Thanks for the tip Jo Ann. When I Googled "Hostas that do well in the sun" I got mostly "do better in shade" and that the lighter ones look better longer in sun than the darker ones do. The hostas in the picture above were young. Now that they are more mature and humongous I realize that the tiny hostas would probably have been more to my liking in this particular spot.

I like a mix of large and small. I put the minies in the front of the border.

If you remember to give them lots of water they will do better in the sun. But I don't know too many (I have none) hosta that will do well in blazing sun all the time. I have Guacamole in the sun till about 2:30 in the afternoon and by August she's looking a bit scorched in spots and she's right next to where I have a bunch of pots that get watered on a regular basis. High light shade seems to work best for me. Also, blue hostas are best left in shade with very little direct sun.

My neighbor has a few that are on the SE corner of her house... so they get the blazing HOT sun all day long.

I'm thinking it's Striptease and albomarginata ... i'll have to see if i have the photos still.
they are well established and huge... but by August they are looking a bit toasty.

Blue leaved hostas loose their color in sun I have found.

Here is one group in June of 2007

Same group 2 yrs later.

Winsome is looking really good... it was so tiny when i got it.... the one reason it is in a pot... so i could find it.
Fire & Ice and Golden Tiara in the back.

**edited to add... Hmmmm, i must like this grouping.. i see i already posted it above.

Terese -- funny.
I think you need a gold one in there too..

the only Gold i have at home [in IL] is Sun Power.. i have 2 in the front [east] bed. If they get fried this year, due to too much sun, they will move to the North ... then i will put one of them there.

Sun power probably gets too big. maybe you can get a gold in trades this year that is smaller!

that Tiara also needs to be divided... it is just huge.

I did buy a Maui Buttercup last fall. I'll have to see how it does in Wisc. I can bring it home.
I'm trying to be frugal this year...

'Sun Power' is one that despite its name really does not like too much sun.

Many of the white centred varieties ('Moonstruck' and 'Morning Light' come to mind) will do fine in morning sun (at least in my zone) but will melt out with afternoon sun.

There are lists of sun tolerant hostas at:
http://perfectperennials.tripo... (although it includes Sun Power)
http://hostalibrary.org/misc/d...
http://bonsaibc.ca/SUN%20TOLER...
http://www.plantworld.net/HOST...


There are others just be sure to put " " around sun tolerant hostas when you search.

For your dark are, blues are likely to do well. 'Blue Cadet' does well in my dark area and I have a blue seedling from 'Bluejay' that is doing well too. I've put 'Francis Williams' there as well since so many people were complaining that it got sunburned. But it was new last spring. Can't give you a progress report yet.

Ann

Thanks for those links Ann. I know I had read those lists before.

and its ironic... i have a bunch of neighbors -- well they hire these landscapers to landscape their yards.. and i honestly think they just stick plants in the ground without much consideration.... many have huge hostas in the front yard which is blazing HOT western exposure with no shade [our trees are not big enough to shade the yards.] They look so ratty by mid summer... so sad to see.

one guy got them on the north side... i think he had a better landscaper.

Here is a group

This is one from my front yard.

Different angle

I like mine close.

That's quite a collection BlackHawk.

These lilies get some morning sun and help brighten up the mostly shady areA.

Begonias certainly help on a rainy day in an ordinarily shady spot.

Very nice, Teri.