Who's All in This Hosta Gang??

I've been away from this forum for too long and there are so many conversations going on here amongst members I don't recognise at all. Soooooo, for the old and new hostaholics, the lurkers and those in between, I'm Erynne and I live in Ontario, Canada.

I lost my gardening mojo around mid-summer last year because DH and I were playing around with the idea of moving. I didn't have my grow op going over winter, didn't winter sow, and threw out every catalogue that came to the house. I had it bad. There wasn't a single moment when I really gave a hoot about the garden. I took up my stitching again as a result. I guess I figured why bother if I'm moving anyway?!

So now we've moved to 1 acre of sandy loam soil and pretty much a clean slate; I'm starting all over again. I'm more excited to garden here than I was at the other place because the possibilities seem endless. I do however, have to create more shade. This is one of my challenges.

I had upwards of 100 hostas but that number has been reduced to half because I just didn't have the gumption to bring them all with me as well as other beloved perennials. It was a sacrifice but I'm ready to go at it again.

So as of today, my favourite hosta is English Sunrise (this is subject to change,lol). It's such a calming colour of hosta right now just like a warm spring morning. Lovely.
My most vigorous hosta and always has been is So Sweet. She just wants to get going before everybody else and she's always nice to the end.

So, introduce or re-introduce yourself if you can. Instead of posting a pic of yourself, post one of your favourite Hosta of the moment. I will get one of English Sunrise tomorrow morning.

Cheers,
Erynne

Hostas and friends on the move

Howdy Erynne and fellow Hosta-holics

Terese here ... and i'm still pretty new to hostas ... this is my second summer.

while last year my fave was Frosted Jade, it was HUGE and gorgeous ... i havent seen it in a bit over a week.
currently, my Foxfire Northern Sunray is my fave

I actually have 5 hostas sitting in pots that i need to get in the ground... but i have to move a lot of ferns to make room.

just came in for something ... but heading back out again....

**edited to add the ED at the end of Frosted... now -- how did i forget that?



This message was edited Jun 3, 2008 11:24 AM

Erynne, Welcome to hostaholicism. I guess that is a word. I would sure hate to have to move all mine. You people up there have the best soil and the best looking hostas. I have so many favs I don't know but I really like Guacamole. Hugs BEV

How wonderful to have a clean slate. HOpe that your stitching was fun! I assume that you will continue while you plan your new garden.

I live in California on about 1/2 an acre and am doing my best to find hostas that like to grow in zone 9 although I'm about out of room and still there are hostas on my list I would like. Not of course like anyone else here! :-) We get to fight snails and slugs here too but no deer as in so many places.

I love iris, roses and daylilies, clematis and Japanese Maples too.

Stained Glass is one of my favorites right now.

I'm Shelly nice to meet everyone one. I'm fairly new to hostas only 4 years now with 2 years ago really getting into them. I've got a 1/4 acre to work with and share with my dogs (Giant Schnauzer and Shitz Tzu) and a 12 yr old son. So they aren't letting me have as much as I would like but getting there slowly. Have to say my favorite is one I just got so no picture yet it isn't even in the ground yet is Queen of the Seas. Now I just have to find a place for it yet. Not much for deer here but rabbits. I also collect daylilies and companion plants around the area.

Shelly

Hi Erynne, nice to see you again. What a good idea for a thread.

I'm Jody. I live in 2 places, MD and VA with 4 acres to work with between them. I've been growing hosta for about 15 years but didn't really start collecting them until about 10 years ago.

The garden in VA is only 2 years old and is where most of the hosta now reside. I've been working on moving all of them from MD to VA. (Erynne... how could you leave any behind? LOL)

I love all plants and have gone through "phases" with daylilies, tropicals, iris etc etc. The gardens are always changing. The only constant is hosta. My all time favorite is and probably always will be Krossa Regal, though I have many other favorites that change from season to season and sometimes from day to day. ;)

Sorry, I can't post a pic tonight, I don't have any on this computer :(

I'm pretty new to them, too. I bought my first ones, 3 Regal Splendors, in 2005, so this will be their fourth season in my garden. The rest of my hosta came over the last two seasons. I'm in coastal Maine, where the winter seems to stretch out thru April, and then everything shoots up. I think I joined this board in the summer of '06. My garden is almost entirely shade, with the usual suspects of hosta, ferns, heuchera astilbe, etc. My garden is small, and I think I have way too much crammed in there. Wish I had room for more hosta. :(

My current favorite is also Queen of the Seas, because it's easily the most photogenic hosta in the garden right now..getting prettier every day. Except for the one slug hole- drat!

