We've had a LOT of rain this spring and the hostas are loving it. But I'm also having lots of stuff drop off my trees; so please excuse a few pics that show some of that stuff.
'Allegan Fog' - June 17'
'Alligator Shoes' - June 25
'Ani Machi' - June 17. This was the last pic before I destroyed the plant. It was new to me in 2006 and just this year it looked a bit funny. I brought in a leaf and it kicked around my kitchen for a couple of days until I ran a rest strip on it - POSITIVE for HVX and the signs were very, very subtle. It's probably been infected all that time. Hope I haven't infected something else. I've not had a positive HVX ID since 2007.
'Allan P. McConnell' is fast growing, easy to divide and makes a great border along the driveway.
My new garden arbor replaces a shrub I dug out a few years ago. This is the east side of my house and it's about 12' away from the neighbour's garage which also has white aluminum siding. Since the shrub was north of the hostas, I didn't think it helped them, but ever since I dug it out, the hostas have fried. I decided that the shrub had broken up the reflection of sun between the houses. The arbor does the same thing. Win-win situation. A craftsman at church built it for me and it's very, very sturdy. I paid him what I'd have paid to buy a good one and he donated everything above his costs to the building fund at our church (considerable since we just finished a huge renovation).
'Aristocrat' was moved to this location last autumn. 'Remember Me' is to the right and they look wonderful together.
'Bell Ringer' came as 'Liberty Bell' a few years ago, but had already stabilized. That's OK with me as I was honoring the members of the handbell team I direct who gave me a gardening gift certificate. This seems a fast-growing, happy plant.
