Ha ha ha ha ha ha .....

You can't ask this question on this forum. They will tell you to get them all.

Two that I wouldn't recommend to a new grower are Fair Maiden and First mate, and two that I would not recommend at all are Hoosier Harmony and Summer Music. Hoosier Harmony has done nothing for me in about 5 years now, and Summer Music can be problematic for many (though I've also seen very nice specimens in some gardens). First Mate is a very slow plant that will need consistent moisture to do well. Fair Maiden can be a beauty, but not everyone can grow it.

So I would remove those 4 right off the bat.

Chris

Olive Branch is a must, unique color.

Skip Summer Music

I don't think this photo captures the color well but it really is special.

Fair Maiden is very slow but very, very pretty. If I were to order one today knowing what I know now I would buy 2 or 3 and plant them together. One of my favorites.

EO- That is GORGEOUS. Have to get it this year yet. Is it Olive Branch?

Westy

my First mate is gorgeous and easy to grow- love that one, so pretty next to Restless sea.
Tiny dwarf mini hostas like L/S downsized sometimes are not showy enough in the ground and might need special placement to be seen.
If I were you I would know where are my limits- money wise and space wise. Hosta is addiction and eventually you probably would get all those named above hostas as they all nice. Can you buy them in larger size for less somewhere at local nursery?

I have several of these....

Emerald Ruff Cut - love this one SO much I bought another this year

First Mate - mine grew so well from last year that I also bought another

Hoosier Harmony (fragrant) - This one took many years, but is very pretty now

Jewel of the Nile - love this one when it stays JOTN but have had three plants revert to or have an eye of Dee's Golden Jewel

Lakeside Dragonfly - I like this one although this year it has brown edges while all hostas surrounding are fine

Olive Branch - I agree, slow grower but a must have for its unique coloring

Pineapple Upsidedown Cake - I like the looks but it tends to "pout" when I water it...what's with that?

Regal Splendor - LOVE! I have several because they grow so well I've divided many times. An absolute must have

Summer Music - a slow grower but mine looks great 4+ YRS old
Toy Soldier - very good growth rate

Char

If you cross those 4 off your list Chris suggested , you will have $$ left over to get 2 each of Regal Splendor & Emerald Ruff Cut. They look great & have an upright habit so nice in two pots on your step. Then again I have to second what lindalana said about First Mate...too cute & grows well for me here as well.

EO- That is GORGEOUS. Have to get it this year yet. Is it Olive Branch?"
Westy

Yes, Olive Branch what doesn't show in the photo is sort of a tiny sparkle in the leaves like Ventricosa.

Where have you been hiding?

Oh I would have to have,
Spring Fling
Regal Splendor
Aba Daba Do
Jewel of the Nile
Sagae
Emerald Ruff Cut
Olive Branch
and
and
and
and,oh, you are so hooked!
Carol

hehehe--I can't beleive you believe there would be much of anything taken off that list
by any of us--just as Lisa suggested!!! But----I think you've gotten some very good advice already!

Sorry--I have had my 'list' for some time and finally have almost all I've ever wanted--but,
then--there's always one more I haven't seen a good pic. of yet--that will no doubt go on 'the list'!!

Happy Hosta-ing--you've got a good list going!!!

Thanks so much - though if you're going to pull me back from the edge you're going to have to be consistent!

Chris - you made such a great attempt. It probably does make sense to not get those four, but then all of them are so pretty...

Here's the worst part - today I realized that NH Hostas is just a short trip for me. I'm going there Thursday to see everything and make sure I want them. Of course you all know how dangerous that is.

Help! Help! Help!

I don't have a lot of hosta, but St Paul is the best performer in my garden, hands down. I love it.

I love my Fair Maiden, very pretty, really like Jewel of the Nile when it isn't reverting. Lakeside Dragonfly is new for me this year, but considering the #**!#! deer ate it off earlier this summer, it's come back nicely and looking good now. I have it covered with a wire basket just in case my "friend" makes a return stop.

