. They're all thriving, but Paradigm continues to amaze me. The pic below has a Sharpie pen for perspective . . . it never missed a beat and is larger than ever. Just LOVE this hosta!!

This is the best thread ever. I love seeing the progression of others' gardens. Many of us seem to have the same problem of squashed Hosta. You just can't trust the sizes listed on those tags. I only got my digital last year so can't participate--darn--but from now on this inspires me to keep track of my Hosta gardens. Meanwhile I hope to see more postings and learning more secrets (or trying to anyway--still LOL). Mary

Hey, hey_j speaking of progression, I promised you a piece of Eola Sapphire last year, if my divided piece made it ok... well, it did! It's only 1 eye, but email me.. I'm on vacation this week, so it will be a good time for me to dig..

Janice,I will post a before and after,if someone tells me how to post multiple pics. I just can't seem to get the knack of it. Phil

superb dave... MUCK BOOTS RULE ..... now i am trying to picture you hopping on one foot .. with one boot.. trying to get the picture... lol

ken

Okay--here are a few of mine--not SO dramatic but still there's excitement for me:

I originally did not know what this one was, and it was tagged as
'Dee's Golden Jewel' (but not) 2005::

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2006, still didn't know for sure but Dave/dbowen--figured it out:

We now know it's 'Earth Angel' 2007:

And now---look at 'Blue Umbrellas' (which also is going gang-busters
for perspective!

I think E.A. looked it's best last year!!!

'Parhelion', 2004:

2005:

2006:

And, this morning--in the rain!

Sum of All 2004::

2006:

2007: Lost it, replaced it with 'Titanic'!

Titanic, this year::

Cutting Edge 2006::

2007:

2008:

This morning, in the rain (not as blue looking when wet):

'Squash Casserole' 2005::

2006:

2007--thought I would ultimately lose it!!

And now,2008!

Phil,
Are you posting out of photobucket?
Dave

Dave--He does!

Phil--in case you're checking in before Dave gets your answer--here's what you do:

When you 'copy' your HTML code that begins with etc., you just put the next pic. code
(just like you did with the first) right under the first one, (maybe space down a line or two) in the body of your
message!

When you 'preview' you should see both pics. in your message!

Did it work??:o)

Off to finish getting ready for a rainy '4th'! How about you, Phil---any wet stuff of any significance yet?

jotn progress - i know a lot of people don't seem to like it but this hostas is a favorite of mine. I don't have pictures of any other hosta over this many years - i guess that is a good indicator of how much i like it

2004 - the first year i started keeping digital pics from the garden also the first year for my jotn

2005

2006

2008 - taken today - this pic does not show how large it has gotten it is big

Here are some of mine:
Pineapple upside Down Cake 2006

2007

2008

Blue Umbrellas 2006 (5 years of doing nothing)

2007

2008

AND

They've grown a little thanks to coffee grounds and cow poo.

Lainey

I don't know what went wrong,but it still doesn't work for me. When I copy the first pic,then I try to copy the second one,it cancels out the first one,so all I get is the second one. You all must be holding your mouth just right! Lol! No,Janice it still isn't raining here,and I doubt it ever will. South Carolina has said that this was the driest June ever recorded,so you know that is bad. I think NC is right there too. Phil

I want to participate in this thread, but no time now! Trying to re-build our desktop PC which crashed (thank goodness I had ALL the data backed up!! WAHOO!). Anyway, Phil, are you pasting the first picture before you try copying the second picture?? Do it like this...

Copy HTML for Picture 1
Paste Picture 1 in the body of your GW message.
Copy HTML for Picture 2
Paste Picture 2 in the body of your GW message, below picture 1.
Follow same procedure for the rest of your pics!!

Hope this helps!

Buff

OK,here goes! Thanks Buff,for the info. I figured it was something stupid on my part! This is Abiqua Moonbeam,a hosta I've posted on before,but you have to see both pics,to realize how much this plant has grown in only one season! First one is 2007,when I planted it.
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And this is the same plant today! Phil
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Wow, what a thread! More, please!

Wonderful, wonderful pics. everyone!!

I'm with you, Greenguy, about JOTN! I LOVE mine SO MUCH, already--and I only got it last year! Love your pics., too!!!

Lainey--that is EXACTLY what happened with my 'Blue Umbrellas'! Sat there for years doing nothing more than what it was
when first planted--then BOOM---last year it took off and is still on the run!!

