Re: The Top 2 or 3

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Mount Tom  - Regal Providence - Captain Kirk - Tsugaru Komachi, Streaked

I actually have these but haven't had them long enough to even get to know them, so I'll offer them for my top 2 or 3.  For NEXT year, my idea of a good time would be to add about 170 varieties.  Getting me to limit it to 2 or 3 top ones is an undertaking that I would consider too painful to bare, so I'll opt out on that one.  However, they are ALL going to be superior additions at this stage of the game or I wouldn't be thinking of adding them .... 8<)).

What I have observed about my taste as applied to my Hosta collection is that for some locations, a simple plant like a H. ventricosa or H. lancifolia is just the right plant.  While these are common, they provide an excellent back ground to allow others to really standout.  I recently added a Lakeside Shore Master (along with a whole slew of other Lakesides in a featured bed) that will one day be awesome, yet until then, my Frances Williams was simply awesome this year.  And I know some folks aren't thrilled with Brim Cup (is there a better treat for a slug?), but first thing in the spring the H. 'Brim Cup' and the H. 'Torchlight' next to it are a beautiful sight to behold.  I expect the bed that is a tribute to Ran Lydell will also start to look pretty good.  H. 'Arch Duke', H. 'Striker', and H. 'Peridot', H. 'June Bug' are just a couple that I am anxious to see return.

The H. 'Lakeside Coal Miner'' will be fun to see coming up somewhere near that H. 'Lakeside Roy El', but since I went from 65 to 400 in just one year, I've got an awful lot of plants that I am still getting to know!  Even simple plants like Fried Bananas and Fried Green Tomatoes intrigued me last year, because they are exquisite in their simplicity, holding up well in the drought-like conditions that we had last summer.   While others looked tired and stressed, the trio of FB, FGT and Guacamole showed that they could take a lickin' and keep on tickin'.  Nothing wrong with simple when they can look SO doggone good!

I'm anxious to see how much of my garden responds to the mushroom compost that I infused at the end of the season, Cindy.  Maybe after another 10 years or so it will be easier to pick just two or three.

I just LOVE Hostas!

Andrew Lietzow
http://dev.hostahaven.com/discus

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