Have fun with your new blank slate!

This message was edited Jun 2, 2008 7:16 PM

Hi Erynne!!

I have seen you on other forums and will definitely look forward to your thoughts here - you know SOOOOO much!!!

I started gardening in general 3 summers ago and got right in to hostas. I didn't plan on it but started gardeneing because we moved into a house that has a bed about 15 yds long and 10 yds wide along the side of the yard. In talking with one of the neighbors who is a master gardener I said "I can't wait to see what springs up in this huge shady bed!" and she replied "Don't wait too long..." so I started rsearching shady gardens and found DG and co-ops and now have over 100 named hostas in my shade garden along with astilbe, bleedong hearts violas. lamium. ferns, hellebores, columbine. hardy cyclamen,. huechera, tiarella, astrantia, lilies, irises, alium, cimicifuga, and other "stuff" plus shade annuals I plant - coleus, impatiens, begonias, caladiums. This is the first season everything is starting to look like it belongs here :)

My favorite hosta this year has been Liberty. It is growing in such a way that it is really showing itself off!

Hi Eyrenne. We're buds from the Canadian Forum. My name is dahlianut and I'm a newbie hostaholic ^_^

Hi, nice to meet you! My name is Karen and I'm a new hostaholic trying to order as many hostas as I can get away with. Formerly a rosaholic(well, still am..lol)and a hardcore clematisaholic. I'm in north Texas and would like to find out which hostas can take the heat. Started out with a few hostas last year and knew that I had to have more when they all came back healthy in the spring. So far I have these or they are already ordered. Please feel free to suggest others that I "NEED" :)

Francee
Olive Bailey Langdon
Niagra Falls
Zounds
Halcyon
Touch Of Class
Silver Bay
Sagae
Revolution
Fragrant Bouquet
Silver Crown
Hanky Panky
Stained Glass
Blue Kiwi
Sum And Substance
Blue Mouse Ears
Rainforest Sunrise
August Moon
Sunpower
Maui Buttercups
Frosted Jade
Guardian Angel
Blue Mammoth
Devon Green
Tracy's Emerald Cut
Bridegroom
Paul's Glory
Rascal

Hey Erynne!! Glad to see you back. I'm still in Iowa, but for a while it felt like it was Siberia with it being pretty nasty cold from October last year all the way through May this year. Hopefully, that has turned around now.

If I remember right, you were contemplating moving into the wilderness? Am I right? Did you have a cabin? Or am I thinking of someone else?

So, tell us about your new property? An acre can keep you busy for a nice while building gardens. But just think about all the neat trees you can plant to shade your hostas. Make sure you leave some sunny spots for a peony or lily or two. :)

I still love my Blue Angel bestest. :)

Diann

You know, I wrote a nice post to this thread and then I opened Peg's Liberty and poof! Gone! ROFLOL at myself.....you'd think I know better by now. Nice Liberty btw Peg!
Thank you all for replying and I'm happy to meet you Bev, Shelly, Noreaster and Rosethyme! Rosethyme, I was going to say make sure you get Maui Buttercups for a really standout kinda Hosta but on a second look I see that you got it! I practically have to wear sunglasses when looking at mine! Of all the Hostas I have right now, DH likes this one the best. Other than that, I can't say buy one over another because that would be like me coming in and picking your wallpaper for you,lol. Oh but wait, you don't have a Blue Angel on that list! That's a fave of mine that hasn't let me down.
dahlianut, I didn't know you were into Hostas! Coooool!

