Bright shade (like shade at the north edge of a high tree like an oak) is wonderful.

Paul

marric in 5a you will have good success with anything light in color or variegated in a mostly sunny location, not full sun. Paul, I think you (in 4b) could get just about anything to grow in a high sun area as long as you kept it watered.

If you start to get close to zone 7, the answer is entirely different as the definition of 'sunny' is entirely different.

Jon

Yes, this bed will have a northwest exposure. It is also beside the existing hosta bed that has pine trees. I'm hoping that I won't have the same root problems with the Northern Catalpa as I do with the pines (reason for moving my hostas). I have mostly large hostas so don't really know how many I can get in there but it will be fun planting up as many as I can get in there without crowding them. Thanks.

Marric, are you planning to do this move now, or wait until near dormancy?

I was going to wait until August, it's just to hot and dry here to move them now. I also have to put up some kind of barrier on the north side to stop the winds because if I don't my hostas will end up shredded. I think if I move them in early Aug. they will have time to settle in before winter. What do you think?

Jon, that is why I used term bright shade in my response.

Paul

Bright light (nice bright stuff with no actual DIRECT sunlight during 'full sun' hours, or at all), in my personal experience, has been absolutely ideal for any and all hosta I have planted in these conditions. The only ones that might not love it are maybe 'plantaginea' or a sport of it. Sounds like you have a fantastic site for your plants! : )

Don B.

All of mine only get early AM direct sun and the rest is "bright shade" thanks to the big oak right by me in the late morning and afternoon. They are all thriving and gorgeous! The envy of my neighborhood, especially now thanks to my Hallson's additions of Luna Moth and El Nino... Oh the complements and oooh's and ahhhhh's they've been getting. They've even been photographed for the newsletter and told where they can order them! Thanks for directing me to Hallson's everyone!

I have hostas in FULL SUN till 3pm.... and only on days where it's super hot and they weren't watered well the previous day is the only time they scorch.

Your situation sounds more hospitable than what I have these in!

In my 45 degree parallel garden, I have hostas from full sun to full shade. The full shade are doing ok, but not thriving. The full sun are exploding. The hostas I have in the area similar to what you've described are doing good!

Thanks everyone for the advice.