Phil--glad you're able to post more pics. now! I love your 'Abiqua Moonbeam'--now it's on my list!!! Looks alot like the one Dave
gave me, but larger!!!

I'm loving this thread--what an encouragement and inspiration to us all!

Keep it up and come back and post more as you have the time!

I am clueless as to what JOTN stands for.

Posie, it stands for 'Jewel of the Nile'

Trying to find more space for more hosta, I thought about this back corner of our house. It was covered with river rock and very unsightly.
Summer 2006
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Hubby dug out the rock, brought in some dirt and by late summer 2006 I had 8 new hosta in.
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By mid summer 2007, I added a few more...
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June of 2008 things are filling in nicely and this little corner is now one of my favorite areas. I think there are 20 different hosta here along with a fern, bluebells and columbine.
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The only thing I'm worrying about is, it will probably look like Dave's hosta in another few years, lol.

Janet

Yep, Janet--you and I both will be moving hosta around before long! Better make another bed like that! LOL

BTW--I love the curve you made in that edging!! So much nicer than a straight run, I feel!! Good job!!!

Thank you for participating!!! Can;t wait for an update next year, and the following--and when you do move them around! :o)

Janice

Janet,
You are well on your way to a hosta jungle!!! One good thing - you won't have many weeds!
Dave

i-dig--it If you hadn't added those new smaller Hosta and other plants in with the originals it would have been one boring bed for years. As it is now, it is radiantly gorgeous. And what's moving another plant (or dozen) to a Hosta grower anyway???? Best exercise I know--lol. Mary
PS I am just loving the pictures and ideas I'm getting from them--great thread, Janice!

re: I am just loving the pictures and ideas!

Me too, Mary! Can't wait for more to weigh in!!

OK,here's my JOTN,from last year,it's first.
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And here it is this year. This shot was taken from farther away,but it is covering the whole whiskey barrel,now. Phil
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Here is High Noon in 2004. I really like this one, even though it does get a little crispy around the edges. Hmmm, wonder if 10 hours of sun a day has anything to do with that???
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And then in 2005, standing back a little further to get it all in.
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In 2006 he was starting to get with it
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In 2007 all of my hostas were apparently abducted by aliens. Only explaination I can give since I don't seem to have a single pic!

Here is the same view from 2008. The row of nails just above him is 40 inches off the ground.
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That really doesn't show how massive this thing is. This view through some of the neighboring foliage might give a little better idea. . .

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I don't expect him to be much larger next year since I have promised some to Janice ;-)

Dave

PS: There is a more than normal chartreuse showing in the 2008 pics. Those leaves were in the shade, but I ripped off about a dozen of the most crispy leaves just before I took the pics.

wow so many beauitful hostas!!
i just got Gold Standard n white feather last year
5-14-08 gold standard

Great thread Janice! Nice pics. A few recent shots:

Papou

Papou,
What is that gorgeous bush with the white flowers behind your hostas in the first picture from garden 5D? It is near Samurai and Sum and Substance.
Thanks

Papou--I want one of each right now--full grown of course. I am in the process of planting some of those very Hosta right now, and what a thrill to see them in all their beauty plus get an idea of what size they will get to. You have a world-class garden--I hope others get to visit it (if so I'm on my way :o). I went on your website and was awestruck. I am saving it now for rainy days and winter as there is so much great info on it! Thanks for all your contributions to our "group"--you are so appreciated. :0) Mary

Ok, what a fun thread! Thanks for starting this one Janice! I really only have progress pictures on one main area of hostas... this is the bed right by our front porch/front door area. I'm definitely at the point where it's become a HUGE jungle!! I'm sorta at a loss what to do... I'm out of room, but I don't want to divide since they are just now reaching maturity!

Buff

Ok, this is what the area looked like originally, in 2005 (I think?) Don't you just love what builders give you for landscaping??

And here is what it looked like once I got it all planted with hostas in late summer 2005... See poor Krossa Regal in the back left corner? His petioles flopped over when I planted him and I was trying to use tape to hold them up!

Same area, 15 May 06

Same area, 16 May 07 (Note how I expanded the bed!)

And here's a couple pics of what it looks like today 6 July 08

Ok, I do have a few pics of the other part of my front hosta bed...

