For the how-to, you can check out this link:

http://www.inthecountrygardenandgifts.com/articles/hybridizing_hostas.php

Appreciate all the nice comments! Thank you!

one more Marilyn Monroe x Dancing Queen seedling

More, more! You are the Willy Wonka of hosta hybridizers, Dan (The Gene Wilder one, not that creepy Johnny Depp remake) : )

First in line when the MMxDQ becomes available, oh wait, this isn't a Facebook swap site...yet ; ) Let me know whenever you're ready to throw them on the driveway

More like the Gene Wielder (sic) of Willy Wonka.

tj

Spectacular. ALL of them. Just Spectacular.

I’ve got Some Like it Hot on my wish list already. I noted that it was yours and a sport of MM. Did I get that right? I’d love to see a current pic. Put me down for either DQ-MM cross.

Hi Kathy, That one is not mine, I believe it's Carol Brashear's. I do have one called 'Hot Shot' but it doesn't have Marilyn Monroe in the cross. I haven't introduced any sports. I'm more of seedling guy :)

Hey there Dan,

Any plans to introduce a lutescent small to medium solid yellow/gold, with elongated leaves that ripple or wave? With your amazing arsenal, no doubt you have a few to select from! It seems to be that there are so many more spring yellows available as compared with their fall counterparts. How about Phoenix Feathers? (I think that might be its name)

Amazing seedlings.

Congratulations on your two introductions this year... they sold out quickly from Naylor. What's coming up the pipeline next year? Can you tempt us with pics?

Keith

PS I'd love to see an update of the hosta you posted last year ((Cutting Edge x Sutter's Mill) x China Girl). It's quite the looker!

There's a bit of heaven in your garden! Hostas are gorgeous! I imagine if I were able to see these hostas in person, then this would describe what would happen to me---""her strength ebbed away and she fell into a swoon."

Hi Keith, ‘Phoenix Feathers’ was donated to the AHS for their member plant program. Seems to be doing well in tc so hopefully it will come out in a couple of years. The other you mentioned is in a transitive year increasing eyes, as I moved it last year. I’ll post a pic maybe next year when it has returned to its true leaf shape and is looking up to snuff again.

Thanks!

I love all of them too :-) ..great pics..I appreciate the dramatic streakers but my favorites are the blues with wavy edges and the gold with red petioles..I'm also a member of the "I don't care about names" club..the names are fun but if a pic has no name it's not a problem for me..

Thanks nicholsworth55, here’s another blue with a nice edge...

I keep admiring that (B X KD) x JC. The cream just looks like it's dripping off the leaves. Those MM x DQ crosses are spectacular.

One of these ought to be called Wowsers, because so many of them are.

dansgrdn..love it!..the color, the longer leaves, the wavy edge, the "fountain" shape..all of my favorite traits :-)

Hi Mad planter, if you are talking about the first one, I like it too and the leaves are 16” long at this point. It’s one of those have to see it in person type of hostas. I’m excited about it as I just brought it home from my growout space. Have to find the perfect spot for it as I think it has a lot of potential.

Cross is ((Marilyn Monroe x Dancing Queen)) x ((Harry van de Laar x Key West)) x (Sun Power x Stingray)

Dan,

Really like these last two... was wondering if you had Peppermint Twist in TC production ( it's one of my favourites from the plants you shared last year), so good to hear that it is progressing well in that direction. Another to watch out for, alongside Phoenix Feathers, in the years to come! Just out of interest, approximately how many of your seedlings are currently involved in TC production, and have there been any disappointments?

The latter hosta reminds me of a more yellow version of Joy Ride which is extremely striking. Great name by the way. With Sun Power and Key West in its lineage, does it yellow up as summer progresses or take its colour from DQ and green up?

A couple of stunning hostas!

Keith

I agree that the elongated leaf shape of the blue plant posted above makes for a unique, interesting look.

Hi Keith, really appreciate your interest! Most have done well in tc, but have to admit there are a few laggers but those are catching up :) Rather than focus on the negative, I’ll let you know which ones came along really fast, those being ‘Phoenix Feathers’, ‘Hot Shot and ‘’Peppermint Twist’. Numbers look good, and hoping they will be out in a couple of years. Its a super long process both on my end and theirs :)

I have a grow out space at my parents house to compensate for my small garden. Brought the one in the first pic home on Father’s Day and put it in my garden tonight. Really love this one!

Good luck with the TC process for the rest of your plants Dan. It must be satisfying to know that your creativity is beginning to make its way into so many other people's gardens - bringing them the kind of joy that led you to experiment in the first place.

