If you had gone Hosta-hunting in central Oklahoma in the 1980's you would have been hard-pressed to find more than 3-5 cultivars… a couple with blue foliage, a couple with variegated leaves and a yellow leafed one. Thank goodness, by the early 1990's, a lot more was known about Hostas and a lot more cultivars were available.
Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans' was one of those few, early, blue selections. A few of my gardening friends would say, "Early availability is the reason this particular Hosta is still one of John's favorites… he just saw it before he saw very many others."
That might well have been the initial reason… but other, better ones quickly outweighed it.
This Hosta, for instance, has thick, puckered and cupped blue leaves that help it resist insect and disease attacks better than the thin, variegated leaves of other Hostas. This same physical quality makes 'Elegans' more sun tolerant than other Hostas… even in the drying summer light of the Southern Great Plains. Wind, as well as sun, has a desiccating effect of foliage in Oklahoma… and the same thick leaves help it avoid windburn. Its greatest enemy, however, is hail… so if you can anticipate a hail storm... covering the plant temporarily is highly recommended.
Practical considerations aside, the ornamental value of H.s. 'Elegans' is tremendous. At maturity this Hosta can be 24 inches tall and have a diameter of 4-5 feet. This alone makes it a suitable candidate as a focal point in any woodland setting. Its foliage color is blue enough to be a striking contrast to all the green, gray and/or yellow foliage around it.
In the woodland setting in which it belongs it looks absolutely stunning when planted in a grouping of three… surrounded by a low growing groundcover like Bugleweed [Ajuga], or Mondo Grass [Ophiopogon] or Geranium tuberosum [Cranesbill].
Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans' is hardy from zone 4 south through zone 9. So, in the southern three of these zones, it is hardy in a large freeze proof container. In this configuration it looks striking placed on either side of entry or patio doors. Just remember to water in winter every 12-14 days and always just before very, very hard freezes.

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There is a certain beauty in this hosta's leaves, even as it goes dormant for the winter.

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