meh. There are better hostas.

Well, the main thing is how you feel about them. You're the one who looks at them every day.

Squash Casserole is one of the few hostas that can take mid day sun. I have one that's big and nicely golden, but it's not in full mid day sun for more than an hour or so. Maybe a nice daylily or iris would do better in that spot.

Seems I have the same tastes as you. Guac is also on my cull list...I am just keeping it until its bloom is done, because I want to smell those flowers.

I don't have a lot of space, so no room for a big messy heap of dull green.

I like this sort of post because it might help me avoid some hostas that I might otherwise be tempted by. Or someone might come along and defend the culls with better info about siting.

Could you put Guac on the last chance list & move it to a sunnier spot? It will show more variegation in better light and should have a tighter habit so it will look neater...

When you need to get selective, select the ones you like that do well in your yard under your circumstances. So many wonderful hostas...don't waste your time or energy in ones that don't give you a thrill. And there are a WHOLE BUNCH of hostas that will indeed give you thrill. All depends on which characteristics draw you in: white centers, edges, piecrust, thick or large or blue leaves. Narrow or skinny, small or large etc. etc. Space is usually the most determining factor. You get to decide. And you can always change your mind. ;-)

-Babka

I saw a large Invincible at Laurie's (Peren.all) when I visited. She has a great story about it that she might share when she gets back on the forum. It was impressive enough that I want one and I've never seen what anyone liked about it before. Can you show a pic of the acne look it develops?

Babka, you read my mind. Well stated.

Vicky, you may have even got a dud plant of a particular variety. Whatever the

reason, if it's time to chose, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

I am very partial to 'Squash Casserole' and grow it in several gardens. My first specimen was in sun, where it grew well, but burned and looked unsightly. I love its showy ruffled edge and its vigour.

But it's your garden. When room is at a premium - and how can it not be with so many lovely hostas out there - cull.

Guacamole and Squash Casserole are two of my favorite hostas. I've given away a number of popular hostas that just weren't "doing it" for me. Doesn't matter what I like, it's your garden. Make room for the ones that you REALLY want : )

Vicky, correct me if I'm wrong, but what I heard you ask for in your post were reasons for keeping, rather than culling, these hostas. You already seem to have a healthy "life is too short" attitude. Do you want opinions about why these plants are awesome and under what conditions they look their best?

I agree with others, you are to decide what best goes for your garden. Some like piecrust and some like giants... I like Guacamole and Squash C. and they do well for me.

@Lindalana, the colours on your Guac look like Stained Glass!

I still don't have room for Guac's giant sprawl, but I'd love to know what it wants to get those colours. Lots of sun didn't work for me, mine is very low contrast, though it grows like a monster.

It was beyond wonderful having Kathy (zkathy) come for a visit and Invincible was the first Hosta that caught her attention.

Vicky, I related to Kathy how 2years? ago Invincible got hit by a freeze after being fully leafed out, turning it to a pile of mush...it recovered completely. Then it got eaten almost to nothing by deer...it recovered completely, again. The recuperative powers of Invincible are amazing! I consider it to be great.

I don't have a good pic yet from this year so here is a pic from early last year of Invincible

Thanks for the discussion everyone. I really do want to like them, but... this is Invincible. Looks beautiful earlyin Spring, its about 3 or 4 ' around. August moon is smooshed behind it. So you can see why they have to get separated.

Here's a closeup of the leaves; it does this every year. No other hosta gets like this in my yard. I don't think it is slugs.

August Moon...in my yard it is just green and nondescript

Here ours is a standard, well growing yellow fave.

Squash casserole...same as above, gets mid day sun. Looks washed out.

Same as above.

Guacamole...floppy habit, color is dull, mostly shaded. Famous and popular for good reason.

Invincible, large, shiny green, but gets pitted leaves mid-summer. Looks like it has acne!

Hated it and laughed at it's name until we controlled the slugs.

I guess i like upright, or neat growing habits, variegated color, texture.

Yep, there are plenty enough other varieties of Hosta, so dump your dis and try others...

LOL, these are these same I dislike.

Invincible - removed 2? or 3? years ago, thing was beautiful in early spring then godawful and full of holes after that. For shine, get Irish Luck instead, or Sugar and Spice that stands up better and is fragrant.

Guacamole - removed from bed last year, planning to donate. Find another fragrant hosta.

Squash Casserole - I hated it, moved it to a front bed where it looks okay amid other hostas, but I still dislike the floppy form, might remove in future to make room for something better. It's the one in the center here:

I put Fort Knox in place of Choo Choo Train (that replaced Squash Casserole) this year and already love it twice as much.

August Moon - not a stunner, I have it placed behind Paul's Glory and next to a shrub, where it doesn't look awful and I don't mind if it languishes from root competition. Wouldn't purchase again.

