I've mostly finished choosing the best pictures of my hostas for 2023. It was not a great year for pictures and I didn't take them as often as I usually do. Long, cold spring. Then I sprained an ankle on May 19. Went to Europe (in a boot) 2 1/2 weeks later, came home 2 weeks after that. So my very first set of pictures wasn't until well into June. Then we had a miserable summer, weatherwise. Cool, rainy and lots of slugs. But my intention is to add a few daily until I get through them all.

The first pictures for the year 2023, working BACKWARDS through the alphabet.

'X-rated', July 9. A mini that needs to be dug and replanted closer together. It was supposed to have been done last year, but wasn't.


'Wylde Green Cream', July 29. This is one of the 'Vanilla Cream' sports. It's a smallish hosta that makes a nice mound. Mine was dug and divided a few years ago as it had developed a 'fairy ring'. In this case, that may be partially due to tree roots as well.


'White Feather', May 19 and Sept. 16. This was a gift. I would not buy such a fussy hosta, but I've had reasonable success keeping it alive for about 5 years now, but keeping it in a pot.



'White Dove', July 29. This one I've had for a long time and it just doesn't grow. At the end of the season, I gave it away.


'White Christmas', July 29. This one has grown well for me, but I didn't manage to get new mulch in this year and all my pictures are muddy.


'Whirlwind', two divisions, photos July 29. Would you believe that the second plant is a division of the first? Grown under different conditions in the yard, they look entirely different.

A few more:

'Wheee!', Aug. 8. A mature plant that was fignting off a tree root last year. I hope I've severed the roots sufficiently for it to do better next year.


Weedling, July 9. I just call this 'Weedling' as it was found in the garden, but it is almost certainly a seedling from 'Lakeside Zinger'. It's got leaves of heavy substance that have an occasional whitish streak through them.


'Warwick Curtsey', July 9. A mature plant that should be divided next year.


'Viola Ann', July 9. This was given to me in 2010 as a streaked plant of unknown origin. It has grown well in the past, but I'm dividing out increasing amounts of solid colour and it looks as though it's trying to stabilize into a white-centred plant. I gave it a vanity name, but I suspect it won't be in my garden much longer.


'Venus', July 9. This one grows, but rarely blooms for me and in 2023, didn't even try to bloom.


'Undulata Univittata', July 9. I've had this one close to 30 years, though it wasn't properly labelled when I bought it and it took me awhile to determine its correct name as I didn't know much about hostas back then.


'Undulata Albomarginata', July 29. Again, one of my original hostas. I still have three clumps that are well mired into tree roots around my Linden tree. This actually shows two of those clumps.

'Twist of Lime', July 1. I spread out a clump of this into a border a couple of years ago. It's at the end of a border of the related plant, 'Lemon Frost'. This new bit of border is gradually filling out.


'Touch of Class', Aug. 8. An old favourite.


'Tiny Tears', July 1.


'Tickle Me Pink', July 1. This one gets brighter as the season progresses except that in my garden it also develops sooty mold from being near a Linden Tree.


'Tick Tock', July 9.


'The Razor's Edge', July 1 and Sept. 8. This one was caught up in maple roots and wasn't doing well. I lifted it, divided it, gave some divisions to a plant sale but the second picture is what I kept for myself.



'Teaspoon', July 9.


'Tears of Joy', July 1. This is a very strange little hosta with small folded leaves and naked flowers.

Today, the hostas beginning with 'S'.

'Surprised By Joy', July 29. A mini that I've grown for a couple of decades. Excuse the dandelion, please.


'Surfer Girl', July 9. This is a fast-growing mini. At the end of the summer, I dug it and divided some for a plant sale and moved it slightly as I redid this garden.


'Sun Power', July 9.


'Summer Music', July 9.


'Summer Breeze'', July 29. I still find it amazing that this one is a sport of the previous hosta ('Summer Music').


'Stiletto', Aug. 8.


'Stand By Me', Aug. 8. Very similar to 'Touch of Class', except a bit smaller and probably not a tetraploid.


'Stained Glass', July 29.


'Sparkler', Aug. 8.


'So Sweet', Aug. 8.


'Silver Threads and Golden Needles', July 9.


'Silly String', July 9 and Aug. 13. Blue hosta with the look of 'Curly Fries' (which was one of its parents and which you can see behind in the second picture).



'September Sun', July 29. This is too close to my oak tree and needs to be lifted and really enriched.