Keep posting updates - your pics always arouse a great deal of interest!

Keith

Well, call it Father's Day hosta for now ( just so we can recognize it ), and keep posting pictures. Hoping hard it gets a real name and comes out, my garden "needs" it.

Absolutely fantastic hostas! Love so many of them. Since I am relatively new to this forum, could you give me the names of your introductions and where they are sold?

Miles,I got 2 this year from Naylor. Great to know there is more in TC as I believe we are looking at new generation of hosta breeding.

Madplanter1 thanks, only problem with that name is I brought 5 home on Father’s Day :) It’s kind of fun, like hosta shopping for free :)

Effervescence is gorgeous--I want one.

Wow, I didn't know the beautiful blue Skywriter was one of yours. By the time I got around to ordering it was sold out.

Five nice hostas to work into the garden, what a terrible Father's Day problem (-: So call it FDCOC for Father's Day Cream of the Crop. Can't wait to see how it looks in a couple years.

Like so many have said - WOW! I ordered your two new ones from Naylor Creek, but still waiting on them due to my travel schedule. I like them all, but especially the blue with the white center posted last Wednesday at 8:36.

Got my Skywriter last year from Fransen in the Netherlands, they are working with Naylor. Sorry for the slug holes :-(

, I got Skywriter a month ago,no photo yet. I am happy!

Incredible, Dan! Your headliner leading these all-stars made my jaw drop! How I would love to shop from your gardens...... You are in a class of your own, unrivalled.

I swear, I hear that "Pure Imagination" song from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in my head every time I look at a thread of Dan's hostas…

Again appreciate the nice comments!

Don, I like your ‘Pure Imigination’ reference!, might be a good name :)

Also appreciate those who bought ‘Skywriter’! It is fertile both ways and makes nice seedlings too. Here are a few babies from it...

They just keep getting better. I'm not sure what I'm more impressed with: your hybridizing skill (obviously this one), your growing skill (your plants always look perfect) or your photography (it helps to have good subjects). Thanks again for sharing these gems with us!

I thought I'd restart this thread.

I enjoyed all these photos. Gorgeous Hostas!

Do I understand correctly that 'Effervescense' might be available soon?

I haven't heard anything about the AHS member's plant
program in a while. Is Phoenix Feathers still coming out as a members plant?

I finally got Skywriter this year. Now the heat wave is over (with 3 inches of rain as a bonus!), it's going in the ground. Does it prefer only early or late light?

What is a name when all these beauties are here to drool over . Absolutely spectacular and so happy to see this post come back again. I have another birthday coming up soon and will not kill them this time Makes our hostas in our own garden look so plain

StevePA6a

Effervesence is available this year. Naylor Creek certainly had it but not on their list now so must be sold out.

I got mine here in Wales UK from Marco Fransen who still has it.

No help to you though I know. Maybe someone else carries it.

Dave

Madplantert, I have Skywriter in morning light, around 3 hours of sun, it looks good so far. Our summer is very hot and dry and the hosta have to struggle...

I wish there would be some new plants from Dan soon...

Skywriter

Effervescence

These have to be some of the prettiest hostas I've seen! Love them. But I haven't read the whole thread, do I understand correctly, that these are not named varieties that are available commercially, but hostas you started from seed yourself? Is this from seed you purchased commercially or collected yourself?

Hi prairiemoon2, yes these are seedlings. I did the crosses, marked them, collected the seeds and then grew them out over the Winter. There are many hybridizers doing wonderful things. Check out the Face Book hosta hybridizing groups to see people that are better at it than me. I did it for close to ten years but now am so short on space in my garden that I’m done (truth is my wife cut me off ;) :) ) Now I’m focused on an all seedling garden, saving the best seedlings from my years of effort. Its been a fun journey and it makes my garden extra special to me that all the hostas in my garden are ones I’ve grown from seed from crosses that I have done.

Wow, all I can say is that you were really good at it. And I think you also are good at growing Hostas, they all look so healthy. I haven't started a 'side hobby' with gardening yet, but this is one I think might be interesting. I did try growing Hosta from seed one year, and they worked quite easily. I wouldn't have thought to grow them over the winter.

Can I ask where you got the original hostas that you made crosses with? It seems to me you had to have started with really healthy specimens to end up with such success.

Dan - you can't quit!!! You have some of the best looking stuff out there - seriously. You are one of the hybridizers who has really unique plants. You also are a "whole package" hybridizer...color...leaf and overall form are all STUNNING. Get a chunk of land somewhere or throw a greenhouse in the neighbor's yard (then they can't see you watering at night lol) and keep doing it!!!