Oh, you're going to need more space. Choo Choo train when it grows up will be 6 feet in diameter. Sun Power will be not quite that large, but it can be 5 feet wide. The others are medium to small 3-4 feet each. Mind you I'm talking about full maturity which will take 5-6 years.

Steve

Well that sucks!!!
I purposely bought them because of how big the ones at the nursery were! They had them in containers and I fell in love with how big they got! Me being me, I thought that maybe planting them closer to one another might "stunt" their growth...
Any ideas on some "smaller" ones that I might be able to make look good in that space?

It takes several years for them to get that big. In the meantime you don't want to look at bare dirt, and if they are competing with tree roots, they won't get that big. Plant what you like to look at and see how it goes. The only ones I would avoid having too many of are the super-duper big ones like Empress Wu. You do have a shovel, and if you don't like them too crowded, you can always just shovel prune them. (In Spring and you won't be able to tell what got removed. Plant what you like to see now and enjoy them.
-Babka

I really don't mean to sound that lazy!
Is there a website that I can search by how big they get? I assume out of all of the different strains of hostas, I would think they have different sizes... Like, 1-2 feet, 3-4 feet, so on...

Go to hosta library, look at each one and look at the data base at the top of the pictures. That will give you details and approximate mature sizes. Or, just about any online catalog (Hallsons, Naylor Creek, Mason Hollow, eg. ) will give you that info.

Sandy

Here is a link that might be useful: Hosta library

They are usually grouped by small, med, large, both in height and width. But you have to realize that even a small 7" high one just keeps getting wider and wider as it ages. I have a Blue Mouse Ears that got up to 24" across before I divided it.

Many sellers group their hostas by small med, large and very large. Most of that refers to height, and leaf size. When you see one that intrigues you locally, or you read about here, visit the Hosta Library. Once you find the hosta you can click on the "my hostas database" (at the top of each individual hosta page)which will give you a clue as to how big they get. Also find good info at Hosta Registrations,(at the American Hosta Society website) but many people register their discoveries when they are just too young to know how large the clump will eventually get.YMMV

-Babka

Here is a link that might be useful: The Hosta Library

Steve - thank you for the heads up... I will take your words of caution into play.
Babka - thank you for the kind words!
Mosswitch - "look at each one" - are you crazy!!! Just kidding... but seriously, there's no way I would be able to stare at a computer screen that long to go through 'each one'!

I will see what I drum up within the next week or so and bring this thread back up. Maybe I will post a picture??? If I have enough patience with this phone�
If anyone else wants to add any more input, i'm sure i'll be checking in every couple hours ; ) it's pretty addicting!

This is what Sun Power looks like all grown up. Journey's End, to the left, is a Choo Choo Train sport and about the same size as Choo Choo Train. As wide as Sun Power but not as tall.

RnR,

What you can do is place the two large golds, Choo Choo Train and Sun Power at each end of the bed and then fill with the others. It's easier to move smaller Hostas than to move a full grown giant Hosta. Go to Hallson's Perennials. There you will get a good idea of accurate heights and widths, and you can buy a few smaller Hosta that will help fill the bed. Try Grand Tiara, you'll like it.

Steve

Babka is right when she says there is no limit to their width... but like they are saying it takes five to six years for them to reach their mature average width, with proper conditions, if conditions stay, they keep getting wider. Mentioned, Hallson Gardens and Naylor Creek are two of the most respected places to buy from... I'm sure if you stick around this forum you will hear why lol... Check out Dave's Garden Watchdog for reviews before you make any large purchases, and if you care about your garden you will learn about Hosta Virus X as well.
But on to my point... the hosta library is an excellent resource as is the linked database there... not to take anything away from that... and not really to refer you to buy from them... hostasdirect.com has an excellent database of hostas... probably one of the most detailed when it comes to size... they have a listing for spacing as well...giving you a measurement for general wave spacing and general specimen spacing...
John

Just as an fyi - my user name is my two dogs: Rock and Rufus! It has nothing to do with me being some sort of tough guy!!! I love them too much to leave them out!

You don't need to look at EVERY hosta at the Library. Just if you see one at a local nursery, or someone posts one here that you simply fall in love with the coloration of the leaves or the fantastic shape...THEN you go to look it up at the library and after that do a search (or ask here) to find out where you can buy that particular hosta. There are thousands of hostas, and you know, every year I change what I like. Sometimes the white edged ones, sometimes the ruffled ones, sometimes the dark green ones, sometimes the really thick leaved ones, etc.

Hosta leaves can be 22+ inches wide or 1/2" wide. Whatever turns you on, as they used to say way back when.

Enjoy!

-Babka

Babka - I know! I was just giving you a hard time!
The place I will be doing my purchases from is a local nursery� free plug to Sunrise... you guys are great!
I honestly think i'm going to make the room for BIG hosta's. I really like how big they get and how good they look. I'd rather sacrifice the space for the quality...
goodnight to all!

Welcome to the Forum, RockNRuf!!

It is always nice to be present when a new addiction is born and I see the forum do a good job of ENABLING that addiction.
:)

welcome

listen to me ... plant the giants.. to NEVER be moved...

and then just plant others to fill gaps..

and in 5 to 7 to 10 years.. as the giants do their thing.. then move out the smaller ones ...

if you move a giant.. you restart the clock on the 5 to 7 to 10 years

welcome...

ken

Silly, I just meant to look at each one you are interested in, not all of them! :) lol! And remember, any size indicated is approximate, not to be taken as a definite limit.

