I can raise the beds no more than 60 cm (2ft) on any side to be able to keep the beds a uniform height. This is because the window sill begins at 60cm from the ground along the house. I was coming to the same conclusion that you had just mentioned about the 3 ft not being large enough to accommodate a plant the size I would like so I have reworked the design a bit and got rid of the back portion that was 3ft wide and opted to plant in large planted atop an end table that is 4ft long by nearly 3ft wide which will allow me to create the height I want flanking the sofa. On 2 other end tables I will have smaller variety variegated hosta in planters. I've enclosed a screen shot of the new design idea

Alina, Welcome to the world of the Hostaholic! Marvin Lemke's website is the best that I have found for info on hostas. It gives you all kinds of info on most hostas, including the size. It is also a VERY helpful tool in IDing our NOIDS because it usually lists the number of "vein-pairs" that a certain hosta has. That can be a deciding factor in the ID process. Go to the website and click on "PDF Files" then just choose from the list. Using both the database and http://www.hostalibrary.org will help with much of your hostaholic needs. Right now you're probably saying that you are not hooked on hostas, that you can quit at any time. Actually, if you are here...on this forum...asking questions, then YOU ARE HOOKED. Sure you only have ten hostas now but you will double...then triple the number...and always make excuses for the new ones. Everyone here are enablers so you won't get any sympathy from us! LOL Good luck with your project. Take pics at least once a year so you have a visual record of your gardens. Also, you can post some here for our enjoyment...everyone loves pictures! One last thing, remember to make PERMANENT markers for your specimens AND also make a map that shows who is planted where. It's one thing to try to ID ten hostas but when you have several hundred in your collection... Keep a list of your hostas with you at ALL times because you never know when you can't drive by that nursery that sells hostas...without stopping!!!! It's the normal progression of the illness!! Happy Planting, Ed Here is a link that might be useful: Lemke Database Files

Wow. I was thinking that poor Paula is probably happy that the Hosta Alphabet is almost completed because it was a lot of work. But now you want to add more categories! Way to go. I'm happy about that! One of my favorite jokes in your Hosta Alphabet is the one where if you want to see your family, just turn off the router! How true! In my area we can have a lot of power outages. My family comes out of the woodwork then and they haven't got a clue as to what to do with themselves! LOL Suggestion for categories: flowers--buds and open.

Love the centerpiece -- and that your network came through to get it all pulled together! I know this was a crazy hectic week for you so it makes it all the more wonderful that it all came together well! I had a similar but different experience with my party yesterday. There was much less pressure since it was primarily family but the way friends and family pulled together to make my dad's day special was incredibly warming. I ran errands in the morning and at every stop, someone knew my dad and sent along well wishes for his birthday. That alone made me feel so good! As the result of busy schedules and some unexpected circumstances, a lot of the prep wasn't completed ahead of time. I just steeled myself and said I'd do as much as I could on my own to make sure that there were cold and hot appetizers and we'd go from there. As it turned out, people started showing up to help. My brother and his girlfriend, one of my sisters, two nephews. I was able to direct everyone to do what needed to be done-- all in my other sister's house. Strange kitchen, unknown recipes, wildly varied levels of cooking experience and still we were able to complete an amazing spread of food and kick off a wonderful party. In the end we had too much food.. but everything was wonderful. My dad and all our friends and family had a wonderful evening!