I am working up a plan for spring. I had an arborist cut down a large maple and another tree and ground out those stumps, though he might have not ground out deep enough for me planting there. So I will dig there and build up those places to plant large hostas. For places with agressive tree roots I have spinout bags. I have one more maple to go, but then, I need its shade in a distance... I have to continue fighting off any voles. I have seen holes into which I donate poison pellets. I also emptied bags of gravel into narrow trenches to tell them to go elsewhere. Then I have four hostas which are diminishing in size, have to find out why. I just bought 8 wire mesh waste baskets at Dollar Tree for $1 each, and will replant those hostas in those baskets in the soil to keep out any voles. And then, there might be 1 or 2 plants with HVX because I was not always careful in the past. So I promise I will be very careful in using tools, always cleaning with bleach solution in between hostas. Otherwise I might have another beautiful mature hosta one year, and HVX on it and into the garbage next year. Bernd This post was edited by berndnyz5 on Thu, Jan 2, 14 at 19:18

Congratulations, MrGary.....you've done an outstanding job. I am saving your post to my clippings so I can go back to it easily for reference. I think the one you cannot remember might be Alex Summers. It sure looks like mine. I won't picture it here, but mine is about the same age as yours....I'm just a sophomore with hosta myself, so our plants are "of an age." I'm pleased to see you are growing Banyai's Dancing Girl. It looks almost like Blue Cadet, and it is a very inexpensive choice to mass plant. Van Wade suggests it as an edger if you ever need such a feature. I edge with liriope here in zone 9a. But I am making a collection of the smaller blue hosta such as BC and BDGirl since I don't like being redundant and I like variety. Things such as Drummer Boy, Dear Hearts, Happy Hearts, Cheatin Heart (golden), Golden Tiara, Grand Tiara, Twist of Lime, Lemon Lime, Feather Boa....well, I fibbed, I just like the smaller mounding hosta blue or gold or green! Thanks for treating us to a beautiful garden.

They announce the Benedict Medal at the AHS convention... so the 2013 Convention just announced 2013 - First Frost... based on voting from the summer of 2012. Voting for 2014 is going on now. I think the goal of the award is being met. Though there are lots of good candidates, for the final vote you can only select one. The winner each year truly is a fine hosta. The winners so far...(in reverse order) First Frost Niagara Falls Blue Mouse Ears Sagae June One Man's Treasure Whirlwind Gold Standard Every one a proven winner - and able to perform well across the regions! If you'd like to be a judge - meaning you get to vote on the Benedict Garden Perfomance Medal, please sign up. The selection process would be improved by a wider range of judges, especially from some under-represented regions. The ballot this year is a tough one... tell you what... I'll start a separate thread and let people lobby my vote by giving me their ONE vote!

Good morning everyone! Aaahhhh Louie! Where can I begin? Since his arrival he has knocked over just about everything. Eaten 1 of our snakes (now, I can't confirm he killed it, but I did see him munching on it yesterday...can I say eeeewwwwww) And, he has single handedly mowed down almost all the flowers of my floating hearts. I did see him taking down my water celery last night. I want to be upset with him, but, I just can't. He's so little. Maybe a foot long. I told the kids he's like having another toddler running around. You just have to fix everything after he's finished with it. Bunzy (our paint turtle) and her two new paint turtle friends who showed up a few weeks ago, Bubba and Penelope (the kids named them, lol) all seem to be getting along just fine with each other. They were the only one's I was worried about. I'm going to try to get some pictures of him tonight. Last night I was feeding the fish and watching the turtles come up and eat the food. I was to zoned in on watching them that I started to get that weird feeling like I was being watched. I turn my head and there is LOUIE about 2 feet away from my feet munching away in the water. He is NOT afraid of people, lol! Sheri, LOL,I have no clue where he came from? We are close to the Seneca River. I say close, maybe a mile away, and our neighbors have ponds in their pastures. I don't know?? I can't imagine something so little traveling so far? Shirley, our "flying dinosaurs" have been making their nightly appearance as well. The herons aren't afraid of us either! The kids run at them yelling, they just walk to the other side of the pond. I put a couple of shepherds hooks down there with garden flags thinking moving things blowing around might scare them...nope. Hubby got me 2 beautiful heron statues last year for Christmas to scare them away. They stand right next to them, lol. The iris' did have a great spring! I did have some problems with rot afterward. I don't know if it was the crazy cold we had or what? I have a few die off completely. :( The ones that survived are multiplying like crazy. Your daylilies are so gorgeous! How large is Big Bird? I am picturing a very large flower head :) Col :) Yeah! It made it!! So happy!! I hope the Hawaiian Surf made it okay too? Since today is Friday, I've decided to call 2 BINGO WORDS :) THE BINGO WORDS FOR FRIDAY ARE: ALIEN'S STARDUST and OGON WOGON OH MY BINGO WORDS CALLED: 1. FLAMINGO TWISTER 2. DO THE MATH 3. TURTLE TIE DYE 4. TINTINNABULATION 5. ALIEN'S STARDUST 6. OGON WOGON OH MY'ERS: Shirley (brittneysgran) AND Alana (poisondartfrog) SWAP WITH EACH OTHER frankielynn AND Sue (sueguanzon) SWAP WITH EACH OTHER~~~frannkielynn SENT~~~ Kathie (sinbadsmom) AND Jayeanne (pinkiris) SWAP WITH EACH OTHER~~~ Jayeanne (pinkiris) SENT~~~Kathie (sinbadsmom) REC'D~~~ Sheri (panhandle_seed_swap) AND Cinnie0 SWAP WITH EACH OTHER~~~Sheri 1/2 SENT :)~~~~Cinnie0 REC'D~~~ Suzanne(hibiscusfan) SENDS TO Colcol Colcol SENDS TO Vina (flowergirl34) Vina(flowergirl34) SENDS TO Suzanne (hibiscusfan)~~SENT~~ Tomorrow is the last day to mail for our swap. I hope everyone has been in contact with your swap partners. Or if you made arrangements to mail a little later. If you haven't heard from your partner at all please let me know. Have a super Friday! vina ps. Tomorrow is the 50 mile long garage sale around here. It's amazing!! Kids are having a pool party today and tomorrow its all garage sales, lol. Iris: Ambrosia Fool