Since we seem to have the same experiences, here are some others you might want to remove too: Blonde Elf, Captain's Adventure, Coconut Custard, Grand Canyon, Grand Prize, London Fog, Night Before Christmas, Patriot, Pilgrim, Prince of Darkness, Sea Octopus, Shiny Penny, Stir It Up, and X-ray.

Atlantis and Sweet Home Chicago are also on my watch list. They look kind of disappointing currently, so I'm moving them this weekend. Choo Choo Train is on the same list, but already looks better since I moved it last month. Dancing Queen is also dull and uninspiring, but I'm giving it a couple years to mature.

Choo Choo Train and August Moon are both in this overall pic of the bed:

Whereas individually, meh:

Do what makes you feel happy when you look at your garden. I have a super large Guacamole in my front bed. Just dug out a bunch of crowns to give away and it took major effort since its roots are now intertwined with tree roots in that bed. Its not my favorite but its hard to replace a hosta that's 4' x 4' and has huge healthy leaves.

@Eleven I like your ruthlessness!

Viki, since root competition has been brought up, Guacamole does seem to be handling root competition well under my silver maple. Perhaps you have such a tough spot that you don't want to put a precious hosta, like under a maple, then you could try Guacamole there. Then you could enjoy the fragrant flowers and ignore it the rest of the time. BTW I am making a cull list now too. I need more room for new ones and seedlings.

Looks like some kind of critters are at your Invincible, if not slugs. Looks like this one loves you!

See, I think your Guacamole looks fantastic, even if it's not as bright in real life, but that's just my take. It's all SO subjective. Having brought up the subjectivity issue, I'd still beg your indulgence for a moment (IF you'd like a fragrant replacement in your garden) and recommend Cathedral Windows to you in place of Guacamole. Very thick leaves with Cathedral Windows, and the flowers are strongly-smelling like Guacamole. As a replacement for Invincible, I'd also recommend, as Eleven has, Sugar and Spice, a plant with the same growth habit, thicker substance and a variegated margin. Hostas are great fun, even if it's replacing ones with others you'll want for a long time. Please do show us pics when you've gotten replacements, etc. We love pics. Have fun!

Vicky, that closeup leaf with the holes tells me you have slugs and snails. The smaller, rounder holes including those where the green tissue has been chewed but not punctured, have been made by snails. It must be very moist in that location to harbour those chewers and they have found a hosta that is smorgasbord to them. :(

You have some art going on as well in the shape of a heart on the upper-left half of leaf. :-)

Tell yourself it is OK to love some of your hostas less than you did before....and give them away if you wish. After all these years, I have noticed lately that my hosta tastes are starting to change a bit.

I find this year I am actually looking to improve a few locations for some, Guacamole being one. It has finally reached an admirable size in my garden but has been affected by cold night, then very hot days so is not pretty up close. Then I look at another fragrant, Fragrant Dream, growing in an ideal location and it is pristine and stands tall. Guac needs to join it.

Rescue or pitch - your choice but since you asked, relocate August Moon where it will enhance another hosta - a variegated one. It will automatically look better.

Ever since I became proactive and declared war on the slugs, all my hostas look 100% better. Mother Nature is the one I can't beat.

Good luck with your decision - whether to pitch, or gift, or trade, or relocate. Should you make changes, I would love to see pictures of them, Vicky. Pick up some slug n snail bait for those critters to chew on - you will decrease the population.

Good eye Don! I was still composing but found heart too. :-)

Eleven..I think your "dislikes" look nice!..funny that only "hosta people" notice teeny tiny differences and have an opinion whether to have a hosta in their garden..aren't we funny??

Thanks don_in_colorado for pointing out the "heart" in the chewed leaf. Now i can add guilt to my feelings for Invincible! :)

I have memories attached to these (but that's true of all my specials), and probably bought them because they had an interesting name, more than for their growing habit. So, my limited space causes me to be more thoughtful. If I had a bigger yard, I'd keep them all!

I think i will divide and share and re-site them. Thanks to everyone for your input and suggestions...Eleven, I love Atlantis, so every yard/taste is different!

I am an orphanage for unloved hostas. I am always dragging home the 'uglies' from other people's gardens. Send them my way lol

I love my August Moon and would really miss it. But every garden is different.

It does get morning sun from about 8-9 am, then shaded by the house.

A baby Blue Hawaii in pot, Jack in Pulpits at back

Thought I should mention that instead of removing Guacamole, I moved it to the back of a different bed near a shrub. No pic yet, but I like it better there so far. I've been moving lots of plants this year (okay, that's normal for me). But instead of planning on paper or computer, I yank the hosta, put it in a pot, then play musical pots. Will try and get a pic tomorrow of the bed I just did.

P.S. I love Atlantis too... when I see it in other gardens. I just have so much shade.

LOL, Don, What an eye for detail.

Reason to keep August Moon?

She just won a Blue Ribbon and First of Class at local Leaf Show. :)