Proof That All Hostas Are NOT Created Equal
hostanista
8 years ago
As if we needed proof - ha! - but for those of you who might be misunderstood by other "gardeners" who poo-poo hostas because "they're all alike, blah, blah" just show them this. I was really struck this year by the sheer variety of colours and leaf shapes. I put together photos of my hostas into small collages of 4 and when you let your eyes work clockwise around each photo over and over, the differences really pop! Makes me giddy with excitement.
They are common hostas, you'll likely know their names without labels.
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garyz6ohio
8 years ago
don_in_colorado
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Winter-proof, shade-proof, evergreen shrubs
Comments (2)The issue with broad-leaf evergreens in containers during winter is potential wind burn depending on how they are sited and winter burn in late winter when the roots are frozen and the leaves have drooped about as much as they can but may still get fried by the sun not normally there in summer due to decidous trees. If the shade is not all from trees and isn't very extensive in winter either, then you could give it a shot. You may want to try some burlap around them if they are in a windy spot and maybe even try some Wilt Pruf. You also want the shrubs to get a little water through winter when the soil isn't frozen and the air temps are above freezing (in the 40s or higher). You could try the hydrangeas too, although the possibility exists that macrophylla types like 'Nikko Blue', etc., could get some major above pot die-back (which can happen for those in the ground as well). Your location probably has a warmer microclimate thanks to the houses so that helps. The paniculatas like 'Grandifora', 'Limelight', etc., or the arborscens like 'Annabelle', would do just fine without any protection as these are very hardy and bloom on new growth. Regarding planting something with those - consider that those shrubs are surface rooters so you want to consider not planted up close to the trunks but plant on the outer edges of the container. What you plant will partly depend on the bloom colors if in bloom when the rhodies are blooming (the pieris are generally much earlier bloomers). The annual lobelia is a ground-cover type plant and could work. If the vinca you mention is the vine type, they naturally grow under shrubs like that. You could also stick some pachysandra in there as that will naturally grow near those shrubs. There are other shade-tolerants like torenia, bacopa, astilbes, heuchera, and even hardy geraniums....See MoreBirthday Wishes of Last Year - Proof of this GREAT group
Comments (8)Oh no, Westy! You sound like me!!! Believe me, I've done a number on my body with such determination, too! Thankfully, I am really very 'recovered' from my shoulder injury, and also, thankfully, I avoided surgery--largely because of insurance issues but it turned out that in my case, waiting the year rider, exclusion of anything medical to do with the treatment of my shoulder, really did pay off, because I do not feel I need it now! Hang in there---and avoid those tree roots, whatever you do--like you have to ever be told to do that, again!! LOL...See More#3 The Poll To End All Polls (until the next one) - YELLOW
Comments (22)Mini: Coconut Custard, Flemish Gold Small: Designer Genes, Nancy Medium: King Tut, Pharoah's Gold (one of Don Rawson's - if not legit in poll, substitute Aspen Gold) Large: Dancing Queen, Fried Bananas In doing this I'm thinking it might be interesting to hear why we left some out. For instance, I'm generally fond of Fire Island and have three in my garden where I have very few duplicates. But this year they're all slug eaten, so I can't bring myself to vote for it. Also realizing that I generally have a lot more competition in the medium and large categories (for yellows, greens and blues) than the others. I won't vote for something I don't like in the other categories, but I may not like it as much as something in the more competitive categories....See MoreThe Poll To End All Polls (until the next one) - GREEN
Comments (38)thanks for the votes, Irawon! I am going to have to move them around a little... Popo will certainly get mention in the final list... hard to put it in a color category... definitely blue green early in the season, so I believe we'll put it in blue... but it does usually green up pretty early. I have the same problem with Cutting Edge... Teaspoon, because it is so cute when its small, has gotten a reputation as a mini - but if you just plant it and grow it for a few years like any other hosta clump, it will actually become a medium sized clump of small leaves... Zilis puts it in small... I put it in medium... we'll have to work that out later, but it clearly is a favorite for lots of folks... Candy Dish will be in the Medium category, Lakeside Looking Glass is too. Lakeside Black Satin - it's right on the margin of being large, but I believe it is typically medium in most garden situations... so we'll keep that one there......See More
bchosta 8b west coast canada
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agohostanista
8 years ago
Pieter zone 7/8 B.C.
8 years agoPieter zone 7/8 B.C.
8 years agohostanista
8 years ago
DelawareDonna Zone 7A
8 years ago
newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
8 years agoUser
8 years ago
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
8 years ago
sandyslopes z5 n. UT
8 years ago
zkathy z7a NC
8 years agohostanista
8 years ago
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
8 years agoBabka NorCal 9b
8 years agohuckdog1
8 years ago
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bchosta 8b west coast canada