Sandy

Or look at Mickfield Hostas which gives under 'more information' hard numbers of mature width and height instead of the S,M or L of the Hosta Library which have wide ranges. Some widths and heights of the Hosta Library are also of non-mature hostas, such as at registration.
Bernd

Here is a link that might be useful: Mickfield Hostas

My oh my! What did I get myself in to??? Way to many options!
esox - that is an awesome picture! About how big is that area?
Steve/Ken - I am definitely basing everything off of the bigger ones - although choo choo train might not make the final cut in there...
moccasin - that was too funny!
On monday I will post pictures of what i'm dealing with and what I want to do...

There's an interesting diversity about how to plant Hosta gardens for display.

Some believe that they should be set up to display each plant without 'competition', others like 'tight' groupings.

In the first case, the 'display' garden, it takes a lot of research to determine both the 'eventual' clump width, but, as in one of my recent ventures into this arena, you should find out the 'height' of each cultivar. I'm planning a post regarding a recent 'oops' I did regarding the first 'bed' my wife let me do, where the height issue is so very obvious.

Since all of the plants in said bed are VERY robust, I'll not yet move the two plants that should be to properly 'fit', height wise, and am contemplating a post here about my faux paux.

Just now re-visiting the prior posts, I see that Dr. Ken has posted one of the best (as usual, he has great insight), advise comments:

Something along the order of 'plant the known Big Beasties' where they will have long term room.

I have previously posted a bed where I thought, for sure, that the infamous beast Hosta 'Empress Wu' (in my NSHO it is more properly called 'Xanadu Empress Wu', but that's another whole long story that only the esteemed Mr. Pollock should properly explain), but now a few years later I'm sure that several of the neighbors planted around it will, eventually, have to find a new home.

In the meanwhile,

fwiw,

hh

Here is the area i'm working with:

The whole area is going to get re-done, not this year, but i'm just thinking of what can be done.
I know it's not a huge area or anything, but if anyone feels like offering up suggestions, i'm all ears (or eyes, in this case)!

Initially til the hosta grow big and mature you could probably plant 7 hosta in here..don't buy very large or giants.. buy large at the most...make two "rows"... and stagger them... like this

O-O-O-O
-O-O-O-

Do not plant a taller variety in front of a shorter variety... Plant tall upright ferns as fillers in the back... maybe some painted ferns or heuchera as fillers in the front...When they grow larger..you may move out the ones that are getting swallowed...

Looking at this bed from a landscaping POV...I see your tall grass and your Undulata Albo's and everything else is just a blur...your hostas in the back are too small to notice....

Also you want variety in color and texture... but not too much going on... I see too much going on here in this bed currently as well...

When chosing your hosta from a landscaping POV.. don't chose all light edge variegated hosta... or all solid hosta or all blue hosta... I would probably chose almost half solid colored and half variegated... but make sure there is a variation in the variegation of the varieties you chose...

FROM A COLLECTORS STANDPOINT ==== RIP OUT YOUR SIDEWALK... KILL YOUR GRASS... YOU HAVE AN EXTRA BEDROOM IN YOUR HOUSE? TEAR IT DOWN TOO! PLANT HOSTA IN ROWS AND INSTALL DRIP IRRIGATION! Lol SoRrY

John

(hehehehe, John is off his medication again I see :) ))

I really like that you have your house shutters that muted burgundy color, and the deep heuchera color and the paving stones for the wall, all are very nicely coordinated. I see where you are going with your landscaping. Look for the habits of the hosta you chose. Some will grow more quickly than others, grow taller, or spread wider and remain lower. Use the companion plants as "fill" where you feel there are gaps, but as time goes by they can be moved elsewhere.

Or, you might see that the walkway could be better in another configuration to accommodate a larger more free form hosta bed. With gardening, nothing is certain except growth. Including your fascination with gardening!!
Enjoy.

don't tell my wife lol

I'm sure your secret is safe here!
The paving blocks on the left didn't get finished before we got some wicked rain, so that area go flooded and that last row got messed up.
Going off of the second picture:
That stuff in the red wooden planter was something i liked from TN, so i brought it here to see if it grow... it seems to doing fine for now, but it won't be staying there...
That purple thing with the wooden dowel is a Persian Shield in a planter. I'm not sure what i'm going to do with that...
Right behind that (the little green and white one) is the Fire and Ice in a planter.
In the back are the (2) Holcyon's and a small Sun Power (planted in ground).
Right behind the small Sun Power is the Blueberry Muffin in a planter.
That white thing up front is a "Dusty Miller" Silver Cascade (in a planter) that i don't know what i"m going to do with yet...
In the first picture:
The Choo Choo Train is the lime green one (in a planter, as well) right in the middle of the small Sun Power and Blueberry Muffin.
I will remove everything in planters and get a cleaner picture...

Sorry to keep rambling!
However, I forgot to add this to my latest post...
The back half (2.5' from the house) gets full shade. The front half gets full sun from approximately 8 AM to, about, 3 PM.