Hosta Size
- Subject: Hosta Size
- From: g*@vermontel.net (Glen Williams)
- Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 06:43:21 -0400
I have had H. 'Big Daddy for a long time. As the years passed , and since
it was in an area where my hosta gardens first started, I left it alone.
The environment where it was grown changed with the cutting of some trees
and the growth of other plants which took the moisture from the ground much
more greedily. In truth H. 'Big Daddy' had originally been given a 25 cent
hole in the ground in unprepared soil, and since it did well for years , I
ignored it...all the while moving its more impressive neighbors to new
spots. The FORGETTING process took over and newer models led me to ignore
the spot where H. 'Big Daddy' had thrived. This year while searching for
sports, I came to the spot, and low and behold, I had a carpet of small
blue leaves about a foot square. There had never been any weed competition
because of its location in some very acidic soil under some giant blue
spruce trees. "Big Daddy" was really beautiful. It was about 4 inches high
, and more rhizome-like in its growth habit than clump. It is not sparse
and does make a carpet. I have seen nothing like it out there. Of course
the plant is H. Big Daddy which has been "bonzaied" by lack of care, into
this form. H. "Daddy" now has a special new place in a section of the
garden with other miniatures. I am enjoying it while I can because I expect
with the new location, soil, and water, that "Big" may return. What really
intrigues me is not only this NEW hosta, but the process which brought it
to this lowly state. It was never under other hostas, but always in deep
high shade. Water and nutrients were missing over the years but it was a
gradual process. In all my experience, an ever diminishing hosta is simply
that: little, less, nothing - like the end of Malher's 9th Symphony. I
have seen the "last" leaf of dozens of hostas over the years, but not H.
'Big Daddy' . There are no flowers but I can live in hope.
"Yearning to to right on any subject for more than 10 minutes."
Glen Williams
20 Dewey St.
Springfield , Vermont
05156
Tel: 802-885-2839
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