'Sara', July 9.

Today, those beginning with "R".

'Rootin Tootin', July 29.


'Roller Coaster Ride', July 29. This one gets a lot of sun and seems to like it, though the new tree is beginning to cast filtred shade.


'Ripple Effect', Aug. 8. This one has not grown well for me. I divided it and gave most to a plant sale, but kept one division to try in a new location in my garden.


'Revolution', July 29.


'Restless Sea', Sept. 8. I love the sawtooth edges and white backs of the leaves.


'Remember Me', July 9.


'Regal Splendor', Aug. 8.


'Red October', July 1. This is a late bloomer. But the slugs also like it and it's generally lacework when it blooms.


'Raspberry Sundae', July 9. This was a new plant in 2023. I still have my old one and it has done better since it was potted, but it had dwindled to mini-size.


'Raspberries and Cream', Sept. 8. Another very late bloomer.


'Rainforest Sunrise', July 1. Early in the season it looks great, but the cupped leaves catch all sorts of debris and are usually stained a rusty colour by the end of the season.


'Rainbow's End', July 1.

--

Ann if it helps any, my Ripple Effect has tripled in size since 2017, it gets a lot of sun until about 11 am

Good to know. My back yard garden is sunnier than where it was. And it's still in a pot; so I can move it around a bit.

Today, here are the Ps and Qs.

We start with:
'Queen of the Seas', July 29. This was a one-eye division in 2022 in a trade. It seems off to a good start.


'Quarter Note', Aug. 8. Received as a gift a few years ago, it's fitting for a musician. I like this one.


'Purple Heart', Sept 8. Wants to wander but I didn't get a chance in 2023 to get it dug and replanted closer together. A job for 2024.


'Pure Heart', July 29. The only white or light-centred "Mouse Ear" hosta that has not gone solid blue for me. I've had it quite a long time now.


'Punky', July 29. Nice sport from 'Blue Wedgwood'. The leaves are supposed to get lighter in the centre during the summer, but mine doesn't change colour much.


'Praying Hands', July 29. It's a bit smaller this year. I've got invading tree roots in the garden and am starting to deliberately make regular cuts with my spade near it.


'Popo', July 9. A nice mini that does well in a pot in a trough.


'Pixie Vamp', July 1. This is a really perky mini that can hold its own well in the garden. Fertile. I have a lovely, albeit solid green mini-seedling from it.


'Peppermint Ice', July 29. Another that doesn't want to make a nice clump.


'Patriot', July 29. This one doesn't like me. The first did well until suddenly, a few years ago, it curled up its toes and sulked. I decided to replace it (though I gave it to a friend to try) and this one didn't do well either. I think too many tree roots. It spent a year in a pot and then I sunk the entire pot into the garden here.


'Paradise Island', July 29. This sport of 'Fire Island' has the same bright yelllow leaves in spring, but a narrow green margin.


'Pandora's Box', July 29. A nice mini that's one of the 'Baby Bunting' sports.

M & N for today.

'Neptune', Aug. 8. This was new late in 2020 but I'm not happy with its lack of growth. It will probably get moved in 2024.


'Nancy', July 9. Had a lot of slug damage in 2023. Very pretty when it blooms later, but the leaves weren't in good shape this year.


'My Claire', July 29. I like this small hosta and haven't seen anyone else posting it.


'Morning Light', July 29. This one also had slug damage in 2023.


'Montana Aureomarginata', July 29. This was new in 2021 and is settling in well.


'Mini Skirt', July 9. New in the last couple of years. Not as twisted as some I've seen; so I hope that will come with maturity.


'Milkmaid', Aug. 8. This one, like its probable parent 'Spilt Milk', is quite unique.


'Mighty Mouse', July 9. This grows well for me, but w/o it's tag I wouldn't be able to distinguish it from 'Frosted Mouse Ears'.


'Masquerade', July 9. One of my early hostas and a delightful mini.


'Marilyn Monroe', July 29 and Sept 8. I divided Marilyn in August and replanted some of her in a slightly different location.

Unfortunately, it is covered in sooty mould from the Linden tree overhead.


'Mango Tango', July 29. I see it's also got a bit of sooty mould, but not as much as it's farther from the Linden.

Ann, Neptune is a good grower for me, lots of morning sun.

I'm going to pretend it's Jan. 6 and post the ones I would have tomorrow. I'm not sure there will be time tomorrow. These are the "L" hostas NOT counting Lakeside.

