Such lovely rich black dirt and green grass. I have red red clay and only 2 other possible shady enough areas to pack full of hostas. Due to no rain for almost 4 weeks the grass is brown and crunchy.

You are really digging deep OD. Anything you put there should thrive.

Jon

Oh yeah, that's what hosta dreams are made of!!! I'd be so happy there you would have to build me a shelter for I would never come indoors!

Amazing space and new area, Jerry. I can't wait to see what you are going to create with those new residents. :D

Lovely. Do you hire out?

Is the dark stuff compost or does you soil look that good just turned?

littlebug, like I told my sister, if I "hired out" it would be to much like work and take the fun out of it. Besides, I'm retired and refuse to work anymore. lol

zkathy, that is just fresh turned soil. I am blessed with some decent loam on the sandy side. The grassy area hasn't been turned in at least 40 years. The 4' strip behind was double dug about 15 years ago and amended with compost a couple times and planted with a green manure crop a couple times. I think the picture actually appears darker than it really is.

ahha josephine, I have been giving some serious thought to a garden shed back there someday. Electricity and a water pump would be nice.

Well, I finally finished digging the bed and have about 2/3's planted. About half a dozen more hostas and a few perennial fill ins and it's ready for winter.

I still need to decide, hard border or as is natural and mulch or not.

That looks really great, Jerry. Congratulations! Now, the most fun part, in my opinion: Planting the hostas!

What a lovely bed! What are your options for hard border? It looks beautiful soft and natural.

Beautiful! Looks pretty sunny... which hostas have you planted? Inquiring minds want to know....

Sooooo nice! I would love to have that much space! I hope you share photos next season.

Sherry

That's looks really great!

Thanks for sharing ... It's great to see the progression of garden projects.

It's gorgeous.

Thank you all

Don, yes the planting is the fun part. Beats the preparation and digging.

Kathy, I really like field stones as a border but it is hard to contain the soil inside and keep the grass side trimmed neat on the outside. I thought about the manufactured vertical logs that would wind around the front side. Will probably leave it as is until next year for sure.

Windy, so far I have Krossa Regal, June Spirit, Wishing Well, Jewel of the Nile, Envy, Rainbow's End, Great Expectations, Foxfire Palm Sunday, Sum and Substance, Raspberry Sundae, Neptune, Sharp Dressed Man, Touch of Class and Sweet Sunshine. I will add about six more hostas and a few Heuchera and Astilbe for color and fill in. Probably over do it and will have to thin in a few years but that's my MO.

Sherry, i just hope it is picture worthy next year.

Finished planting today. Not sure how the pic will come through, need to click on it to enlarge. A little crowded but should be OK for a few years.

You must feel you're on the top of the mountain right now, congratulations again!

Sharp Dressed Man got big fast in my garden and Cool As a Cucumber has done nothing. Please keep us posted on this great new bed. What kind of sun does it get?

Thank you for sharing pics of your project. I enjoy seeing the process.

I'm in the process of modifying some beds to add hostas. My soil is heavy clay, so it needs lots of compost. My body can't dig the way it used to...maybe I could find a teenager to dig for me.

Oh my goodness! What a great selection and arrangement! I will be looking forward to the pictures of this bed as it progresses and the plants grow. Surely these hostas aren't all brand new? Some of them look to be pretty sizeable already.

Such a fresh looking hosta bed. Can't wait to see them all growing. My hostas would be envious of all that room to stretch out in. I think I see two heucheras, which, from my point of view, is very restrained on your part. :-)

Simply a wonderful area--so much room so many hostas that would love it!

Perfection! Love that beautiful-looking soil, beautiful plants and beautiful bed! Identifying all those hostas was a labour of love too, Jerry...that's plain to see and was so easy to follow. I appreciate your attention to detail. Impressive bed. You did an amazing job.

kathy, If I ever reach the "top of the mountain" I hope there is an easy chair there with coffee or a cold drink! This spot is in dense shade until early afternoon then receives direct sun for about two hours and dappled shade for a couple more hours. Not ideal but what I have to work with.

rpwoodard, this old body isn't what it used to be either. The digging is a slow process anymore. I have four sturdy grandkids but they are not to interested in the working part. They do enjoy the finished result though. :)

windy, a couple are from divisions of old plants, a few purchased last fall and moved now. Most were bought early this spring and have been in pots waiting for now. I did get a few new ones just last week.

sandy, yes there are two heucheras, one astilbe and one snowdrop anemone (my first). I don't have much luck with heucheras and bought these because the price was right.

josephine, awe shucks...yer making me blush. thank you all so much!

Great work, a nice selection of plants, all together simply beautiful. As the others say, please keep us updated with more pictures :-)

My, its beautiful!

I'm new to hostas (though not to gw), came looking for advice about the holes in my hostas, and found this site! I am very glad I did. I have millions of questions, beginning with this: how will you keep the weeds out of that beautiful bed? Thanks!

Hi sheesh, welcome to the hosta forum. You will find a bunch of very friendly and knowledgeable folks here, always willing to share their knowledge and experience.

The first few years will be a struggle with the weeds if I don't mulch (which I probably won't). I will hand pull and hoe the weeds as they come on. I try to add compost yearly and I cold compost so it is full of weed seeds. It will be a weekly job the first few years but after the hostas mature and shade the soil there will be less and less weeds and work. My older, established beds only need "weeding" a couple times a year.

Thank you, old dirt. It's nice to be here.

I have a new bed this year. It is mulched, and the slugs have gotten the better of me, as well as the weeds. The slugs are worse though! The weeds are my fault, as, like you, I cold compost, but until last year I'd never had holey hostas. They are in all my hosta beds, but it seems they are only on one kind of hosta - so far. (I don't know the names of any of them as they were here twenty-two years ago when we moved in and I've been dividing them ever since.)

Anyway, I guess I have my work cut out for me this fall. Have you any suggestions to eliminate the slugs? THanks.

Sheesh

sheesh, try this link to a recent thread on slug control.http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4111887/slugs?n=15