Could they be pruned? or trimmed back?

I would just repeat what you wrote here...that it looks real nice, but maybe a little crowded, hostas do spread, and you think it might look less dense if they were thinned out a bit.

Here's a picture of our house. The tree is on the right side of the house.

Here's the bottom of the tree.

I think I can live with it, but it's not my preference. I like simple better. I'm also concerned the edges will get run over with the lawn mower or weed eater.

Do some research. Some Hostas get huge! If it's the case with what he planted you can tell him that he should thin it out a bit to get the best display from them. Check out the Hosta forum on Garden Web. Lots of pics there.

Yes, I agree with Monica. I don't think hostas would look good pruned. They look their best in their full beauty. I have three daughters that have so many varieties of hostas you can't believe. I don't have that many, just a few.

Sue

I just now saw your picture. Actually I think it may be OK. Hostas always look lousy just after transplanting. Give them a season to see what happens. It's very easy to split them and transplant next season. Live with it a bit. I think you'll like what he has done. They will most likely form a nice ring around that tree trunk.

I think it looks okay. Send him to my house for awhile - I could really use him! Neither DH nor I have a green thumb and my yard needs some TLC. You're a lucky girl!

Don't tell him. As they grow and fill in, you may like the way it looks. You can always cut them back or transplant later on. JMO.

I think it looks ok too and envy you being able to plant hostas. My question is, did he build up the soil around the base of the tree to higher than it was? Is that why the edge is there? If so, it could damage or kill the tree. But do some research on your own to verify what I have been told about adding a lot of soil around an established tree trunk.

I think the tree looks good with the hostas at the base.
Even if I didn't like I wouldn't say anything to my husband.

Lori

I think your DH did a great job, and would tell him so.
It's his house too, let him have some say, in the way it's decorated. It's not like he used a toilet as a planter.

Wrong person to answer this--I love hostas. Yours seem really healthy and they do fill out nicely. Enjoy them, and never, ever tell--or you'll be doing it all yourself. Ask me how I know this!!!

Your house is so pretty, aren't you glad you didn't have to move? (Hoping it was your DH who's in med school and got to stay at IU.)

I think it's beautiful. If they eventually outgrow the space he can move or divide some of them.

Can I borrow your DH for a few weeks? LOL

Oh, it's lovely.

I've been transplanting the hostas at the country house so they grow in groups like that. Can't wait for them to get that big and lovely. I like the mixed varieties.

Have to agree with those who suggest giving them a season to settle in. Then, if you really decide you don't care for the placement, next spring you can use the excuse that they've grown and need to be thinned. But they're going to look fantastic there.

Sheilajoyce is right. I hope, he didn't ammend the soil and raise the level more than an inch or two. Otherwise, he might have damaged the tree.

It could be fine for a while ( a few years ), but when and if it dies, that would be the reason.

Overall, I think it looks ok for right now. They need to recover from the transplant.

Look at it till next month. If you still feel that way, find a good spot where you would like a hosta or two, and ask him: Honey, could we put some of those hostas from out front here? I would LOVE to have some here too. :)

Moni

An update for you guys. During dinner, I talked to him about the hostas and how I thought it might be too cluttered and look funny with different types. He gave me the raised eyebrow look and said, he thought it looked fine, but that I could replant them however I liked :) I said I think we'll leave it to see how they all fill in. And I told him that everything else is great and how I really appreciate all the work he did.

Here's a picture of our front garden from another angle. He took out a dead bush which covered half this area and removed all the ivy. When we looked at our plants, we realized he had nowhere near enough. And because the boys would lose their digging area, he compromised and made them a digging area too.

Patti - yes, I am SO glad we don't have to move. I really love our house, even after living here eight years. When we were house hunting, this was the third house we saw. When we walked up, I said to DH, "I could really see myself living in a house like this." Six hours later, we were in a bidding war with three other people. I'm very glad that we are staying here.

Regarding the tree and the dirt level.

He didn't add any dirt to that area. It's hard to see in the picture, but it's a sloped area, and I think over the years, the dogs have worn that area outside the edging even more. The edging has been there as long as we've lived here; we've never touched it. That area used to be COVERED with english ivy, and it went up the tree and was starting to hang down. It looked very neglected. Last week, he took out all the ivy, and I'm afraid the tree may have suffered because the ivy took too much bark off with it. We've decided that if it dies, we'll be okay with it. I think that tree has overgrown the placement. We'll have it removed and replaced with a dogwood or redbud. It'd directly behind a large pin oak, so when it's not flowering, it just hids behind or blends in with the oak.