Does Jewel of the Nile tend to revert more than others?

Today was my visit to NHHostas. What a fun day, but, as you all could guess, I bought way more hostas than I had listed above. I was really like a kid in a candy store.

The people there were really nice and got me some hostas that weren't on the internet, and also brought out some ones that were larger than what they normally send out. They also have other plants like ferns, so of course I had to buy a few of those. Everything was 40% off except for Old Glory and Orange Marmalade - which I just had to have anyway. I bought lots more smalls than I had intended - they were just too cute, and I rationalized because they were on sale.

If you're interested, here are pics - sorry I had to take the pics in groups (bought too many and when I was taking the pictures the mosquitos were horrendous) so they don't show up too well. If anyone wants to see close ups, I could do that tomorrow.

I tried to tag them on Photobucket (my first try) but it doesn't seem to have worked. If you put the cursor on the picture you should be able to read the list of names.

In the first picture, the names go from right to left and, if they are in a line (lined up by final height) then front to back, but the second from the left is a mystery (or maybe it's just the flower):

These go from left to right and front to back:

These go from front to back and right to left:

These go from left to right and back to front:

These go from left to right:

These go from front to back and right to left:

Sorry - I'll never take pictures like these again! But its late so I need to post this and go to sleep.

So much for choosing, you got the whole kit and kaboodle. LOL Really nice haul.
Yep, go to sleep, you've got a lotta planting to do!

Have fun.

As I predicted...getting them all was the only real answer.

Regatta (predictor of things)

All and more - this Hostaholism is a terrible disease. Not only do you spend lots and lots of time researching and obsessing, but then you spend much too much money. And that's not even counting all the time and energy to plant the darn things, and the continuing TLC. Goodness.

So I spent most of the day planting three hostas. Granted they were three big ones that I put among the roots of a Beech (I know I know but that was the only place left for the big ones). I did the newspaper trick so hopefully they will grow strong before the big old tree roots get them. Actually, the worst thing might be the old Bittersweet roots that seem to be everywhere underground. I've been destroying all the plants I can find, and seriously disrupting the root systems by all the digging I'm doing. We'll see. I also made part of a little brick wall - you guessed it - for a home for more of the hostas. Amazingly, I seem to have a space for everything, though not always the best real estate.

I barely slept last night - I was so excited about my new plants. Went out this morning and what did I find -

One night and some critter already devored the leaves of the new Winsome. Poor plant - what an intro to my garden.

OH no! That's horrible. Next put up rabbit fence because they WILL be back. They think you are feeding them.

By the way, are DREAMING in hosta yet? I did for 10 days straight after finding this forum.

You got it regattagirl - there are rabbits here that aren't afraid of people. I see them in the morning, run out on the balcony in my jammies and yell at them - they don't blink an eye. You can walk right up to them and they just look at you - that is if they are not eating. Lately they seem to be eating our grass - or rather our weeds. Guess they decided the new smalls were just their size. Do I have to corral the small hostas in a fenced area? Can't believe that before I started gardening I wished for a garden that would attract wildlife...

That's funny about dreaming - last night I barely slept and had a nightmare about all my new little ones. See my next post. They really do take over your life. I can't believe it - I was thinking about ordering from Bridgewood Gardens before I hit NHHostas. Just now I brought the file back to my computer. I need serious help.

Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars.

I call "it" hosta-fever rather than hostaholic because hosta-fever sounds like you can't do anything about it and it's not your fault, while hostaholic sounds like a 12 step program exists - when it doesn't.

The only cure for hosta-fever is to induldge! But then make sure you notice how happy you are when you do so at least you are getting THAT out of it....which is THEE point afterall.

Hosta-fever - that's a good name. Though I think there should be a 12 step program...

They do make me happy. I can't wait til they're all in the ground and I can take their pictures. Next spring will be amazing when they're all coming up. This spring was amazing and I only had a few. Hope I get all their labels made this fall so I'll know what I planted.