Shopping around for a blue hosta, I’ve discovered that HostasDirect.com has an amazing 7000+ specimen database. HostasDirect is on the Garden Watchdog’s Top 5 purveyors of hostas. Their search engine rocks!
Tag: hosta
First orders in-house
Awaiting me when I got home from work yesterday was my Brent & Becky’s order. As usual, I’m always pleased to find a well-packaged order of healthy, good-sized bulbs. If weather permits this weekend (a possibility of snow and freezing temperatures forecast on Saturday), I will be putting the new arrivals in the ground.
The honey and I went to Lowes to see about fabricating a light stand. However, we had a hard time finding any pieces for even a decent price. The wire/metal stand started at $40 which I decided not to purchase, and we found with a fluorescent grow light for about $15. I may just return the light and craft something simpler, as shown in the CFL grow light video. The honey had a good idea to re-purpose our unused 2nd bathroom as a seedling house and we may be trying PVC to craft a light stand.
While at Lowes we also picked up two bags of hosta: Gold Standard and Minuteman. These will join the Eternal Flame I ordered from Forestfarm, which should hopefully arrive today. I’d like to add a blue hosta to our collection and am surfing around for candidates.
Orders on the way
My Brent and Becky’s order is on its way via Fedex, scheduled delivery Thursday, which includes 15 lily bulbs, 3 calla lilies, 1 astilbe. Forestfarm’s order ships via UPS, arriving Friday, includes 1 Minuet Mountain Laurel and 1 Hosta Eternal Flame. With the front flower beds laid out, I am certain that the astilbe and the hosta will find new homes there. I am banking that the kalmia Minuet will find a place of honor next to the front door.
Meanwhile, I discovered yesterday morning that 1 of the first lilies of the valley has began sending up shoots. This particular rhizome gets barely an hour or two of morning sun, in the front door bed. I have not detected any life from the second rhizome which was planted next to the fence door, where it gets no sun at all.
My Asahi zuru has begun unfurling its leaves. It is a magnificent sight and I can’t wait to see it in its full greenery. I believe it is in a good position next to the patio door which receives about 4-5 hours of morning sun every day. When the summer sun gets too harsh, I will probably relocate it under the canopy of the 2 crepe myrtles next to the fence.
I’m still debating growing dianthus, coleus and impatiens from seed. With the impatiens and dianthus, a light lamp would be necessary, whereas the coleus simply needs heat to germinate. Much to ponder.
Hosta and Kalmia
Daunted by the Musser Farm disappointment, back to Forestfarm I went. As much as I desired that lovely Kalmia latifolia Olympic Fire, I instead opted for the Minuet Mountain Laurel, which I hope will thrive in the full shade garden next to the front door. Here’s to hoping they supply us with a large healthy specimen. I also couldn’t resist picking up a Hosta Eternal Flame (at an irresistible tube price of $7.95), which so reminded me of the Fire & Ice that I purchased from Sooner Plant Farm about 2-3 years ago. I plan on locating it in the front fence bed, once it’s been weeded, amended and framed.
The Patio Garden
I added to the garden this weekend: a white salvia from Plants & Planters; red and white dianthus, yellow and red/orange french marigolds, and yellow potato vine (Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Light Green perhaps) from Cristina’s Flowers; Sweet Caroline Bewitched Purple potato vine (which actually looks like a Caroline Purple) from Lowes, Devil’s Wine Calla Lily and 2 Purple Flash Ornamental Peppers from Home Depot. The troughs are divided between the yellows/reds and the whites/purples plants. I still have two mini troughs that are begging for attention. I am thinking about adding another rosemary shrub to the garden, and I’m contemplating white hostas.
