Hosta of the Day - 'Kiwi Full Monty'

Hosta 'Kiwi Full Monty' is a sport of hosta 'Striptease'.  It's a beautiful hosta with dusty blue leaves with a chartreuse center and a thin white line between the center and margin.  I had the honor to meet Barry Sligh who originated this hosta at the Indianapolis Hosta Convention a few years ago.  Barry lives in New Zealand, which is why all of his hostas have Kiwi in the name.  I would love to visit his gardens someday.  I own a few of the Kiwi hostas, and I love them all.  Pair this hosta with gold, chartreuse, and green hostas to bring out the blue color.

Hosta 'Kiwi Full Monty' 2009

Hosta 'Kiwi Full Monty' 2011

Hosta of the Day - 'Key Lime Pie'

I ended last week with a pie crust edged hosta, so it's only right that I start this week with a pie crust edged hosta.  Hosta 'Key Lime Pie' is a sport of hosta 'Squash Casserole'.  It is a large hosta with green leaves surrounded by a gold margin.  It has a wonderful pie crust ruffled edge.  This is another fast growing hosta, and make sure to give this one lots of room.  It has purple scape, and light purple flowers in mid summer.  The more sun this hosta receives the lighter the edges will become.  This hosta would be good as a centerpiece or back of the border hosta.  Pair with a hosta that is bright gold or white edged.

Hosta 'Key Lime Pie' 2009

Hosta 'Key Lime Pie' 2011

Hosta of the Day - 'Journey's End'

You know I love me some pie crust edge hostas!  So I just had to have 'Journey's End'!  It's a sport of 'Choo Choo Train' (which I also love).  It has huge bright gold leaves with dark green margins.  The leaves are very pointed and have a pie crust edge.  It has been a very fast growing hosta in my garden, as evident from the pictures below.  Pair this one with white edged or blue hostas, and remember to give it lots of room to grow.

Hosta 'Journey's End' 2011

Hosta 'Journey's End' 2009

Hosta of the Day - 'Jaz'

Hosta 'Jaz' has very glossy, greenish yellow leaves.  The leaves are very, very thick which makes this hosta very slug resistant.  Slugs prefer leaves that are thin and easy to eat, I guess they don't like to work for their dinner.  These leaves feel almost like they are made out of rubber.  It is a medium sized hosta with off white flowers in late fall.  It will definitely add a different texture to your hosta bed.  Pair this one with dark green or blue waxy hostas that will let it's glossy leaves shine.

Hosta 'Jaz' 2009

Hosta 'Jaz' 2011

Shade Plant of the Week - Ligularia

I really love Ligularia!  It is a great addition to any shade garden.  Varieties such as 'Desdemona' and 'Britt Marie Crawford' have large waxy leaves that are lily pad shaped.  The leaves are often green colored on top with reddish undersides.  Other varieties such as 'Japonica', 'Rocket', and 'Dragon's Breath' have more feathery shaped leaves.  The plants are usually quite large and showy, no matter what the variety.  Though there is also miniature varieties out there, such as Ligularia Osiris Fantaisie.  Ligularia is not for the dry shade garden, as it is a water loving plant.  If you plant it in dry shade, be prepared to water it quite often.  The foliage on these plants is great, but a welcome surprise in fall is their yellow daisy like flowers.  Lots of new varieties of Ligularia have come out in the past several years, so be on the look out as it gains popularity!

Ligularia 'Othello'

Ligularia 'Desdemona'

Blooms on Ligularia 'Japonica'

Blooms on Ligularia 'Desdemona'

Ligularia 'Japonica'

Ligularia Osiris Fantaisie (much smaller then other Ligularia)

Ligularia 'Britt Marie Crawford'

Hosta of the Day - 'Jewel of the Nile'

Last week when writing about streaked hostas I mentioned hosta unstability and reverting.  I decided to feature Hosta 'Jewel of the Nile' to show what that looks like in hostas.  'Jewel of the Nile' is an unstable sport of hosta 'Dee's Golden Jewel'.  'Jewel of the Nile' is unique in that every leaf can have a different look to it.  Some will be green with gold margins, others gold with green streaks, etc.  I have seen some beautiful 'Jewel of the Nile's which is why I decided to take a chance on it.  Below you will see mine.  In 2009 all of the leaves are green with a gold margin, but by 2011 half of my plant has reverted back to all gold ('Dee's Golden Jewel').  You can dig up the hosta and separate off the part that has reverted back to all gold, but this is a hosta that reverts very quickly compared to others.  So I am not going to tell you not to buy this hosta, but if you do, you will probably have to do maintenance on this plant to keep it from reverting back to all gold (and even that can't be guaranteed).

'Jewel of the Nile' 2009

'Jewel of the Nile' 2011

Hosta of the Day - 'June'

If you ask any hosta lover to name their top 5 hostas, hosta 'June' is sure to be somewhere in their top 5.  What's not to love?  It is a strong growing hosta that looks beautiful no matter where you put it.  The unique thing about 'June' is that you can have more then one plant, and depending on the light they will look like two different plants.  The more light it receives, the more green in color it will appear.  The less light, the more blue in color it will appear.  Either way it's beautiful!  The leaves are blue with chartreuse centers that turn more towards gold as the growing season progresses.  Place this hosta somewhere near the front of the border, as it will draw lots of attention and it's medium in size.  It will look great paired with gold and/or light green hostas.

Hosta 'June' 2009

Hosta 'June' 2011