Awesome! Should've invited him and Penny to the RoundUp.

I still look at hosta hybridizers and growers with awe, as though they're superhuman or something (which I'm sure many of them would chuckle at). The thing I like most about Jeff is that although he clearly knows his stuff, he's laid back and friendly and not the least bit intimidating. He's so approachable.

You will find that most hosta folk are very friendly people. And that the good hosta hybridizers are just regular people, like school teachers and such.

Jeff is very laid back but a workaholic.........can you believe he has done ALL of the hosta gardens there in just the past five years. He would be great to have at the round up but I am sure he will be busy in the gardens doing something, like getting the waterfall done and...................................... getting ready for me to stop over.

Beautiful!!! I may have to take a road trip.

BlackHawkGiboshi said:Jeff is very laid back but a workaholic.........can you believe he has done ALL of the hosta gardens there in just the past five years.

I know! He mentioned that when he gave his presentation and I was just stunned. Even more stunned when I saw the place in person. And then when you consider that he only has the growing season to do all that outside work, and how long Wisconsin winters are...it's even more impressive.

I will do that Gary when they bloom. I have quite a list.

Hey Jeff
Leave some hostas for the rest of us when you go to Jeff's place.LOL. That place has to be one of the nicer ones around although I haven't seen nearly as many as you and Marie have. I was floored when we went there. Everything looked so awesome. There have to be three or four of him to be able to get everything done and looking so good.
Gary

Not to fear everyone as my room is very limited here and have way to many to get in the ground as it is. He does have a few there especially for us.

He has added 3 gardens already this spring and has them planted up so there will be lots to see..............and the 5500 seedlings he has growing from this winter is what I am going to see.

I figured you were going to look at seedlings. They are way better to see anyway. WOW 5500. That is a bunch of seedlings. We did about 1600 this year and it was all we could handle. With as much as he was buying at Foxfire I figured he would have to add a few gardens. I wish I had more room because that was a good opportunity to purchase good size plants for a reasonable price. As it was Kit and I packed the bed of our pickup so full we couldn't get the tarp completely down and we had laid the hostas down so we could pack more in. We had just heard about the sale the day before while we were at the annual Brucemore sale,someone mentioned it so Kit and I decided we would go up and see what he had left. I think we left home around 3 or 4 in the morning so we could be there when they opened up thinking it would be a madhouse. As it was they weren't terribly busy at all. We spent the good part of the day wandering the gardens and chatting. It was one of our most fun road trips definitely.

Gary

He made the bed for the Foxfire plants last year and got them all in there then.....these are 3 new beds with new plants from this spring and I spose the new seedlings. Yes he culled down to 5500. I bet he don't have too many years ahead to keep up that pace, I know I am going to try and grow less.......I don't know where I am going to put the last 2 years of them now.

I'm already looking at my garden thinking what is going to get dug up and given away, my available space is getting smaller and smaller.

Land of the Giants does look like an awesome place to visit!

I'd take your "rejects" any time Elizabeth! Every one of your plants looked great when we visited.

I would also take any "reject" donations of Hosta's.... I am slowly but surely going crazy trying to gather all 7000 hosta's

I just had a huge idea... I have about an acre of woods to the west side of the house... was thinking about tilling all that up and creating Hosta beds in there.

My DH is going to kill me!!!!!

You don't have to till it. Just mow it really close, skim off any sod where you want to plant a hosta and then lay down newspaper or cardboard (would probably work best for you there) and mulch. Instant hosta bed.

I like your way of thinking Diane!!!! The only thing I am worried about are all the "weeds".... there isnt any grass (too woodsy). But there are gooseberry bushes and viney like weeds etc etc..... can't you just see me putting cardboard down over the whole area!!???!!! I see a good summer job shaping up for the kids while they are on summer break!!

Christine27360 - If you want to play with seedlings in your woods, I can clean up a tray of KitGary's culls and send to you for cost of postage - probably 20 or more, mostly green, but they are still fun to watch grow and change.

If you round-up the areas you want to plant and then give it two or three weeks and then mow, plant and mulch you won't need to worry about the viney stuff. LOL Round-up can be your friend.

Does anyone grow the Hosta 'Empress Wu'? It looks very impressive.

Does Round-up stay in the soil for long Diann? We're going to have an iron fence put in the front yard by the same guy who did our neighbor Debra's fence. I don't know what to do about the weeds/grass as I don't think I'll be able to get the mower through anymore.

Round-up ties up the minute it hits the soil and doesn't move. It's only effective if it hits live plant material. This is when the label says you can plant after spraying:

Special Instructions
All ornamental flowers, trees and shrubs may be planted one day after application. Lawn grasses, herbs, vegetables, and fruit can be planted 3 days after application.


You should ALWAYS read the label on any chemical you use in your gardens, ALWAYS!

I use round-up to edge my gardens. Do not get it on anything you don't want to kill, tho.

Pastime, I have Empress Wu. It's in its second full year in my garden. It is not very impressive a the moment. We'll see how she looks in another year or two.