Buff

Here is what it looked like before I planted hostas in 2005... I hate those yew bushes.

Then we took the bushes out...

Planted hostas, nicer bushes and presto! This was late in 2005

I'm sure I have pics from 2006 and 2007 someplace, but I can't find them right now!

Here is what it looks like today 6 July 08

Hockeychik,
The bush you refer to is a Japanese Willow 'Hakuro Nishiki'.
The bush being a willow is fast growing...the white you see are not flowers....they are the color of the new leaves as they emerge.

Papou

LOL, Buff--"you've come a lon--g way baby!" Is that 'Spring Fling' that is so huge with the cream ruffly margins, above your 'Blue Mouse Ears' in the third pic.? Surely--it's not 'Ginsu Knife'?

Your hosta are really awesome, Buff, and it doesn't appear that having to give your major attention to 'Maekenna' has hurt them at all! :o)

Thank you for reporting in with your progresses. What an encouragement!! Oh, what about around your patio and along the side of your house---much change in those areas yet?

Phil---you may know, that I am in LOVE, LOVE, LOVE with my 'Jewel of the Nile' and yours is every bit as beautiful as I think mine is this year, with it also being my second year of having it in my garden!

Dave--you're just trying to make my mouth water aren't you! LOL

Chrizty--it's great that you're really getting into the swing of things with us, and I love your gnome area! Thank you for sharing your
'progresses' with us!

Papou, as always everyone loves to see your 'progresses' in every way and your hosta are always such an inspirationn to us all--thank you for letting us in on how they're doing!!

I can't wait to see even more from your gardens, ya'll!!!

Buff,
Totally awesome. We are the jungle kings! I am like you, I don't want to move or divide any because they are just getting mature. I have absolutely not other suitable hosta habitat, even if I did want to spread them out. I keep looking for good spots in my neighbors yards, but haven't found a likely candidate yet.

And I love the way you expanded that front bed. Looks great! Thanks for sharing.
Dave

Wow, what a fantastic thread! I just can't pass up the opportunity to get my puny little pics in here....so here goes.

In the first pic, just started this bed on the Saturday before Mother's Day, 2008. It was just an oval at first, but after finding this forum it quickly grew to almost real bed.

In the rest of the pics, today, July 6th, it is ALMOST finished; I have some more beauties coming from AAHosta and I can't wait til they get here. Any ideas on where I'm gonna put 'em????

Tanya

Here is a link that might be useful: May 2008, July 6th 2008

Hey Dave---I KNOW how you and Buff feel about not wanting to divide when they are just starting to look so good and are maturing!
With that in mind--Dave---hold off on that 'High Noon' share---if it gets as large as it looks, I'm not sure I have a place for it anyway---honestly!
Let's see just how awesome it will get and when it has edged out all other of hosta in that entire bed you have it in--then we'll talk dividing out a piece for me!!!

I didn't realize that dividing can set them back until I did it on one I was anxiously awaiting it's full glory! So, I'm so understanding the reluctance to divide!

And when some of you really wonderful folks have offered to share with me, as in the past, I always like to make sure it won't spoil the look you have waited so long to achieve, by the sharing with me!

Now--I'm sure there will come a day, when I will be SO READY to divide out some of mine--and I have two daughters and a sister-in-law who already have raised hands for them--and hopefully, there may be enough to go around to all I'd love to share with! However--those who have already shared with me, have first dibs, when that day comes!! I do keep records! :o)

If I purchase a hosta--from a local nursery in a generous amount--that's when I like to divide them to share or hold out a division to pot up to possibly share! I'm so new at this hosta acquiring compared to so many of you 'seasoned' collectors!

There are so many generous hosta hearts out there--can't wait to be numbered amongst you!!! I know it must be fun to have so much to share from!

I'm going through some old photos to try and find some adequate progress to report-----will be posting them soon!

Hey Janice... yes, that's Spring Fling, nearly swallowing Blue Mouse Ears! If you look at the picture from 2005 when I first planted that bed, you will see Spring Fling, it looks like about 6 small leaves? Now it's just huge and gorgeous and I LOVE IT! And yes, I'm sure I have some pics of my side hosta bed, but since my 'puter crashed, now all those older pics are not right at my finger tips. I'm still working on re-loading programs and data... what a pain!

Oh, and if you look at the second set of pictures I posted of my hosta bed by the window, you'll see Ginsu Knife... situated just next to a dark purple Heuchera.

