Got mine yesterday. I was reading the article on hostas in an Islamic garden and admiring the pictures. When I turned to the full 2 page picture, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that I was in that garden & sitting in that chair in the little summer house just a few short weeks ago on Friday July 13th! I was there with the English Garden Tour arranged by Mike & Kathy Shadrack along with 37 other hosta/garden enthusiasts. June Colley & John Baker opened their home & garden to us. June prepared a delightful meal for all of us including spring rolls to die for. This garden also including the "hanging hosta garden" that was featured in the last Hosta Journal. As beautiful as the pictures are, they cannot capture the total ambience, warmth and welcome we all experienced from both our wonderful hosts, their home and garden.

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........

Maybe I missed it but I didn't see another one posted! AZTEC TREASURE is one of my favorites. The one next to it was determined by you guys back in June 2014 to be whirlwind. Thanks to everyone for the pics. On zero degree days I'm getting my hosta fix here - love it.

In hopes of a perfect reception plus less stress leading up,I'm going to rain on your parade now and get it behind you. Hire a landscaper to make sure the yard is beautiful come Oct 5th. You only get one chance and there's not ample time for you to learn "from scratch" in the short time allowed. As evidenced by your mis-use of Round-up,you simply have too much to learn about developing then maintaining a yard. Do what you do best to earn money for the landscaper. If you insist on being on the front line,inlist the services of a local Master Gardener who will hold your hand and teach at the same time. Best of luck and congrats to the newly weds to be.