Unless there are specific questions or something needs further explaining, I think most of what you need to know about the practical side of what drives cold-hardiness is in my longer post upthread. Mike - it doesn't matter if roots freeze/thaw a hundred times over the winter, It's not the freeze/thaw cycle that kills roots, it's that single trip to temperatures below those the plant is genetically programmed to tolerate that kills the plant (or tissues). IOW, it's killing lows, not freeze/thaws. As long as water inside of cells does not freeze, the rest of the water in the plant (water between cells and in the soil) can freeze solid with no ill effects. During the winter I used to cut all the firewood to heat my home. I usually picked the coldest days, so the wood would be frozen so solid it split with remarkable ease. It would be full of ice you could see, and the ice crystals would just glisten in the cold sun, but all the trees left standing just picked up in spring where they left off in fall ...... Roots aren't as cold-tolerant as shoots, but you get the picture. Freeze thaw cycles CAN heave newly transplanted plants out of the ground before roots are well-established where they can be damaged or killed by the effects of dessication, but that is much more common in in-ground plantings. Al

Hi leafwatcher, and welcome to the forum. Warning: it's as addictive as the hostas! I live about 100 miles due east of you with similar conditions, and Great Expectations is my favorite of the 800 or so varieties I grow. This is a hosta that, unlike most, has some very specific requirements to grow well. And if grown well, it will be truly spectacular--my largest measures 32 inches tall, 5 1/2 feet across, and looks good all season. First and most importantly, GE must be planted shallowly. Too many people plant this one too deep, since it's going to be a large plant at maturity. When planted this way, GE will, over the course of a few years, dwindle in size and then simply disappear. You want the crown of the plant right at the top of the soil, with only a very thin layer of dirt covering it. Secondly, GE need plenty of sun in order to thrive. If planted in heavy shade, it will grow at a glacially slow pace, taking years to throw a new division. It needs at least half sun to do really well, and it will take absolutely full sun. Most of mine are planted in half to three quarter sun. The third requirement is lots of water, which this year just isn't a problem! But in a dry summer, make sure you water GE quite deeply and regularly. If give these three things, GE will be the most beautiful hosta in your garden. The same growing conditions apply to Thunderbolt, Dream Weaver, and Dream Queen, as these are all selections from GE. Your hosta list looks very nice indeed, not a bum plant in the lot. You do, however, need to add a Montana Aureomarginata to your garden as soon as possible, unless the one you have listed as Aureo Marginata is a montana rather than a fortunei or a ventricosa. If you can't find MA at a good price locally, email me privately--I have about 20 of these that I'm growing out. And then of course, you will want to get a few minis and small hostas--everything you currently have is medium to large. And then you will want to start digging up your lawn to plant more hostas, and raiding the kid's college fund to buy more hostas, and, well, you get the idea--these plants are majorly addictive. Enjoy!

Marie -- I forgot that we're not supposed to call you Idabean. Sorry.... I can't access your email address from your member page, so I'll post the recipe here, tho I fear it is OT? Easy Plum Torte by Autumn Hills Orchard in Groton MA 1/2 c uns butter 3/4 c sugar 1 c unbleached flour, sftd 1 tsp baking powder pinch salt 2 eggs 10-12 pitted purple plums, halved sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon for topping Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar in bowl. Add flour, bkg pwdr, salt and eggs and beat well. Spoon batter into 8 or 9" spring form pan. Place plum halves, skin side up, on top of batter in circular pattern. Sprinkle with lemon jce, cinn, sugar to taste. Bake approx 50 min, til center springs back and edges are lightly browned. EAT and enjoy!

Not too many of the retail greenhouses are open right now. Though Annie's in Amherst on Rt 116 has a good supply of gift type stuff. Hadley Garden Center is open and has the usual retail stuff and the outside nursery is pretty dormant. Check the greenhouses at the colleges. UMass Durfee Conservatory, Smith College, and Mt. Holyoke - all have something in bloom! Holiday plant materials on sale to benefit the greenhouse care, etc. Have a nice trip! Maryanne in WMass