Hey Dave... sadly, like you, I am also totally out of room for more hostas... in fact, today I was outside moving a few smaller ones into small little nooks to make room for a few larger ones I had in pots that needed to be planted. I still have a couple more that I need to squeeze in somehow... I just need more shade! I'm bummed because we will probably only live at this house another 4-ish years, since we'll be building on our acreage about 20 miles from here. I would plant some trees here, but they'll never get big enough in time to give me more shade for hostas :-(

Buff

Great progress pics,everyone!! I am like Dave,also. I love the crowded look,because I hate to get down and weed! None of my hostas are mature enough for that look yet,so I am letting them grow on for a few more years. Others may say they like to see every hosta clearly,but not me! Just MHO! Phil

Aren't hostas just amazing? I'm loving all these progress pix. Very good thread Janice.
I just want to contribute a pic of my Brother Stefan in 05.

and what it has become in 08 and yes I know I need to give it more room, it's on the to do list :)

Hey Tanya---I think you were posting when I was 'constructing' my post and I missed catching yours!!

You have a great first-year record and I can't wait till we do this again, and we get to see your 'progress'
from your photos this year!!!

You will LOVE IT!!!! Hang in there with us, so we can enjoy your efforts even further!! Okay??

Janice

Thanks Papou for the id on the willow bush. Sure looks like flowers in the picture. Neat how some leaves are so showy.
Oh, love all of your plantings and your website. I just discovered it in the last week or two and was amazed. Incredible what you and many others on this site have done with your gardens. I'm presently struggling with my husband to give up some more grass for planting areas! As much as mowing, fertilizing and weeding are a pain, he just doesn't want to let me have any more room for flowers or plants. I'll just keep working on him. Sooner or later he may give in.
Loving this thread Everyone!

Ok. You all get the 2 for 1 special. I have combined some progress pictures with everyoneÂs favorite, name that Hosta game!!! The tag on this one said American Halo. I bought it in 06 from a nursery I believe received a bunch of the Shady Oaks stock when they went out of business. There were a lot of miss marked tags, and I have never been quite sure of this one.

This is in the fall of 06

this is in the fall of 07

and this is June of 08

From the pictures in the library it looked more like Earth Angle than American Halo, but i wasn't sure. Any thoughts would be great!

Mike

Mike--whatever it is, it's a 'keeper' for sure!!! I'm thinking it could be 'Earth Angel',
which is on my top-ten list of favorites in my garden!!!

Give it another year, and if it takes a leap and those leaves get substantially larger
and more rounded, then it very well could be E.A.--at least that's my 'guess'!!

Thanks for your pics.!!!

Mike,
That hosta is terribly diseased and can only be destroyed by someone with a special license from the EPA. Otherwise all hostas in your yard could be affected.

Luckily, for you, I possess the only license the EPA has issued so far. Send me that hosta and I will take care of it for you, so to speak. LOL

Don't know what it is, but it sure is purdy!

Dave

Nuh, uh, 'George', I have one of those licenses, too! Better to me, I will have a far 'gentler' way
with one that should be so treasured!!! :o)

Dave/George is a ruthless beast in the garden-----shiver!!

Definitely NOT American Halo,Mike. I would say Earth Angel also. Phil

Shade--thank you for posting your 'Brother Stefan'!! I have one small eye and I'm really,
really hoping it will be as gorgeous as yours!!!!! It's to die for!!!

Dug out some more "progress" pics. The angle is not exactly same, but the purple astible is the same reference point in all

The first is in 2004, 2nd year for this area.
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Here is the same area in 2006
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And now in 2008. This area gets full sun from early morning until early afternoon. Some do better than others. I took the hanging plants down to open the shot. The cattle panel was supposed to be trellis for sweat peas that were going to shade the hostas and scent the backyard before the lilies started blooming. I found out I don't know how to grow sweat peas!!! lol Maybe clematis for next year.

{{gwi:1052008}}

This shot almost matches the one from '06. Please note the mutant GE. I call it a mutant because it lived!! lol

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And if your screen looks like mine, 2006 and 2008 pics side by side.

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Okay, here's some more from my garden experience:

'Frgrant Bouquet' 2004

2008

'Captain Kirk' 2004:

2006

Divided some off 2008:

Dave---what more can I say----truly, truly awesome!!!!!