I think it looks great..I'd thank him and pat him on the back....they will also settle in and look better when they have been there a few weeks.

Indy

he has done a fine job,and yes,they will fill in and look a little better with time

BUT..he has planted a couple of Gigantic Hosta..they are the 2 bigger of the 5 I can see...humongous leaves..they are going to get REALLY big...the regular ones,one which is varegated(green/white) and the other green ones will fill out to bigger than a bushel basket in time..but those giants will be really too too big

If you have a space where the giants can be transplanted,a north or east facing area,have those 2 removed and give them plenty of space to grow..in a couple of years,you'll see why.

Just let it be. It was a lot of work. Be glad he's keeping himself busy.

These things have a way of settling themselves. Maybe they'll look better when they perk up and fill in. Or maybe he'll change his mind and move some of them.

Your home is beautiful.

Indy..this is from the Hosta site--maybe you should check it out

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hosta/msg0423425125008.html?11

QUOTE:just bought the largest hosta i could find today called great expectations. it is going into a huge wooden well planter, and i needed a huge plant to offset the huge size of the well. the tag says up to 30 inches tall and 48 inches wide. is this true?

and the answer to that....

Yes, GE will get that large. I have three mature plants, and they range in height from 31 to 33 inches tall, with a diameter of 36 to 60 inches. The 36 inch diameter plant is quite crowded by other large varietes, or it would spread out more.

I've love to have those beautiful hostas in my yard. Well, actually I used to have some but only a couple came back this year. They are right next to the house but it doesn't stop the @$##%% deer from eating them. GRRRRRR!

Linda

Indy, you have a gorgeous home and yard and I am envious! Your landscaping is wonderful, hostas and all. It's going to be wonderful and everything is fixable if it should turn out later to be less than perfect. Enjoy your yard!

I thinks it look OK. Right now they are going through transplant shock so they don't look perky.

The arrangement does look a bit 'tight' though. I would leave them for now. Hosta are slow growers and they won't need to be moved for a while. The big blue one will get 5' wide and 2' tall. The others, at least 3' wide so do plan a spot to move them to down the road.

Your DH did a lot of work and I would just live with it at least until next year. What he did does not look bad at all. I do see your point on how you feel with the mix of Hosta looking cluttered. The rest of the property has mass plantings and also a rather symmetrical arrangement to them. You may be happier with a mass planting of one or two Hosta variety under the tree. It is just a personal preference to a style - some people prefer and 'orderly' look and some prefer a more naturalistic look. When the blue Hosta get too big for the spot just move them to another spot and leave just one or two variety under the tree.

The only thing I would do now at this time is to bring the edging out a bit. Pull the edging up and move it out and add more dirt. That way the hosta won't hang over the edge and it will give the arrangement some 'breathing room'. You won't have to worry about shredding the leaves with the mower then. Moving the edging out a bit will help balance the tree against the plantings. Plantings under trees should take up two thirds of the space under the drip line or it looks unbalanced. Have you ever seen how some people plant a little bitty ring of Pansies under a huge Maple and it looks "off"?

When you said the tree was "right in front of the house" I had imagined it was smack dab in the middle of your lawn, in front of the door. This tree is set way back and the plantings link the tree with the shrubs. It's going to look great once things settle in.

I am also wondering that since your DH got the Hosta from his parents house, that he may have a sentimental feeling about them. Are these very old Hosta that he grew up with? I would not say anything to him about them at this time. He said you can move them and he will probably agree with you when they get too big for this spot. He will probably do it on his own.

*About that Ivy............Ivy is VERY invasive and difficult to eradicate. It is banned from sale in some states. Make sure you keep after it since it comes back fast. You may have to resort to both manual and chemical means to get rid of it. It can be very persistent.

How nice of him to get the shovel and do physical work for you! You're probably just not used to the new look. Nice house and yard, by the way. Nice husband, too. Please shine his armor this weekend!

I hope the tree survives, the branches are very graceful and it's a beautiful tree - it will be a huge bare spot if it dies.

I think you got terrific advice - just would like to add that I love your dog, a beauty! :)