'Loyalist', July 1.


'Lovely Leila', July 9. This is an unregistered seedling named after my 2nd granddaughter. I don't know the parentage as squirrels moved my markers around during its first winter. For a long time, I thought the pod parent was 'June', but the bloom is at a totally different time from the 'June' family. It often emerges with very light leaf centres that never fully darken, but remain misty in the centre.



'Little Treasure', July 9. This was grown in full sun after we lost a major tree. Now that a new tree is growing, it gets filtered shade, though it still gets quite a bit of sun.


'Little Sunspot', July 1. This wasn't doing well in the garden and has spent the last couple of years in a pot where it seems much happier, but I need to find it a garden location.


'Little Red Rooster', July 1.


'Little Miss Sunshine', July 9. Another that wasn't doing well in the garden and has spent the last couple of years in a pot where it seems much happier. I also need to find this a garden location.


'Limey Lisa', July 9. This one needs to be moved, but it didn't happen last year. It regularly heaves during the winter in spite of extra soil that I add to it. Not quite sure why it's affected as none of my others have this problem on a regular basis.


'Liberty', July 1. One of the few large hostas I have.


'Lemon Frost', July 9. This is a very fast-growing, easy-to-divide mini. Makes a GREAT border plant.


'Last Dance'', July 29. This had wandered around a bit. A couple of years ago, I dug it, enriched its spot in the garden and removed tree roots and replanted and it looks happier.

I really like Mango Tango and finally found one last year, hope it gets as nice as yours.

Liberty looks great Ann!

Here are the Lakeside hostas that I have.

'Lakeside Zinger', July 9. This is a robust mini and it's fertile as I've got a nice seedling from it.


'Lakeside Shore Master', July 9.


'Lakeside Reflecting Glass', July 9. This is a sport from 'Lakeside Looking Glass' and it's very unstable. I'm DONE with dividing it and it's on its own from now on.


'Lakeside Paisley Print', July 1. This is one of my favourites.


'Lakeside Mom', July 29. For a long time, this was my favourite streaked hosta and for a long time it behaved itself very well. But of late, it's been doing funky things. I divided quite a large section from it at the end of 2022 season.


'Lakeside Looking Glass', July 1. This is actually the solid green stabilized section I removed from 'L. Reflecting Glass'. It didn't thrill me and at the end of the season I dug, divided it and shipped it all off to plant sales.


'Lakeside Elfin Fire', July 1. A mini that struggles. I need to dig it, enrich it and replant close together, but it didn't get done in 2023.


'Lakeside Cranberry Relish', Aug. 8. A pretty one, but it had spread out. I dug it in 2021, I think, and enriched it and replanted closer together, but it hasn't grown much since.

Not many today. These are the 5 I have that begin with "K".

'Korean Snow', July 1. I've had this one a long time and have never divided it. I love the misted look it has.


'Kinbotan', July 29. A fast-growing mini that makes a good ground cover.


'Kifukurin Ko Mame', July 9. This mini was one of my earliest hostas. It's very easy to divide and makes a wonderful border. I had it in 4 places in 2023. This is the largest border.


This was also in my front yard, but I dug it up and divided it for plant sales as I needed the space to get a few other hostas in the ground.


This small border is in the back yard.


This was a clump that I dug and divided a couple of years ago with the intention of having some ready for plant sales.


'Katsuragawa Beni', Aug. 8. A nice one with red petioles. But it was lost behind other hostas. It got dug and moved by the end of the summer.


'Karin', July 29. My daughter's name. This one is subject to drawstring effect some years and in 2023, it didn't look its best.

I'm going to lump 'I' and 'J' together since I don't have too many of either.

Here they are:

'Justine', July 9. This was a gift in 2022 and is still growing up.


'June', July 9 - second division. I divided my original 'June' some years ago. This piece ended up with no roots, but I stuck it in the ground anyway and it had enough crown to grow well. It gets different light from my original plant and for years looked quite a lot more blue, but the last few years I've not seen as much difference.


'June', July 29 - first division. This is my original 'June', though I sometimes see solid blue leaves appearing in it these days.


'Joby', July 9. This plant was registered in 2022 in the name of a friend's husband who passed in August. My friend chose this plant from all of my seedlings. It's a 2010 seedling from 'Déjà Blu' and is solid blue. It was much divided to share in 2022 and is recovering from that division.


