Taking a deep breath and plunging. I know I can't grow hostas in zone 10b. But I will anyway. Lookie:










I know 'Patriot' is old hat around here but I can't stop looking at it. Its so fresh and clean looking. Amazing. Asparagus fern needs cleaning up - why do I only notice after I take the pic?


The 'Dream Queen' isn't doing too much for me so far: Could have picked up the blue-ish one - maybe tomorrow I will.



The nursery pots are place-holders. Something else is going in there with it. What? I dunno yet.

Carol, I love hostas, but haven't had any luck with them in Central Florida. I'll be cheering you on though Enjoy them this summer, and I hope they come back for you next year. You don't really know until you try

Thanks for the good wishes, Ibis. They only cost me $7 ea. so if I have to buy new ones each year its not a big deal. I'm not aiming to be a collector because, hello! no winter. I know better than to even try peonies - so I'll be foolish about hostas.

Enjoy them! That's not a bad price even if they don't survive the winter! I do like the clean, crisp look of Patriot, unfortunately mine isn't growing very fast.

I will cheer you on. Hostas are one of my favorites because I love foliage. To be honest with you I like the oldies. Many of the new ones do not do a thing for me. Nor do many of the ones perform as well as some of the oldies that take a licking and keep on kicking.

Well, even though I do have the New Encyclopedia of Hostas, or whatever the name is, I don't know the diff between old and new. I guess I could actually READ the book instead of just looking at pics, but what fun is that? I have to get more potting mix tomorrow and I may just pick up that blue hosta I saw at HD - would go good with the pot I think. What's a girl to do? So many plants, so ... I was going to say so little space, but that's not true. Even with just a mobile home yard I've got more space than I can probably manage if I don't start considering my age and limitations due to health issues. I'm just really glad I had the heart surgery before I got into this gardening thing again.

Wishing you the best of luck with your hostas. They look very nice in pots, besides it is always fun to try something different.

I am not a hosta collector, just like to add a few here and there in shady areas.

Well, I'm in no zone to think of collecting. Frost? What's that? Altho, 35* a few times this winter and that's just way too cold. I did not in fact get the blue-ish one - they were gone - which is a good thing. Impulses just don't work out for me at all. I did impulsively get another sage, but its a bright orchid color that I've been needing because everything's getting a tad too dark, so maybe only half an impulse. The people at HD are getting used to seeing me with a cart full of possible pots as I travel through the plants matching and mixing until I can finally make a few rejections.

I can't believe it. Are those really buds on the Patriot? They are, aren't they? This is way more exciting than Christmas. I thought the hostas didn't bloom until late summer/early fall, or maybe I was researching a different species. I'm in love with this plant. If I never have another hosta it will be ok because I've got this one.




And I love the light pattern coming through the lattice:

Looks really happy! Not all hosta bloom at the same time. I have several with buds but no blooms yet. According to the database on the hostalibrary Patriot blooms June/July. Enjoy!

Whoopee! I'll keep the camera charged up. Thanks for the info. I always forget about the library/database. Give it time.

I had a bud on 'Allan P. McConnell' this year before it was completely unfurled. But no bloom yet.

Re 'Patriot', I'm in a similar zone and mine bloomed last year around July 25 - early August. Of course, the bloom time can vary depending on the conditions in a given year too.

It's blooming! I do really appreciate this plant. Since its a stand-alone its kinda like the Salvia Apiana - they've got attitude. I guess a stand-alone is a specimen, right? I do know what to do much of the time, just never bothered with the vocabulary before. Who cares? I'm just thrilled spitless.

Okay let me get my high school cheerleader skirt on it still fits but I am to old to do the jump and splits.

Jumps, splits and costumes... I remember those days. I can't even think about it without getting a pain somewhere.

Yes when I get together with my best friend from HS we both say it hurts just thinking about doing those splits.

I love Hosta flowers. Some people do not like them and cut them off when they flower,

I have hostas planted in my sun garden and I like the flower color blooming with the daylilies.

Oh, Cinta - that's a pretty combo.