Be sure to click on the little magnifying glass that appears below some of the pictures - more detailed pictures and text will appear.

"My taste" says the collector garden with a large number of varieties planted without attention to form or shape is not attractive.

One simple method is to plant 3 of a single variety in some triangle shape is almost always attractive to me.

Here is a classic Japanese design, sub hosta or hosta and other plants for these rocks. I started a flame another time when I suggested stealing a Japanese design then redo with hosta, offering it is hard to go wrong with a 1000 yr old design. Notice the same basic design repeated with rock and plants, this will be attractive as many times as one repeats it. I don't have a photo with hosta but I've used the same Temple with Sentries and the Kneeling Stone.

I take no credit it is lifted directly from a photo of an ancient design.

Thanks for posting the link. I thought the photos were lovely. I too mix sun perrenials in with my hostas for color, texture and height. Of course not everyone can do that but here in zone 4 hostas can be grown in full sun. I loved the photo of the Jack of Diamonds. I acquired a rather large chunk from jghartmann last year and I can't wait till it looks like the one in the photo.

Again - thanks for posting the article. Do you enjoy the magazine? Tell me a little more about it. I'm not familiar with it.

Teresa

Teresa - I don't subscribe to Fine Gardening, but I purchase it from time to time. Another article by Bonnie Blanchette really got me interested in hostas. It appeared in FG about 2 years ago titled "Designing with Hostas" and had some exceptional photography that introduced blue hostas to me as well as large and mini hostas.

Ester - You use the grouping of three very well. There was a landscaping show on PBS I used to watch and the guy used grouping of three a lot.

Thanks for posting the link. Great photos!

I noticed that they also use Hakonechloa macra ÂAureola in their Hosta Beds. I added it to my beds a few years ago after seeing it on a Seattle Garden Tour. I think looks great with Hostas.

Thanks for the link Jbranch, great ideas for my winter planning of new gardens days. Thanks for the pix & ideas Ester O..now that you mention it I see why I am so hung up on planting in threes, I always thought is was because 3 is my favorite number & I have 3 sons.... The 3 years spent in Japan as a child I spent much of my time in beautiful gardens, & also took some flower arranging classes, amazing to realize how childhood influences can run so deep. I have carried the style in my subconsciouses into my adult life ! A salute to the highly dedicated masters who were my teachers for sure. Dot

"Ester - You use the grouping of three very well. There was a landscaping show on PBS I used to watch and the guy used grouping of three a lot."

Jbranch, the three planting must be a triangle unless it is a straight line and can be repeated with 5 that can be more triangles or triangles overlapping other triangles. I have to steal these types of design principles because left to my own devices it will be ugly. IÂll show the 4 June IÂve posted before which is 2 triangles or triangles from any angle. One of the 4 became a really beautiful blue or a triangle with one at the bottom of the triangle.

"I loved the photo of the Jack of Diamonds. I acquired a rather large chunk from jghartmann last year and I can't wait till it looks like the one in the photo."

Thresa, this is a Jack of Diamonds that is about 12 years old so donÂt get in a hurry but the wait is well worth it.

Here is an example of the straight-line effect in my bog, if I had it to do over it would have a dogleg 1/3 of the way down. I didnÂt think of the finished product when considering the project. Looking at it now I can see one plant to the right that would create the effect I like, if the spirit moves me IÂll do that next year.

The second photo is the bog to the left of the stream, IÂm not tearing it out but donÂt you think a fat place in the middle creating a triangle looking north or south would improve the overall effect.

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Lovely views EO , if I had that garden I would plant me in a garden chair right on that grassy knoll !

haveum, I can't take credit for the land that makes me feel responsible for not detracting when I plant.

The rock outcrop path to the left of the photo was created to look natural, I think that is my best effort.

The stream on the other hand is a terrible design, I would recommend a deeper channel with rocks capping the edges if that make sense.

EO wrote:
"this is a Jack of Diamonds that is about 12 years old so donÂt get in a hurry but the wait is well worth it."

My Jack is already bigger than the one in your photo. Grown in full sun. I guess there is one plus to living up north.

"My Jack is already bigger than the one in your photo."

This is full shade all the time.

Yes - I assumed yours was in more shade. Ask Andrea about the clump of Grand Tiara I sent her last summer. Two and a half years, grown in the sun - it was HUGE!

Haven't talked to Andrea for a while and haven't see her here?

If you've paid attention to my post on water and the soil I say grow in as much sun as you can and water a lot.

In the old field growing days they grew in the full sun, would get ugly but produce a lot of roots.