We're above freezing today, thank goodness! Most of the snow has melted and while the prognostications are for a bit of a cold spell mid-week it looks like we'll be above getting rain, and plenty of it, in about a week or so... Should start to see the snowdrops and hellebores again today or tomorrow.
I have a fair number of S's and I start off with 'Sea Octopus'. I originally obtained this as part of a trade with a local gardener and when SO was first suggested she didn't provide me a picture so I relied on the pictures in the HL. At the time there weren't many but there was one picture by a Shauna Cannon that was striking but it was out of step with the others, it was quite narrow-leaved and I was kinda looking for that type of leaf. Well, it's become to clear to me that Shauna's picture is not of 'Sea Octopus' but something else altogether. Initially I was somewhat disappointed but even though it didn't turn out as expected, over the years I've had it -15 +- I now count it among my favourites. It is a great grower, has lovely flowers and readily sets seed.






As the pods mature they become rather dark.



One of my favourite seedlings out if SO is what I call "Octopus' Garden", a narrower-leaved lutescent plant.


'September White' is apparently named for its white flowers in September...it's not a particularly rapid grower.




Next up another plant I got in trade from the same lady that gave me 'Sea Octopus'. This is sieboldii 'Alba'.






It is rhizomatous as you see but it's not the runaway the clausa is.


I have used in breeding and one of its offspring is a cross with 'Ray of Hope' as pollen parent that has matured into a uniquely flowering variety with fused petals. It'll come up under the T's as "Tousled Hair".

S will have the most for me.




Siberian Tiger

'Sharp Dressed Man' A favorite hosta, good grower


'Skywriter' Beautiful aqua colored leaves, contrast with the very pink buds


'Spartacus' New last year, picked up at the Arb sale.

'Spilt Milk' Moved this one to a more shade situation, seems to be doing better.

'Striptease' Been in the ground since the mid 90s

'Stained Glass'

'Sugar Plum' Nice Hosta, slow grower, nice reddish stems


'Sunset Grooves'

'Sleeping Beauty' is up next.

SB has proven to be a bit unstable for me.






I saw this in one of our local nurseries labeled as 'Striptease' but it sure looks like 'Snake Eyes' to me. I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Here it is a couple of years later in a comparison with 'Striptease' at the top.


I do have a thing for plants with fragrant flowers and here's 'Sugar and Spice'. It's a sport out of 'Invincible' and it is the same slug magnet as its progenitor. Like most fragrant-flowered hostas it breaks fairly early.








This next variety is known in the trade under two different names. I prefer to use the name it was registered as: 'Stirfry'. Some enterprising Dutch propagator decided a few years ago to market it as "Purple Sensation" in reference to the colour of the flowers. It'll always be 'Stirfry' to me...









This next one is a bit of a puzzler. It came to me as 'Spider' but I have not been able to find that name for a hosta online. Perhaps it will ring a bell with someone, I'd love to be able to put a proper name to it.

Sure looks like Snake Eyes to me Pieter!

The final S installment begins with 'Striptease'.



It has been fairly stable but sports have shown up, such as this 'Gypsy Rose' looking one.

Last year I ended up taking off quite the variety of sports. I'm eagerly waiting to see what will become of them this year.




Last year I acquired 'Sunny Halcyon' but unfortunately I only have the one picture.

The last one is 'Sunset Grooves'.

Both on SG as well as its progenitor 'Rainforest Sunrise' I have seen some of the early leaves come up with a white edge, like you see here...

And that's all for me...

'Sum and Substance' This one really took a beating from the voles, coming back

Shocking Mandy

Snake Eyes

Satisfaction

Sister Act

Shadowland Gigantosaurus

Sir Prize

Saybrook Surprise

Lots of "S" hostas here. I think I'll divide them into 3 posts.

'Sara', June 30 & July 8, new 2006.
Deep gold, moderately wavy and rugose leaves with heavy substance. Semi-upright. Lutescent. This is registered as medium-large, but mine seems more large. Name of my younger daughter.



'September Sun', June 30, new 2005.
This sport of 'August Moon' did well in my garden for a long time but has been marking time of late, likely because the oak near it has grown so much. I need to dig it in 2025. I have quite a nice mature seedling from this one.


'Silly String', June 30, new 2022. Hybrid of H. Curly Fries and another Hans Hansen seedling. I really like this lovely blue version of 'Curly Fries'.


'Silver Threads and Golden Needles', June 30, new 2010. I had an earlier version of this but it eventually disappeared from my garden. This has always been grown in a pot and is doing well.


'So Sweet', June 30, new 2005. 1996 Hosta of the Year. I divided this one in 2011 and it hasn't thrived since. I need to dig and probably move it, perhaps farther from my lilacs.

More "S" hostas -

'Sparkler', June 4, new 2012. This sport of 'Fireworks' grows far better for me than its parent (no longer in my garden) did. But it's now getting crowded by 'Galaxy' behind it and a seedling from 'Pixie Vamp' in front of it and will need a better space of its own in 2025.


'Spilt Milk', Aug. 8, new 2006. This grew well for along time and I've got two nice seedlings from it - one variegated and one that looks just like it, but is larger than 'Milkmaid'. But of late, starting after a late April ice storm in 2018, this was doing poorly in the garden. I dug it, cleaned out tree roots, and replanted, but it still didn't do well; so it's now in a large pot and we are watching it. If it doesn't improve, I'll just grow the seedling instead.

Here's a picture of that seedling from 2016.


'Stained Glass', July 25, new 2004. 2006 Hosta of the Year. This had started to decline so I dug it, enriched the area it grows in and replanted and a couple of years later it's doing well.


'Stand By Me', Aug. 8, new 2012. This sport for 'June' is very similar to 'Touch of Class', except it's smaller and likely not tetraploid.


'Stiletto', June 30, new 2009. This mini was a gift from a friend and came in a styrofoam cup. It has grown well for me.

And my final "S" hostas -

'Summer Breeze', June 30, July 8. New 2003. This sport of 'Summer Music' has been a bright light in my garden.



'Summer Music', July 16, new 2005. This was slow to start growing but has done well once it did.


'Sun Power', June 28, July 16, new 2005. This one has been in several locations in my garden and I've finally found the one it likes best. It very narrowly escaped being completely crushed when a neighbour's tree fell into my garden on July 15, but after the tree was cleared away, we found only a bit of damage at the edges.



'Surfer Girl', June 20, new 2018. A fast-growing mini.


'Surprised By Joy', June 20, new 2005. Another mini which has been getting smaller of late in the garden. I plan to pot it in 2025.

Snake Eyes

So Sweet

Sun Power

Seems I missed one: 'Stained Glass'. This 'Guacamole' sport has not been near as vigorous as its parent. I've obtained it twice over the years. Of all the members of the 'Fragrant Bouquet' family this is easily the pickiest to grow for me. This is a 'family portrait' with SG in the foreground and G behind it.

Here it is again with 'Guacamole' and it's interesting how the leaves on SG lack the slightly glaucous bloom you see on G behind it.

Seducer

Sharp Dressed Man

Sunset Grooves

Solar Flare

Sugar Snap

Sugar Daddy

Silver Bay