Peg, do you still have that infectious enthusiam you had when you were first amassing your collection? I've always enjoyed your posts and I'm so happy for you that your plants are entering the leap stage.....so nice to see them fill in! Now when I show you pics of my new beds you know you're going to see all those evil spaces between Hostas so be prepared. I will be taking some pics on Thursday providing we get the day off like DH says we will. Crossing fingers!

Noreaster and Shelly, no wonder you love Queen of the Seas....she's a beauty. I like her form......hmmmm, add to list. ENABLERS!!!

Jody!!! Are you still doing the two house thing! Oh my it's been a long time! I can't wait to see some pics of your Hostas for this year. Such great planning and time to do it over the long run is going to make it quite enviable. Was it you that had crushed white something in your gardens (shells?) . I was thinking that would make the slugs run away,lol. When you're in MD, who waters and keeps an eye on your gardens? Oh and I know....my heart is just broke having to leave so many Hostas and others behind. That chickypoo who bought our place is not going to love them like I did unless she learns to garden. I heard she knows nothing about plants but just wants the space to look nice for when she has parties, ugh. Anybody up for donning some camo and a midnight raid at my old place ;)

Terese, I think I recall reading your post about a north garden bed you were wanting to plant up and needed ideas. Are you the same person? If so, how did that turn out and what did you plant? I'm sure I could go look that up but this dial up is killing me and takes eons to search. Frosted Jade is a nice Hosta and one of the ones I left behind (sob sob) because I couldn't locate it. I was kneeling and feeling for those pips for ages before I gave up. Then, we went back to our old place the other day to pick up part of a basket ball net that was overlooked (real estate salesperson called and said to go ahead get it from backyard) and sure enough there it was up...grrr. Oh well, I shall buy another :o)

Doss, I was thinking about you believe it or not when I was placing my Plantaginea yesterday. I get these random thoughts as I'm digging in the garden and was thinking that the above mentioned Hosta would do fine with more sun exposure because that lady in CA grows this one just fine. Ha ha, I know crazy thoughts but that's how my mind works.
And yes, I'm still stitching a little every other day or so, especially on our longer drive into work. He drives, I stitch..it works well. I'm stitching a stocking for one of my sons and I have a few other works in progress that need my attention. I'm also playing with my PCstitch as a way to unwind and create patterns.
This is my neglected blog where I talk to myself about my stitching (helps to keep track of it) and a little about gardening, like the few veggies I felt compelled to start in my window sill before we moved. I hoped to find more time to blog as soon as the insanity at work lets up.
http://be-stitched.blogspot.com/

Erynne

Diann!! We cross posted!! Another tout for Blue Angel....see rosethyme, you really need this one!
Diann, you're right, that was me. We ended up selling our wilderness for several reasons that I won't bore you with but now that gas has gone through the roof I'm very glad we did. We ended up moving out of the city to a very quiet area where there is more than enough wilderness. You really could feel like you were up the cottage where we're at and to call it home is doubly great. Do you know, there are four good-sized peonies established here. I'm guessing they'll be pink but I'll wait a bit longer til they open to say for sure. I had that one peony that I resurrected at the other place but it has stayed behind. I'll definitely keep plenty of sunny spots for lilies and daylilies and all those other plants I couldn't grow before because of overwhelming shade. I also have to plant more water wise now that we are on a well. I need some Sedum and lots for what I want to do but sheesh, they're charging a $8 - $10 for a regular Sedum around here. Since when did the price jump so high?

Oh yes, and you're the one with the great Iowa soil ;)

Erynne

edited: you know you should go to bed when you start to spell your name wrong.

This message was edited Jun 2, 2008 11:12 PM

Erynne -- yes, that was me that also has a "north" garden.
I'm slowly adding hostas and a few other plants that i bought at a half off sale last June ... some made it, others didn't.

I actually divided my Frosted Jade this year... gave two eyes to Bev ... so mine will be a tad smaller ... but still a stunner. I haven't been up there for about a week ... so i'm sure many of my plants have really taken off. I'll be brining up Abba Dabba Do and Liberty this week.

Diann -- holy cow!! that's Blue Angel??? yikes... i purchased that last year .. had no idea it got that big. how old is yours?? LOL... think i'll be moving it down the road.

Terese

Erynne, I'm so glad you got to have your acerage! Wasn't there a problem with bears at the wilderness estate? See, that's why I live in Iowa, I'm a the top of the food chain and I don't have to worry too much about being eaten by bears. :) LOL

Come on over to the peony forum and post your pictures of your peonies when the open. My peonies are just starting and hopefully the rain will slack off a bit and let them shine... doubtful, but it could happen. There are tons of great places to get peonies in Canada... :)

Terese, yeppers, that's my Blue Angel. I think that one has been in the ground for 15 years. I've never divided it and really have no intention of ever doing so unless it becomes necessary for the health of the plant. It's a sweet hosta and it just keeps getting better and better each year.

I do have a new one that is going to make me smile in years to come. Gunther's Prize, he's small right now, but just give him some time... :)

Diann

Yes, still doing the 2 house thing! Can't wait for the day when it can be 1 again!

The crushed shell works great in the paths, and between that and all the toads I don't have much of a slug problem :)

I don't have any pics on this computer (I'm in MD and they are in VA) but posted a couple of the gazebo here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=5006048
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=5006074

You can't see a lot of the gardens but can get the idea. The shell helps keep out slugs, some weeds and is nice to walk on after rain... no walking in mud etc. As far as planning... well I had good intentions, LOL. I need to get a bunch of new beds made (hopefully this year) so I can move a bunch of hosta before they get too big. The first beds are spaced pretty good, but the more pots that got emptied (between me and my mom we had over a thousand pots!) the more I wanted empty. Sooo lots of the last beds made are a little (a lot!) crammed.

No one waters etc at either place when I'm at the other :( My mom lives at the house in VA but she can't do it. DH of course is in MD M-F but the most he does is babysit any plants I get in the mail. He will water if I ask and give specifics but doesn't look after anything to see if needs water or not :( I am quite upset with him this week! He decided to put up a new mailbox the other day... well he dug out and tossed the clematis I had planted on the old one. It was several years old and I worked hard to get it to grow/climb that mailbox. It was absolutely gorgeous finally. Huge, hudreds of flowers... now it's gone :( :( Arrggghhh!!!! Sniff sniff

I read an article recently... I think it was by Bob Solberg. Anyhow, he talked about starting with a clean slate and actually recommended leaving everthing behind and starting completely over. Of course he had had very good reasons and reading it I actually thought "I should have done that". But reality... No Way could I have left everthing, LOL.

You will need to start a thread with your new place and post pics as you make beds etc. Sounds like a lovely place! :)

Hi Erynne, welcome back. I haven't moved, but I'm still collecting my hostas in pots for their future beds. Here is one going in this year, acting as my "holding area for the moment. I've had really bad allergies and haven't been able to work at the speed I want to in getting in the new beds, so I'm just doing a bit at a time!

Laura

Erynne you have a GREAT memory!! That Liberty (sorry it ruined your post LOL) was one of the original liners bought summer of '06 when I jumped on this hosta wagon. So to see it starting to look so mature and draw attention to itself has me feeling like a proud mama :) Your memory is fantastic!! Either that or you are an incognito FBI agent that has a spreadsheet on gardening fanatics or something.... ^_^ I would say my enthusiasm was a bit short last year but is back again this year. I think because I have some making their "leaps". It is so nice to feel like I have really begun filling in my spot. I will do a panorama a bit later this year, but even last year when things were pretty scrawny the difference was amazing.

I truly look forward to having you here on the forum where I spend most of my time - your posts always inform with kindness, care and respect :)

I am new to hostas too. This is my secong year ...though I had some before I became aware of all that is available! We have lived here about 18 months now and there was nothing here. We are adding hostas slowly as we make space.

My favorite right now is Orange Marmalade..it just glows right now! This was taken back on the first of May. It is pouring down rain or I would take a new pic now that it all up and big!

can't spell!


This message was edited Jun 3, 2008 10:59 AM

nanny

I was the same- in my old house we had a neighbor that owns a local nursery and every time he told me I needed to split the hostas there (noid - builders special AND in full sun) I would split and replant in the yard where I knew the rabbits would eat them to the ground. I thought they were ugly and a nuisance. Then I moved here and had all this shade to fill up and when I started researching hosta and found DG and the hosta library I fell in LOVE - obsessively so LOL. OM is also a favorite of mine - even in this dark gloomy rain it still glows :)

Liberty is on my just gotta have it or am gonna die list but it will have to wait for now as the budget is getting tighter everyday with prices of gas & groceries shooting up!

SO many, but not enough space! LOL

I also got Liberty this year.. I think it was Jody who mentioned it to me when i said that Sagae was on my list ... which i also just snagged at a plant sale.

Here is my Liberty- still in a pot with Abba Dabba Do.

Glad that I could be of some comfort when you were transplantiing your plantaginea Erynne. Mine get full afternoon sun and while they do sunburn they do fine. I lost the trees that were shading them in the afternoon.

Love your blog. Your patterns are absolutely delightful!

Hi all! I'm Rose and I live along the Mississippi in west central Illinois. I've been collecting for 6 years, and probably will always find another one that I just have to have! One of my favorite has to be Great Expectations. Very slow grower for me, but it still catches my eye every time I pass by!

Hi all, I'm kind of new to collecting hosta with and am in shade denial lol I used to have a lot of shade but a lot of the old oak trees around here are falling apart so the sun is coming thru, this meaning I have to make some quick shade, trying this with some vines and planting some castor beans, I have a shade garden that is at least 50' long and this is my favorite garden but it is getting a lot more sun than what my babies need! I also have hosta planted by the house under shade of an old maple that is falling apart too and I made a bed under a huge holly tree out front but the cats have taken a liking to all of the compost I layered on top for the winter so I'm kind of afraid to plant there now :( Plus the rains over the winter made big trenches thru it, such a wet winter we had! I had floods in a lot of places that never flooded before.

My favorite hosta is the Risky Business, but it's starting to revert back to its momma, didn't know this until I had already purchased it and read it on here, I guess I have solid leaves starting to show up on it :( The Sagae is a beautiful hosta and one of my favorites, I have blue mouse ears and the Marilyn Monroe which surprised me and is really pretty this year didn't think I was going to care for this one, I lost my Frosted Jade due to the wet winter haven't seen it yet still hoping it will show up but doesn't look too good for it. I haven't really taken inventory of what I do have left yet, just enjoying what did come back up this year and trying not to think about the ones that I lost, yes a few :( I'm looking forward to seeing the Mississippi Delta getting bigger and I never hear anyone talk about it on here so not sure what to expect. I have the Blue Skies and though it's a plain hosta but it's pretty in its own way and the Golden Tiria, probably spelled wrong lol

Diann, I love your setting for your Blue Angel! I would so give my right arm for that setting it's beautiful!!! I have that hosta but the rain this winter took it's toll on it and not sure it's going to make it, it's still in the baby stage and only two years old and smaller this year than it was last year :(

I lurk in the hosta forum all of the time but everyone’s hosta look so beautiful and mine are just babies lol I hope to be able to take pictures this summer to show....I just started collecting so I have a long way to go and a lot of shade to make up for the shade I've lost, I've planted some trees and shrubs but it takes so long for them to get some size on them and patience is not a virtue of mine so need to plant some other plants to make up for the shade until they get some size on them :)

tcs, you picture of your hosta is beautiful too with those ferns :) I have ferns planted by a cascading hosta and some So Sweet hosta. You have it so nice because you have two places, what won’t grow at one place with grow at the other? lol

Lea

Lea -- i have TOO many ferns... i'm yanking them out by the dozen, and to think 7 yrs ago i had 10.

I've broken off the foliage to the ferns around NS so I can see it now. The ferns will be half the original size in about 2 weeks.

and yes, it is nice to have two places ... here [IL] is mostly sun ... so i only have a small smattering of hostas, but then in Wisc, i have all shade [dappled] ... and while there are not as many options for other perennials.. i have room for tons of hostas, including large to giant.

Terese

Here is my baby "Blue". The fellow that had him as a puppy must have mistreated him because he has loose hips and can't run very far. He is also scared of water and storms. Now because 2 vets didn't tell me that dogs had to have a blood test every other year although I have given him Heartguard every month all year since I have had him which is 7 yrs my baby has heart worms. The vet said to watch for those symtems and if he stays alright they will test him again in Nov. I just pray that he doesn't have to have those terrible treatments. He was attacked by a pit bull 3 yrs. ago and had to have surgury on his neck and he is such a good minding dog, he doesn't need anymore bad luck. BEV

Oh! DUH! I posted this on the wrong thread. Is there a way to transfer it , or do I have to do it again? BEV

AWWWW!! Leave him here for us to enjoy - he's a doll! ^_^

Thank you Peg but I have to get him over to Discussion & Chat #45. Blue loves everybody,just craves attention. Bev

Hello everyone! Welcome back, Erynne.

I am new to hostas, but addicted already...latest count 35. I live in Oklahoma with winds, heat, rabbits and squirrels. I have never seen a slug in my yard though, so will see on them. I have a 1/2 acre in town and we are currently very slowly redoing our back yard, so I am really looking out for different places to put hostas as work progresses. My main want, must have, is Queen of the Sea (Noreaster your picture wowed me on that one!) But until I can create another bed, I will probably wait until next year.

I've also got a heuchera and brug thing going around here since being on DG.

Bev, my 11-year-old Blue Heeler has bad hips also. A vet friend had me start him on Ibuprofen (enteric coated), 1 pill a day and it has really helped him. Not a cure, but he gets around better.

Now if I could just keep the squirrels/rabbits from making a hosta buffet out of my Fragrant Bouquet and Fragrant Blue. I wonder if it is the smell???? Peg

Thanks Merpeg, Blue gets arround ok it is just that his hips quiver and shake when he is excited. I have two "Elegans" Babies from seed. I think I will name the blue one after him.

Diann, yes there were more bears than usual up there; they must've known I'm terrified of them but who wouldn't be eh! Actually, there have been 3 cases lately of bears entering suburban and rural areas around the Greater Toronto Area with the most recent being about 25 mins south west of me! I think they're coming more south due in part to the cancellation of the spring hunt up here.
I'll definitely get over to the peony forum when these buds open up. They're on their way and I can't believe how big these plants are; must've been here a while!

Jody, I'd like to read that article by Bob Solberg about why we should start fresh. For me, it was a matter of economics and emotional attachments to move my plants. I want plants but I can't afford to start all over.....nooooo way! I saved a bundle by digging them up plus I would feel like I were leaving all of my little friends behind if I didn't make the effort. And they're getting so purdy too!
So your DH is in the dog house, haha. You'd think by now they'd ask before they destroy for goodness sake! I brought my arbour with me and I had potted up a clematis on one side and clear forgot about the clematis on the other side because I got distracted. When DH was lifting the arbour, he spotted it, dug her up carefully and then potted it. Very good boy and I can get him to have a talk with your hubby if you'd like,lol! He also helped me out by digging up my hostas and potting them. I showed this pic below on the Canadian forum and I still get a kick out of it. We had these rectangular containers which could fit 3 small to medium hostas because I ran out of pots. He fill about 4 of them with hostas or what he thought were all hostas. Can you see the imposter?? If you can't guess what it is (not in bloom yet in this pic) I will tell you later. :o) I guess anybody could make that mistake, hehe.

Hi Laura! Oh wow, look at all that eye candy in pots! Did your Hostas stay in pots over winter outside?? When I think winter, I think freezing cold and snow but maybe you don't get it as bad where you're at. I love the look of Hostas in pots and I think there was another member on here that had hers all in pots; quite a lovely display! I hope your allergies calm down so you can get your work done...sounds quite limiting. I have the sniffles lately and sneezing like mad but nobody around me is sick. I wonder if my new environment is causing this...definitely worse when I first wake up.

Peg, yep you just exude enthusiam girl, haha and I'm glad you got it back. It's nice to pick up on people's happiness in their posts! My memory used to right on but lately I'm forgetting names and have no clue why this is happening. We had this client that hasn't needed our services in a long while but yesterday I saw her and she's just the most nicest person but I couldn't remember her name. I was smiling and talking to her and all the while I felt like an idiot because I couldn't think of her name. And worse, she remembered mine no problem! It's terribly embarrassing when that happens and I just didn't have the heart to ask her name. It came to me about 10mins later when we left...ugh.

Hello nanny_56 and thank you for posting! Isn't it truly mind boggling when you realize that there are so many Hostas to choose from? We had the thunder storms this morning and I really wanted to take some pics before we left for work but with lightening I'm not taking a chance of being out in the open. It's my goal to get you all some pics before this week is out!

Doss, thank you for visiting my blog! I hope to use it as a record of my gardening activities at my new home as well as for stitching. Do you stitch as well? It's a good standby hobby for when you can't get out in the garden and all the other chores are done or even as you sit and watch the tv. Thanks as well for the comment on the patterns. I like a little whimsy in patterns but now I'm making one with a Quaker theme. I'm also hoping to design a hosta pattern because I haven't seen a good one yet. It will be tricky no doubt and I may draw it by hand before I convert it.

Good to meet you Lea and I hope you don't lurk anymore :o) You just gave me a good idea to get some shade in place with the castor beans. I have seeds for those kicking around here somewhere and that idea never would've occured to me. I have to go tree shopping tomorrow night but after researching a little, I just don't know which is the best choice in a tree but I know for sure it won't be a rotten Silver Maple. I'm leaning toward a Kentucky Coffee Tree, Gymnocladus dioicus, so if there's anything bad I ought to know about these trees I hope someone pipes up. I have two humongous willows on my property, and they are just terrible for mess and weak limbs. The neighbour told us how a big portion of one came crashing down two years ago and now I'm nervous about my kids playing anywhere near it.

Hi Merpeg....another Peg! Rabbits eating Hostas is not what I wanted to hear...oh no. Is there anything that repels them? We have a ton of rabbits here but they haven't found my Hostas yet and I'll be so upset if they do. Oh the joys of gardening eh!

Well, I'm headed home after a 12 hour day and hopefully I'll get back on the puter before the night is out. I had planned to go buy some shoes tonight but I'm worn out.

Erynne

I am AlwaysWeeding (Colette). I have had hostas for many many years. I am up to 358 last count (am finding ones lately that missed the list and trading and buying and ....). I collect daylilies and gargoyles, too, and have lots of companion plants in the sun and shade. I have about 1/2 acre and over 1/2 of it is garden, so my online name fits.
My favorite is Sagae. The only problem with that one is how everyone likes to pronounce it differently!
My next favorite will likely be Victory when it gets big enough, but the race is on with Queen of the Seas, it sounds like. I just got that one thanks to Ticker.
My other passion is greyhound rescue and I have been doing that since about 1990. They are great pets - like cats inside, dogs outside, and very easy to adapt to household living. They are as addictive as hostas, believe it or not.

This message was edited Jun 3, 2008 6:56 PM

problem with getting rid of an animated icon above - ignore the image message above.

>>how everyone likes to pronounce it differently!

How is Sagae pronounced?

i saw it talked about in an older thread that had a link, but by the time i clicked on it, the link was no longer active.

This is Ticker's expertise -- she checked with someone who speaks the language. Ticker?

I have found that "Rabbit Stopper" keeps them away and it doesn't smell horrible!!! It does have that putresacent egg stuff in it but it is masked with rosemary, mint and cinnamon oil.

It's pronounced SaaaGay, only faster. ;) Like Saki only Sagae..

Peg thanks for mentioning the name of the product!

Hi Collette! 358 Hostas and counting eh! That's a full time job in itself!


Here's a pic of English Sunrise that I managed to get tonight. It looks like it rained all day here which I'm grateful because of the transplants.

I'll try to refrain from making such long-winded posts.....my gosh you'd think I was locked up in solitary confinement for a year and hadn't had human contact. sorry