Hi bk,

It looks like it could be Cathedral Windows.

Vanessa

Agree with Cathedral Windows. I knew it was in the Guacamole clan at first sight.

Kathy

Yes Cathedral Windows if it is very fragrant with white flowers.

I do also believe that is Cathedral Windows.

Bkay...don't give up. It looks like I have lost more than I have now, from my records. Very discouraging. But some people have their entire collection wiped out by voles..... The ones I have from Chris this year are doing very well. Multi eyed and filling their pots with roots. They come to me in April as dormant roots with buds. They come up in a week and are happy. I'm done messing with tiny tc's, as I don't think it gets cold enough here for long enough to get those babies going strong. Chris grows them for 3 years first and they then have a good start, IMHO. I think I had some bad bark that brought in some nasties. I am thinking about getting some man made stuff to add to my pots to provide the drainage and water retention. Like Profile.

http://www.profileevs.com/products/soil-enhancements

Now, here in August, they are starting to decline and I'm getting less enthusiastic about tending them. Got the mealy bugs, but now I have a few with mites. For me, it comes down to whatever shows up next spring will be what I keep. I've peroxided, fungicide-ed, pesticide-ed, and re-potted all I am going to this year. I guess I'll just chalk it up to being a lousy hosta year. Here's hoping for a better 2016.

It's those hand painted leaves than will hook you every time. Glorious. ;-)

-Babka

It's beautiful. .. that's what it is! My official ID :)

I'm thinking about trying Miracle Grow Cactus and succulent mix. That way the whole thing would start out sterile.

So, Babka, can you use that stuff by itself? It says amendment.

bk

I immediately thought "Guacamole kin" too, Kathy! It is gorgeous grown in shade. This photo has made me stop and stare - the rich green colour is stunning. I get more colour on the gold centre growing in the sun but I much prefer the deeper colour as depicted in your picture. I guess I'll be re-arranging/transplanting...

Bkay, as disconsolate as you were over the troubles this year, I knew deep down you'd never give up on hostas!!! More power to you. Re-stock with some new hostas! Cathedral Windows is a wonderful start. ;-)

Remember that the photographer is a professional. They sent out the newspaper photographer. He could probably make anything look good.

Actually I have Cathedral Windows. I got it from Chris last year. I've kept it in a lot more sun, plus it's one that has "August blight". It's back to the same size as when I got it.

"August Blight" is a Bruce Banyai diagnosis. He suggested a bleach bath. I'm waiting on A&M to give me an official diagnosis. I can't bleach bath them this time of year (It's 100 degrees f. and very low humidity), or they will die from the heat and shock. I drenched them with a fungicide and am waiting for the email.

bk

Bkay- I used this stuff many years ago dug into very hard clay adobe soil. Even after many years those little rust colored bits were still there keeping the awful clay from gluing itself together. I am considering (for my pots) replacing my bark and pumice additives with this stuff. Some of my barked pots have a lot of white fungus on the bark. I would think that is normal breakdown of bark...BUT not all my pots are doing that and the fungus shreds all over the bark are not in all the pots, so I am blaming the bark. Mostly I bought $$ Orchid bark, but a few times I just got cheapo mini bark in larger bags. I am blaming the bark for now.

This manufactured ceramic porous stuff will hopefully work well when mixed 80/20 with a quality organic potting soil.

Whatever...it ain't gonna happen this year. Now is not the time to be repotting for me. We'll see what comes back in Spring after a 50% peroxide drench as well as a Bayer bug drench. I realized how silly I was getting when I was outside with an eye dropper with rubbing alcohol to get mealybugs (the only way to get thru their wax coating).

So disconcerting to have hostas that have been doing fine for 15 years, suddenly succumb to bugs/fungus. What the hell, I'll blame the stupid weather. SOME things are beyond our control.

Whine/wine.

-Babka

This is only year one trying my new mix but so far I have been very pleased with what I have experienced with combining organic Ladybug Raised Bed Blend with expanded shale. In our 100 degree days I can water one morning and by afternoon while the soil isn't totally dry as far as I can stick my finger down into it, it sure isn't wet, either. When the humidity is really high the pots with MG are usually still pretty damp or even slightly wet. I have no idea how that will translate into over-wintering. I did plant about 1/3 of my new buys this spring in MG in case my new mix was a total bust, but if they all come up and look good next spring I may use it exclusively for what I buy in 2016.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_25755030/garden-helper-expanded-shale-winning-fans-colorado-landscapes

Thanks for that article, Santa. That's interesting.I don't know if you are familiar with Howard Garrett. He's become the organic radio guy. H's been touting expanded shale as a soil amendment.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do. There is one thing I've decided, I'm not using bark mulch in my pots in the future.

bk.

I'm very familiar with Howard. I used to listen to him when we lived in Dallas. We have an organic guy radio show here who is also very good. In fact Howard spends about 20 minutes each weekend on the show with him.