Ugh sorry, just thought of this too... if ya could, for us who are 'green'... post a pic of it as well!!!!

well.. i was going to answer..

but that pic requirement.. just made it too burdensome...

pshaw...lol

ken

PS: this year.. or last year.. this spring.. or right now ....???

sorry I would love to try but I have 3 favs right now!no wait 4......ok maybe 6..... ;P

Galaxy, at this moment!

Calamity Jane a second ago!

Denny

Hmmmm--I have two, so I guess I'm out!!

I'm with ken, are you meaning today--yesterday, etc.? :o)

I think maybe Majesty (but that is only going to last a few days)I really don't have much of a picture because I just got mine and I had to bleach it to kill nemes. It has leaves but only a few.

I'll play. I like a lot of my hostas, but the one I love the most is Blue Mouse Ears. It is new for me this year, but the thing is just so gosh darn cute, for a plant, and the flowers make it more adorable. I have others that are bigger, flashier, or whatever, but the cuteness factor of BME is what makes it my most favorite.

Karen

June...love it.

I'll play.

h. montana 'macrophylla'

O---kayyyy! If I have to choose ONLY ONE, for this year--I guess I'll choose this one
with one pic. taken at night--and dramatized even more:

And, this one taken in daylight, as it sits:

What you can't see in a pic. is the incredible substance of this one--it almost seems artificial!

Now--come back and give us an option of at least one more and maybe even two more and it could get even
more interesting for us!! LOL Some of us HATE having to choose ONLY ONE out of so many favorites!! :o))

Oh you guyyyyyyyyyyyyyyys! *eye roll*

For you sticklers, how about the first one that came to mind when you read the question... so ya, at this very moment!

eenie meenie miney mo

'Elegans,' always and forever.

guardian angel at various stages of its life

wonder where the newer pix are ...
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I have many #1s.... BUT, if I were to start out with a brand new Hosta garden today the very first one I'd buy would be 'June'.... oh wait, perhaps that should be 'Blue Mouse Ears'.

Aw, shucks, maybe it should be 'Rhino Hide'... no, hold on, it'll be...... well, you get the idea.....

Pieter

I already voted....may I second the nominations of Jewel of the Nile & Guardian Angel...2 of my favs...is that legal???

OK, by your criteria, it being the first one to come to my mind, I would have to say Fire & Ice.
Don't hate me for saying it, lol. I know it's on many people's lists for loser hostas.
But this hosta is sweet and has looked nice all summer. I look at it every time I walk by and and it gives me joy.

First one that comes to mind, hmmn, we've had a tough weather here year, too much rain, not enough sun. I'll go with an oldie that has hung tough all year.
Spring coloring on Sagae is nice.

Fantastic, Shade!! You're right--it's very 'classy' and a favorite of mine, too!!
Wonderful photo-proof of it's worthiness!

Thanks Janice! You know I love your stunning Jewel of the Nile pic too, yours is keeping excellent variegation.

June in the shade:

Queenie

OOOOOOOOOla laaaaaa... I'm liken' this post!

Ok Ken, is your hosta wearing a blueish purple baseball cap? (feeling silly, but this is drivin me nuts!)

North53, help me understand why Fire and Ice is on the list of 'loser hosta?' or maybe someone who has it on that list can tell me why?

I like that blue mouse ears too... can they take my cold here? I really need to get some smaller fellas. Where do you get those nice tags? Would they hold up thru my winters here in WI?

Many... I can't believe those flowers on that h. montana 'macrophylla' how big does that particular plant measure across? Just beautiful!

Hey J... I do like that jewel, I have not seen that one before, my 'virginal' eyes are really liking that!

Shade, that is a gorgeous plant! I know someone local that has it... I may have to try to get a piece of that action!!!!

Critter... stinker! Ugh another I really like. Are all June that spectacular, or is your exceptional? The local gal had that one too... but when I looked it up, for some reason the pic I looked at didn't impress me. Now I wanna cry I didn't get that on too!

Ok, now that I think about it maybe this thread is not so healthy for me... I'm falling..... head over heals.....hellllllllp!

Gotcha!!! We do like to reign in anyone even slightly predisposed to being addicted to hosta!!!
It's our mission--the more folk out there lovin them, the more folks we have to chat and 'talk hosta' with
which in turn, feeds our addiction! See what I mean? ;O)

Welcome to our world--the first day, of the rest of your life, *ensnared* and lovin it--I knooooowww!!!

