Wow, I am loving those! Thanks especially for the Bressingham Blue pic....it will help me id mine in one of my beds...I can't find my planting map. In the Bressingham photo, what is the the yellow leaf on the left? It looks like a dogwood. And on the right, is that a hemlock? (I'd like something in my garden that has the foliage of a hemlock, but not the size.) I really like how you have the rocks...how about a picture a bit from the distance so that we can see how you've laid out your garden(s)? They look beautiful.

Beautiful pictures, there's nothing bettter than hostas in the spring! (or summer, fall, etc....!) Could you also id the "grassy" looking plant that is in the photos. Thanks

Any more major projects planned for your garden Dan? Your pictures the last couple of years have been spectacular.

Anyone new to HF would be thrilled if you posted pictures of your garden again and so would I. You have a marvelous eye for placement and presentation of your plants and trees.

Connie

Thanks Mary4b, You're right the yellow foliage is a dogwood. Cornus alternifolia 'Bachone' (Trade name "Gold Bullion"). If you like hemlock foliage but don't want the size, there are a ton of dwarf hemlocks out there 'Jeddeloh', 'Cole's Prostrate', 'Betty Rose', 'Jervis' just to name a few.

Thanks Hostafamily. The "grassy-looking" plant is Sagina sublata (Irish Moss). I planted in a different spot and it "seeded" itself into this spot. I kind of like it so I'm hoping to encourage it to grow here.

Hi Connie, Thanks for the compliments. My latest garden project was moving a little over 2 tons of weathered limestone outcroppings to make a new conifer island bed. I ended up using all different colored Spruces in it. As far as hostas go, my goal for the season is to do some crosses with the streaked hostas that I have so that I have some seeds to grow this winter. I grew a bunch this winter and really enjoyed it. Here are a few of the seedlings I grew this past winter.

Thanks, Dan

All gorgeous pics, and those seedlings are incredible. I hope you do a post on how to be successful at that process. Thanks for sharing your garden with us.

Thanks anitamo. I'm just a beginner at growing hosta seedlings (and hostas in general for that matter). For info from the real pros on growing seedlings check out hostaseedlings.com

Hostafamily, I may have misunderstood your question. If you were referring to the gold grass it's Hakoneochloa macra 'All Gold' (Golden Japanese Forest Grass). I find that it comes up faster and looks better earlier in the season than 'Aureola' which I have as well. I have it planted on the North side of my house and have had no hardiness problems despite my Zone 5a climate.
Thanks,
Dan

Beautiful! But I defy ANYONE to take a bad photo of Whirlwind - it is a stand out in everyones garden!

Alexa

Dan the Man! Those seedlings are showstoppers! How do you do that in the Chicago winter? From seed to that in one winter? By the way, I really like Great Arrival, which I had not seen before. Thanks for the Dogwood name and the suggestions on the hemlocks, that is really helpful and I am going to look in to them right away. I'm fixing up my large garden in the back and it needs some "bones". Every time I see a hemlock at a garden center, I am drawn to it. It's always the same one...the big one. I've never seen a dwarf, so I'm hoping one of them will work for me. Mary