'Jewel of the Nile', July 1. I like this upright plant, but have to keep removing solid yellow sections from it.


'Janet', July 29. This one changes colour during the season and is nearly white by the end of the summer. It has one slightly streaky eye in it, but I have no plans to divide it as the last time I did, the streaked section didn't amount to anything after a year or two.


'Island Breeze', Aug. 8. I like this second generation sport from 'Fire Island' (through 'Paradise Island'). It has a wider green margin than PI and grows better, but it still has red legs and is bright yellow in early spring.


'Illicit Affair', July 9. This is a mini, but mine doesn't seem to know it. It's a sport from 'Cheatin' Heart'.


'Ice Cream', July 9. One of the sports from 'Vanilla Cream'. I like this one and you can see a bit of 'Wylde Green Cream' (a sibling sport) in the background.


'Ice Age Trail', July 9 - second division. I divided IAT about 3 years ago. Much of it was solid blue ('Big Daddy') which I gave away, some of it had a white centre ('Sugar Mama'), but it didn't grow well. And I kept these two streaked divisions, though they are quite different from each other. This one should likely be divided again in 2024.


'Ice Age Trail', Sept. 8 - first division

Always like the ones that change color over the course of the season. And Ice Age Trail is a favorite.

Moving right along, albeit backwards. On to the letter "H".

My "H" hostas are:

'Hope', July 1. For me, this is the best growing of the sports of 'Baby Bunting'.


'Hope Springs Eternal', July 1 and leaf June 30. An impulse buy, new in 2023. I have several leaves on mine which have streaks in them. Looking forward to seeing this grow and hoping it maintains those streaky leaves.



'High Society', Aug. 8. I've had this awhile. I divided it several years ago, gave away part and replanted the rest. But the squirrels dug it up a couple of times. It's now doing OK, but the leaves are still not as broad as before I divided it.


'Hidden Cove', July 9. A mini that struggles a bit.


'Heidi Ho', July 1. This is a 10 yr-old seedling from 'Spilt Milk', named after my 3rd granddaughter.


'Heavenly Tiara', July 9. This one got too much sun after we lost a tree and while it grew well, it faded to ugly. I moved it and it seems to like the new location.


'Harpoon', July 29. I rather like this cute, irregular mound.


'Hans', July 1. A few years old, but still in a pot. I had it in the ground in one location which got too much sun before the trees leaved out. It burned; so I potted it. At the end of the summer, I found a shadier garden location for it.


'Hanky Panky', July 1. A fit of a funky hosta that changes colour during the season.


'Halcyon' 2 & 1 ', July 9 and Aug. 8. My second division is from the first, but it has a shadier location and grows better there.

These are the ones beginning with "G".

'Gypsy Rose', July 29. This one started out really funky and has sported a couple of times, but has been pretty stable for several years now.


'Guardian Angel', July 1. I originally bought this for the hosta garden at my church. But when it lost its shade tree, it was dismantled. I got there first before the other "gardeners" and dug this one. I gave large pieces to several people related to the church as well as this division for me and I brought the rest of the plant home where I grew it for a few years before eventually dividing it up to key people. This is my division and I wish it were growing faster, but it's got some tree root competition.


'Green Eyes', July 9. A classic example of why sharing hostas is a good idea. I shared this one with a friend who's also a hosta grower. I eventually lost mine after putting it into an unfortunate pot (garage sale find, but there must have been something in the glaze on it because everything died). But I was able to get a small division back from my friend. I grow it in a 5" pot which goes into a trough for summer and my veggie garden for winter.


'Great Expectations', July 1. A hosta I've had for a very long time - close to 30 years. I no longer have great expectations for it. It regularly puts out solid blue sections and if you look closely you'll see a section which will probably be blue this year.


'Grand Tiara', July 9. Not a real favourite of mine, but it grows like a weed. I dug this mound out for plant sales near the end of the season as I needed space to get some other hostas into the ground. However, I kept one small division that's in a pot and will find a place for it in the spring.


'Grand Prize', July 1. This is a sport of 'Grand Tiara' and I like it better.


'Golden Nolan', May 24, July 1. This is a mature seedling from 'September Sun' named after my grandson, but not registered. It GLOWS in early spring.



'Ghost Spirit', July 1. This one varies widely in how misted it is early in the season and how dark it gets later. In 2023, it was quite dark.


'Galaxy', July 1. Was looking good in 2023.