Generally speaking, Frances Williams won't look good in spring, much less until the August. Mine has a few good years, but it gets spring dessication half the time.

Your plant looks like it's browning and losing leaves due to lack of water. I bet those evergreens are taking it all. Probably dense tree roots in the bed. Dig up a hosta and see what you find. If it's not tree roots, then you need to water the hostas more.

Well, I am in the same area as you -- complete lack of good rain for six weeks now. I have been watering them a couple times a week, though. I sure wish I knew what a pain these FW's were when the landscaper planted them.

They can't have cost that much. If you want hostas, try looking for another kind and ask us before you buy them. We don't buy big box hsotas because of the likelihood of HVX, but that's an option to replace your FW. You can find another cultivar and replace them for probably $4-$5 each. Better, replace them with something that needs less water.

Here's my FW this year:

See the brown on the margins? That's normal spring dessication.

Whole leaf loss is lack of water. Show a pic of the whole bed, so we know what you're working with there.

I just can't see planting a hosta that is that much trouble unless you like a challenge!

yes ... SE MI had 6 to 8 weeks of drought .. and 2 weeks of 90 plus weather and no night time recovery ...

if you dug down 6 to 8 inches.. you might find its VERY DRY down there.. regardless of surface moisture ... but thats where the roots are ..

i mean.. its really bad.. when 20 year old lilacs start wilting ...

i wouldnt bother with the scissors... just grab a bad left.. trace down the petiole.. then yank it out ...

ken

ps: what in the world possessed you to buy 14 of anything ... ever hear of a monoculture ... get rid of 13 ... enabling done ...