Dog Community

Hostas, big and small (tacran)

Posted : 6/3/2013 3:31:29 PM

I was doing some weeding this weekend and decided I'd take photos of a couple of my hostas. I really don't enjoy gardening, but once I discovered hostas, I was hooked. Easy care and good return on your investment since they can be divided every year. I only knew the hostas my Mom had around our patio growing up -- nothing special, kind of ugly actually. I had no idea they came in so many sizes, colors, foliage/leaf shape and patterns. There's a nursery near us that specializes in them. It's actually the owners' home with spectacular display gardens. Every year I buy a couple more. I thought I'd share two here. They aren't the prettiest ones I have, but they'll show the size variation.

First -- the largest one I have. It's called Blue Giant (Ruby graciously posed with it to give you an idea of scale):

[URL=http://s1305.photobucket.com/user/TacranPhoto/media/GiantHosta1_zps0b34c62a.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s543/TacranPhoto/GiantHosta1_zps0b34c62a.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Second - the tiniest one I have. It's called Popo (I put a penny next to this one). It has tiny buds on it; little purple flowers will soon appear:

[URL=http://s1305.photobucket.com/user/TacranPhoto/media/Popo1_zps75a1050e.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s543/TacranPhoto/Popo1_zps75a1050e.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Thanks for looking!

kpwlee

Posted : 6/3/2013 4:27:26 PM

Yea Ruby!!!

Er I mean nice hostas!

My mom loves hostas, not really a plant I can put here. I didn't know they teeny ones! Cool

janobonano

Posted : 6/3/2013 4:52:06 PM

Wow, that first one is really big! Thanks for the help, Ruby! Wink

Freedom

Posted : 6/3/2013 4:57:40 PM

I had no idea they came in so many sizes! I've only seen 2 types, both the same size, one with all green leaves, one with varigated leaves - green and white.

I have quite a few. Don't do much with them, snip the flower stalks in late Sept and run the lawn mower over the leaves late Oct, lol.

iluvjamison

Posted : 6/4/2013 6:19:58 AM

I can't tell a flower from a weed, but I can never get enough of Ruby !!!

Deb W.

calliecritturs

Posted : 6/4/2013 6:51:05 AM

iluvjamison
I can't tell a flower from a weed, but I can never get enough of Ruby !!!

Deb W.

Yeah - what she said!! (I thot "hostas" were something to eat LOL)

JackieG

Posted : 6/4/2013 8:06:48 AM

The Blue Giant is gorgeous! Not as gorgeous as Ruby of course. lol I love Hostas but the snails and slugs around here eat them up and then they look all ratty. Yours look completely unblemished.

tacran

Posted : 6/4/2013 11:48:21 AM

Yes, the slugs love them. I try to buy the ones that say "slug-resistant" on the label, but they're not as common. It seems slugs don't like to eat leaves that are thicker, waxy, or textured/puckered. In the front yard where Ruby doesn't walk or sit, we use an organic slug bait on the more tender plants. I only have four hostas in the backyard -- they're all giant ones because they can stand up to Ruby's zoomies for the most part. I have to put little cages around them when they first poke through the ground in the spring though.

Last year I bought a variety called "Miss Ruby" - it's really pretty, maybe about 15 inches wide with dark purple stems, and dark leaves. I was going to take a photo of it to share, but it looks really shredded, thanks to the slugs! Maybe I'll add some other pics to this later!

janobonano

Posted : 6/4/2013 8:20:35 PM

calliecritturs
I thot "hostas" were something to eat LOL

They are... if you're a deer! Stick out tongue

Jewlieee

Posted : 6/5/2013 5:39:26 AM

Love that first one wow its huge!

nymaureen

Posted : 6/5/2013 8:12:43 AM

Wow, big variation in size. I don't think I've ever seen the small one. I love hostas as well and have a few different variety's. Thanks for sharing.

FrisbyPI

Posted : 6/5/2013 5:18:20 PM

The small one is amazing--I've never seen little ones! I use beer for the slugs. (Cheap beer for them; good beer for me :-)

tacran

Posted : 6/5/2013 8:28:18 PM

Kate, I'm sure my husband would say that baiting the slugs is the only reason cheap beer should exist! :-)

I love the tiny hostas because you can tuck them into little spaces where other plants won't fit. Plus, they're just so darn cute!

shadowsgin

Posted : 6/6/2013 4:47:01 PM

I also am a Hosta lover. That one is beautiful and the dog statue in front of it is gorgeous Stick out tongue Smooches to Ruby

I have several varieties and I also plant astillbe and coral bells with my hostas. The snails and slugs are a pain and they are yucky but it will not keep me from my shade plants :)

tacran

Posted : 6/10/2013 4:40:05 PM

Here are some photos from the display gardens at the hosta nursery. The pics don't do them justice -- it's a gorgeous display, all around the home where the owners live (the nursery and greenhouses spread out around the house - it's on a few acres). You can get an idea of the different colors, foliage textures, and sizes.

We visited yesterday with my SIL and BIL. I managed to buy only 2 new hostas, but I'm sure I'll go back again at least once this summer. They don't sell everything that's in their personal garden. Their garden has unique lilies, conifers, dahlias, clematis -- but they mainly sell hostas and shade plants. Ginger, I've got a few astilbe from there - I love those, too. DH loves to pick out odd looking ferns, so we've got 4 or 5 from there.