The Rainforest Sunrise hosta that I got as a tissue culture back in July has been growing like a weed. Think I'm going to like this one a lot.

RS's parent Maui Buttercups and it's sib Tropical Storm as well. Any of the Tiara's, especially Golden Tiara and Grand Tiara for vigorous small plants. For Blue try Blue Cadet (get it from a reliable source as there is a lot of disease in this one), Baby Bunting, Fragrant Blue or Blue Jay. Pandora's Box is great, but at 8x16 you might consider that too small. Lakeside Ninita is cute as well.

LS Ninita

Steve

My favorites are all in the Halcyon-June group such as High Society, Paradise Joyce, and Touch of Class. None is fast growing, but they all look beautiful, even as young plants.

Though I haven't had it long, since last year, 'Moonstruck' has impressed me this year. It has been a good grower and I just LOVE the red at the base of the petioles.

And I echo the endorsement of the Halcyon family, been taken this year with 'First Frost' and 'Blue Ivory' in particular. Of course you cannot go wrong with 'June', there's a reason it is consistently in the top 5, if not at the top, of most anyone's list of favourite hostas.

Pieter

Abby - like a small Abiqua Moonbeam

Paul

How big of an area do you need to cover? Are you going to buy local or through mail order?

I'm in Michigan (just SW of Grand Rapids). I know there's a hosta nursery up north that I want to visit, but I can't remember the name of it.

Gesila

First Frost is another of the tissue cultures that I bought this summer. The best growers of the TC's have been Stained Glass, Rainforest Sunrise and First Frost. Also have Sleeping Beauty and June in TC's and they've just kinda' sat there all summer & not done much, if anything. FF has surprised me by being as vigorous as it has been, being a sport of Halcyon. (Touch of Class is at or near the top of my Lust List.)

Here's a link to photos of Hadspen samphire which looks like a great little hosta--not variegated though.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hadspen samphire

Another vote for Rainforest Sunrise. Here's mine,just the first year to come up in the garden,after being planted just last year. Probably doubled in size since last year. Phil

{{gwi:994499}}

I would call Rainforest Sunrise a medium, not a small. A great looking, vigorous, VERY satisfactory plant indeed. It will give you almost instant results. Hadspen Samphire is glorious in Spring, but then turns to plain green.

-Babka

I was inspired to answer this thread because just this morning I was thinking about how Carolina Sunshine is one of my top small/med. sized varigated plants. It grows like a weed and stays nice until the bitter end. I'm surprised not more people grow it.

Here are some of my suggestions.
Carolina Sunshine September 5

For contest of size. This garden gets four or more hours of midday sun. I am in zone 4/5 with usual hot summer temps of 85-95.

Just to the right of where Carolina Sunshine is begins the walkway to the front door. I want this area to stay nice until the end of the season. I've moved plants in an out for that reason. I did have Grand Tiara where Ice Cream now is but found it looked ratty by Sept. Warwick Comet and Ice Cream are small sized and great, sturdy plants.

This spot receives morning and late afternoon sun. Rainbows End took a couple years to get going but now it's wonderful

These plants are on the West side of the house. They are very heat and sun resistant. I admit I am able to water as much as needed here but they are on a retaining wall that gets sun from just after noon to when the sun goes down at 9 or so in high summer.

Stetson is in this same garden. Now that it's filled in I'm really taken with it's unique look.

If Rainforest Sunrise is not too big, it certainly would be a great addition.

Hi Paul,
Good growing, slug resistance, nice stout scapes w/ loads of pretty flowers(humingbirds), season long, virtually maintenance free, soil(Michigan sandy loam)tolerant; easily adjusts to various soils and variegated blue:
First Frost
Autumn Frost
They will work and perform perfect in your situation.
Good Luck,
Rick

I'm really liking H. "Toy Soldier". It's growing well and fairly sun and slug resistant and looks great all season.
It's a sport of Blue Cadet.

I'm glad you told me about Hadspen Samphire turning green, Babka. I got sucked into buying Paul's Glory last year, in the springtime when it was pretty & blue. I really dislike its summer coloration so it's on the cull list. Hate it when that happens.

Paul's Glory = blue?

Radiant Edger nice small with a has a good shape and a new one in our garden this year which is a sport of Radiant Edger is Dinky Donna.
Check out Dinky Donna in the Hosta Library...it's a cutie!
Both are smaller hostas.

I'm in Texas, so my experience might not be applicable. Radiant Edger has been the worst hosta I've ever had. It was a bonus plant, so I shouldn't complain, but I will. The squirrels like it and the slugs like it. It comes up nicely, but goes downhill from there. Then, the fungus like it. I've never put a hosta in the compost pile, but that one will probably be my first.

bkay

Thanks for the recommendations, folks! It gives me something to float by the parental units and keep an eye out for.

Gesila, my folks are in TC. I suspect the nursery you're thinking of is in Interlochen. (I can't remember the name either.) It is AWESOME! But as I live down by Detroit, I rarely get there.

The bed in Q is approx. 30ft x 2ft. There are plants (glads, astilbe, mums, etc) along the back of the bed & a trellis at one end which is why I'm looking at plants that are taller than mini's but top out at about 12inches. I would be planning on leaving some smallish spaces here and there along the front of the bed for colorful annuals such as wax begonias (which REALLY seem to like the raised bed).

My preferance would be to not go the mail order route. I'm an apt dweller in the Detroit area so I don't get to my folks' place that often. I wouldn't want plants to arrive at my place and be growing them indoors for who knows how long, nor want them to be sitting in pots in TC for however long.

Actually do have a couple Rainforest Sunrises planted up there. (One of my favorites truth be told.) I do think I prefer its appearance when grown with a bit of shade. The one that gets quite a bit more sun is a little too washed out I think.

Hmm, I should probably ask my sis how tall and wide "Fire and Ice" and "Whirlwind" have gotten at her place -- though she lives in Adrian which is even further south than me so her conditions would be different. Her beds also get more shade as I recall........

Paul, I think the name of the nursery is Cedar Hedge Gardens in Interlochen. They have about 700 varieties of hostas to chose from, I think their display gardens have over 1000 varieties. It's on my list of places to visit next summer.

I have Fire and Ice. It's been a slow grower for me. It hasn't bloomed in two seasons, I think mine is growing in too much shade.

Whirlwind and it's family grows well for me, but I think it will be taller than you want.

Here's my list of hostas that get late afternoon and evening sun that have grown well for me.

June, Toy Soldier, Touch of Class, and Abby all grow at good rates in my gardens. They all have doubled in width, but have not gotten much taller. High Society is another one that might give you the color you like, but has stayed short for me.

Gesila

Here's a few small hosta that are good growers in the sun:

One of my Favorites - Wolverine:

Grand Prize:

Sweet Home Chicago: