Susan,
I have some hydrangea that I planted last year that have been covered by snow for a while and I hope they're okay. I'm sure there will be several lost plants by the time we thaw out!

Rose

Yes, for sure. I am just waiting to see how many. My DH went to hosta garden and brought up a large pot, I was sure it had rotted but it is sprouting. It is Montana. Also the little pots I bought in the fall four are sprouting! Excuse me...I need to do the happy dance!!

Well, it's supposed to be in the 50's today, so thoughts are leaning towards spring planting!
Here's the hostas I have on order for this year,

From Naylor Creek
Erotica
Thrills and Frills
The Sweetest Thing
Exotic Treasure
Happy Dayz
Playmate
Great Expectations (to replace one that has been a dud for several years)

From NGP
Andrew (another replacement)
Final Summation
Glad Rags
Gunsmoke
Krugerand
Montana Macrophylla
Northern Exposure
Fame Game

My 'Spilt Milk' was very small last year, so I divided it and potted them up. If they don't make it I'll probably add that one to my list. I hate to lose that one, since it had some really nice streaking.

Again, this year my plan is to move all the mediums and small off of the hillside and replace with large ones that will fill in so mulching won't be needed (I hope). It's a pretty steep hill, so it's getting to be a bit too much to tend to.

In my agricultural zone, we gardeners want lots of snow on our gardens because snow insulates. Thusly, the bitter cold temperatures and violant winds are not as damaging to our plants.

The winds sweep the ground and hosta roots become exposed, and are more likely to die. A thick layer of snow, more than 12" is a great insulator.

Spring is the real killer of plants here. Too wet kills almost all genus of plants. Plus, the thawing and freezing that happens in spring kills many, including hostas, daylilies, and bearded irises.

Late frost is also a killer. In my gardens, I can expect to see a frost as late as Memorial Day. Tomatoes, for example, will be planted after Memorial Day.

Gerry, I read recently that snow is a great fertilizer. It was referred to as poor mans fertilizer, lots of minerals including nitrogen. So...if they survive the spring they will certainly be beautiful. This is also the best cold spell we have had in a long, long time. I know you guys consider it normal but it has never happened here as far as I can remember. Never got down to 7° never mind a wind chill below zero. Never got 10 inches of snow before! I am expecting a beautiful hosta garden this year, after a good cold spell and some snow they should be very happy! I need to put down the rest of the alfalfa and some milorganite, they will love me for sure then. LOL.

http://www.landscapearchitectu...

Yes, I've had frost damage when the temps warm up early and then we get hit with a frost. Fortunately, we've never had a really hard frost or freeze to ruin them for the season. But, some have looked pretty ratty and smaller throughout the season! I'm fortunate enough to live in sand, so drainage isn't a problem in the spring. But, I'm sure I water more often than anyone that has good soil when it gets hot and dry. But, with my sprinklers set up just right, it's not a big deal to water.

Maybe somebody should post a few pictures from some of their collections from last year to warm us all up!

Rose

Rose1656 said:Well, it's supposed to be in the 50's today, so thoughts are leaning towards spring planting!
Here's the hostas I have on order for this year,

From Naylor Creek
Erotica
Thrills and Frills
The Sweetest Thing
Exotic Treasure
Happy Dayz
Playmate
Great Expectations (to replace one that has been a dud for several years)

From NGP
Andrew (another replacement)
Final Summation
Glad Rags
Gunsmoke
Krugerand
Montana Macrophylla
Northern Exposure
Fame Game

My 'Spilt Milk' was very small last year, so I divided it and potted them up. If they don't make it I'll probably add that one to my list. I hate to lose that one, since it had some really nice streaking.

Again, this year my plan is to move all the mediums and small off of the hillside and replace with large ones that will fill in so mulching won't be needed (I hope). It's a pretty steep hill, so it's getting to be a bit too much to tend to.

Rose, those are some nice hostas, love the hill side. Do you really have to dig them up? Maybe you could just plant more in between, think of how long it will take them to get big as these. Great choices on the spring orders. Love your garden!

This is a garden that goes down the side of the house on the south side. The tall green thing in the middle is a 'Waterfall' lace leaf maple. I love to include a few in the hosta garden and also some other surprises like clematis running on the ground, and in sunny spots I want to add a few daylilies and more Coral Bells. These were from last year.



This is morning sun.
THE OTHER END




CLOSE-UP

GARDEN UNDER THE TREES




These are sun tolerant and do get an hour or two just before the sun goes down.

It looks like you'll have a very full bed of hosta under your tree when they mature. That should be beautiful. You mentioned growing clematis on the ground...I thought they didn't like to get their leaves wet. Do they do well for you on the ground?

I've been adding heuchera and shrubs to my beds. I'm surprised how many blooms I get on my hibiscus that are in the Shade. Here's a picture of one part of a bed that has some hibiscus, but no blooms yet.

Look what's coming up-won't be long now---

Wow, I like that! What is the variegated plant off to the left side? My Hibiscus is very vigorous so I would probably get some blooms too, I was thinking about adding another, maybe 'Lady Baltimore' I have 2 Lord Baltimore and they get huge 6x6 or more!
This is my first year planting clematis as a ground cover but I bought 4 plants last year and could not make up my mind what to let them climb on. I read that any clematis can be used as a ground cover and some people let it climb up into the trees and from what I hear it is not a problem because they are not real heavy or agressive like Ivy or Wisteria. There is a man here on ATP who has that going on. I have never heard of them not liking to get their leaves wet. http://randomgardening.blogspo...



http://www.clematis.com.pl/en/...

duane456 said:Look what's coming up-won't be long now---

Mine is coming up too but not as big as yours!

How nice to see your gardens starting to come to life! Snow is still melting here, but should be seeing things coming up by the end of April. So, please post pictures of your plants!

Susan,

A co-worker gave me 3 starts of his Sweet Autumn clematis last year...maybe I'll try some as groundcover!

Rose

That's a great idea! That is what I was thinking I would like to do and also let it wonder up a boring tree.

He says he has some on a tree that grows 20' up! He said it re-seeds itself and he has it growing all over his yard! Must be invasive? I wish my other clematis would be invasive!

Back to Hostas...

Duane,
Is that one Sagae that you posted last year? (I think it was your picture) I remember it being a big one!

Rose

profesora said:Do you already have Sum And Substance? There are also many sports of this hosta: Sum Of All, Sum It Up, and others that I would have to look at a list.

Here's our list of kids: http://garden.org/plants/paren...

'Rainforest Sunrise' looks like a real beauty and easy to find a home. Hostas popping, I'm so ready too.

That pic is Montana Aureomarginata. It's always the first one up.

Well, keep posting pictures and maybe someday I'll be able to join in!

My first one up has always been SEA THUNDER, I had three of them but I do not see any of them. Here is my Montana Aureomarginata, looks like it is the first one up!