Now, about the JOTN ('Jewel of the Nile') I would advise anyone getting one, to see it 'unstable' first
if you can. Not all of them will do that 'unstable' thing of striped leaves, or 'harlequin' leaves as I like
to call it!! If the one before you is doing it, and doing it pretty consistently, all over the plant, then
I'd take a chance. I guess they do have a reputation of reverting back to all-yellow, but thankfully, mine
is holding on!!

'June' is always a winner! There are some better than others but they all are very lovely, I think!

'Sagae'--you can't lose with that one!!!

Now--can I show you some more of my 'favorites' or are we still having to abide by 'the rules' you've
first laid out?? :O) hehehe

My h. montana measures a modest 76" in diameter.

I just got JOTN. Hope it's a good one!

Ok hey j, you say...."to see it 'unstable' first "
Can you please explain the 'unstable' part for me??? purdy please? I will be looking for one and want to git-a-goodun!

Ohhhh manyhosta... wowsa! I chuckle at your 'modest'...lovin it! I hope you got a great Jewel too... you guys sure do love those acronyms! You keep me on my toes!

Ohhh, sure hey j... go for it, I can't stand to see you jumping and waving your arms like that any longer!!! hee hee

like a fly on fly paper~
Flora

Well--as I understand it, a hosta that is 'unstable' means it will not remain true to it's original design!
Someone more 'professional' can correct me, and better state it, I'm sure.

IOW's, If the hosta is 'stable' it is true to it's design, like June for instance, and it will maintain a very
predictable green margin, center color etc., and it remains consistent when divided. If it tends to get a
leaf with half of it green, half yellow, maybe one green margined and one light around the margin
consistently, it's considered an 'unstable' form!

JOTN CAN just maintain it's green margin, but when it doesn't, it seems to be more highly favored
by folks like me and the potential for that particular hosta, is to be 'unstable'---again, hopefully!!! :o)

If a division of it goes all yellow, it should be removed or it can revert completely to the more stable form,
named 'Dees Golden Jewel'! It will have the form of JOTN without the instability, I think!

I think streaked hosta are also considered unstable.

Anyone--will you jump in and make this clearer with less words, please--ken???

Okay--I'm settling down, no longer jumping up and down, waving my arms, so I guess I COULD post one
more of my favorites!!! Wooohhoooo!!!

Here it is:

Note, that the leaves are HUGE!! It takes after 'Blue Angel' from which it is a sport!!! Another great one,
IMHO!! BTW--'Guardian Angel' is also a sport of BA!!

Convinced it's worthy to acquire??

I just got Earth Angel, too. Hope it will be as pretty as yours' when it grows up! And I agree, Blue Umbrellas is one of the all-time greats.

OH WOW!!! After seeing all of the great pics that have been posted? Hmm, hard to say, Did you say that we had to be able to grow it well? I may have skipped over that part or hoped that we could grow it well? My choice would be Great expectations IF I could grow it to a HUGE plant, 10 years old and looking like TC this year (the maple sucked the life out of it so I finally moved it). the only one for this year would be? Inniswood!! just love that plant!! and it really glows, I like June (way too much), but it doesnt surpass Inniswood this year.

Paul

last years pic tho

June is my alltime favourite but I'm really fond of the previous posters favourites too, all of them, even north53's Fire and Ice, such a pretty hosta but after losing 5 of them I doubt I'll be trying that one again. They just disappeared.

These are old pics of June, my current pics are still in the camera.
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All of my hosta are either new or recently transplanted from lives of neglect, therefore my current favorite may well be temporary.

So far, my favorite is Guacamole. It quickly grew into a substantial plant, held up all season and I love the colors and pattern.

Guacamole on left with Krossa Regal.

Year after year, I love my Shade Fanfare...one of my first hostas. There are more exciting ones in my garden now, but I always look forward to seeing this one leaf out.

I already posted this year's favorite, but also must bring Shade Fanfare out of the shade as a great performer.

This is my favorite hosta photo of the year.

Striptease is one of my favorites this year- burst out of the ground this year - went from 1 scape to 17 scapes.
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Paul

I have a very young garden - but right now my fav is Abiqua Moonbean - it really pops in its shady spot

Looking at my garden from across a pond, Fragrant Bouquet lures you to walk across the dam -- and when you catch its fragrance, you're hooked! The fact that no critters like its leaves is especially compelling at this time of year.