this was supposed to be part of DonB's thread, a reply to him since no one seems to have Miss Tokyo around the forum these days.

That's a nice-looking plant, Mocc. AND FRAGRANT to boot! I love it already...

Don B.

Great picture!

Are the scents of the fragrants similar? Or does each flower offer it's own fragrance, if that makes any sense.

I have the same question about fragrants! Is there a general hosta blossom smell (haha, I can see the "eu de hosta" hitting the perfume shelves now...) or is there variation across the fragrants?

What a pretty, pretty plant! Is it a good grower?

First, WW, yes it seems to be a fine grower. I got it last year, and it was just average, but this year, it took off growing and looks pretty good to me. I'm pleased with its medium size. But perhaps it will grow into a M-Large?

As for the scent of the fragrant hosta, I think some are much more discernable than others. What is surprising me at this early point in the season is how many of the fragrant hosta are blooming. For instance, Hadspen White is sending up a scape. Ginsu Knife has two scapes fully open, and the prettiest white bell-shaped flowers you ever saw are open all along the scapes. Sweet little Emily Dickinson has a petite scape growing now too.

Why am I amazed? Because mostly the real major players in the plantaginea family bloom late late in the season. Their big blossoms send out their scents late in the day as well. If they are attracting pollenators, it must be night flyers, and that sort of explains why their blooms are huge. Mama plantaginea has the largest flowers of all, measuring 6 inches long. She is fabulous. I have 8 of species plantaginea herself, potted up, and waiting for them all to mature. SHE is the one who started my hostamania back in 2010.

Last fall was my first time to have masses of fragrant hosta in the garden. Not all bloomed their first year. I figure this year, I'll be able to give account of what I can smell. We're just coming off the spring season when the star jasmine blooms non stop for part of April and all of May, and it is extending into June this year. It is growing (to become a privacy screen) on my 7 foot tall chain link fence that runs 100 feet along our back property line. So it is the dominant scent in the garden early in the season.

If you wish to appreciate the scent of the fragrant hosta, I recommend locating it where you can sit, and wait for it to waft your way on a stray breeze. Not in a windy place, but in a still place. Down here, there is a time around twilight, when the breezes stop, the mosquitos come out, and the night bloomers begin to open. Think about a night blooming cereus, which is quite an occasion when mine blooms, we sit there and watch it open, but it blooms for only one night. The H.plantaginea blooms last longer than that. Very nice to keep them near a patio too.

I'm glad that you have an interest in the plantaginea group of hosta. They are old fashioned and were known once as the "Old August Lily" to our grandmothers. (probably your GREAT great grandmother... ) It is my opinion that the further away from the mother plant you get, the less of a scent the new varieties have. BUT, there are opinions that other hosta have scent as well.....and breeding back into that scent may be an option.

Here is a view of the chain link fence being covered in star jasmine with its scented white blooms.

drats. it said it failed to upload, took forever, said an error.
so I deleted the typed duplicate message, which is so long.
what is going on with Gardenweb these days? It takes forever to send a post.

{{!gwi}}

This post was edited by moccasinlanding on Tue, Jun 4, 13 at 14:50

I'm hoping Mocc can answer the 'difference in fragrance among fragrant hosta varieties' question later this summer, as she is well on her way to owning every fragrant hosta known to humanity (Mr. Gary, better post sentries around your 'Emerald Stain'!! : ) ) Gonna smell mighty good in YOUR backyard this August, Mocc!

Don B.

moccasin, I don't know how you do it, but I've noticed that some of your posts here are downright poetic. So lovely.

Thanks so much Moccasin, appreciate the response! I can only imagine how wonderful a stroll in your yard would be while all the fragrants are in bloom.

Adding more fragrants to my wish list.

Ahhhh, music to my ears. Thank you, WW, for the kind words. I love words, and things like hosta names have significance. Plus, the hosta themselves are inspirational.

Here is a picture of the beginning of an entry to the hosta garden. It struck me the other evening as we were outdoors grilling hamburgers near twilight, and I glanced toward the garden......such a beautiful GLOW was coming from it. I saw the three sand dollar stepping stones vibrant with lavender tones, I'd watered almost all day, so it was wet, and cool. And it came to me, beside this tall pine stump covered in vines, was an entry to another world....the Stargate.....a place of wonder in another universe.

Since then, I've thought about how to keep this feeling and make a real Stargate in that spot. No fence, just a gate.With room to pause once you are inside, to glance around before choosing a narrow path to walk. That's where The Hanging Gardens of Hampshire inspired me to narrow the paths, and screen away the outside world with more greenery.

So enter the Stargate, choose a Moonwalk, and breathe the rarified air of another world. It's a dream for hosta lovers.

Don, forgot to reply to your post. I'm giving it a good try, at least I am seeking all the commercially available fragrant varieties out there. I even got a Fujibotan because it makes double blooms, even though they are not fragrant ones. One of the features of some fragrant hosta are double blooms, and that characteristic might be possible to breed/hybridize into other fragrants by using Fujibotan. Have no idea if Fujibotan is interested in accepting this challenge or not, but I'll see what happens!

I'm hoping that Emerald Stain becomes a great new sport of Stained Glass, and winds up in the big time. Wouldn't it be AWESOME to say we were there when it was discovered, and separated out? Sheez, that's exciting.

Meanwhile I have TWO Stained Glass that I'm checking regularly for signs of sports. Problem is, one could bite me on the nose and I'd not recognize it. My only sport is on Masquerade, and its tiny, and not fragrant, and green. Bummer.