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Thursday, May 08, 2008

Here's looking at you...

On Tuesday I saw this Hosta when I was leaving the home of one of our garden club members. It struck me as such a odd sight, I was thrilled that I had my camera in my bag.

In my own garden I have been noticing Hosta that are getting that "donut" shape. Lots of ring but no jelly in the middle. That was my thought when I took this photo.

Downloading it onto the computer the first thing that struck me was the way it looked like lots of little eyes peeking out of the foliage. Does it look like that to you too?

This was an immaculate garden and it seemed like almost everything was in a perfect ring. This was the Astilbe.

Of course when I got back home I found no perfection, just lots of Old Country Gardens tumble (that I so adore). I wish I had pulled that silly dandelion before taking this photo.

Plant sale craze is in full swing, sorry for the sporadic posts. I'm off again to buy a mini-blind to cut up for more tags.

Till later,

Melanie

13 comments:

Robin's Nesting Place said...

That is one very large hosta!

I wish I could attend your plant sale. Our Master Gardeners plant sale is Saturday.

Frances, said...

Hi Melanie, how did she get that astible to look like that? Pruning? Your garden looks much better, more natural. The hostas here don't have that donut ring for some reason, but none of them have been in their spot for a long time, maybe that is what causes the center to die out. Wish I could help you with the name tags, hope someone is.

Frances at Faire Garden

Carol Michel said...

Mini-blinds cut up is a great idea for making plant labels.

When I see perennials with that donut shape, it tells me it is time to dig them up and divide them.

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Gail said...

I never noticed the dandy dandelion..it looked like a regular yellow flower! Melanie, I prefer your country garden tumble with its real look rather than the perfect rings of a well manicured garden.

Good luck with the sale!

gail

Anonymous said...

I prefer the country garden tumble as well. I think the hostas are forming a doughnut as they need splitting - just a thought
Good luck with the plant sale

Unknown said...

If you hadn't mentioned the dandelion I probably wouldn't have even noticed it! Oh well. We know you're busy with all of your plant sale stuff. Let us know how it goes. I wish I lived close enough to stop by and browse!

Anonymous said...

That was truly an odd looking hosta. It did look like little eyes!
Brenda

archivesinfo said...

you can easily remove that dandelion in a photo editing program and pretend you weeded it!

Hoot Owl Hollow Nursery said...

Older hostas start to ring as the center gets crowded and the older eyes die out. They will eventually, given time, fill in the center again, or you can just divide and replant the pieces - or better yet, trade some divisions for something neat!
Jane

Melanie Chopay said...

Robin, good luck on Saturday! Do you shop at that sale or just work it?

Frances, isn't that the strangest shaped Astilbe? I sure don't know how that happened, it was very unnatural looking. If we get the deluge tomorrow I'll find the time to write the tags.

Carol, I forgot to get the mini blinds today!!! Thank you for reminding me. I agree about the donut shape and yet so many Hosta collectors tell me to just leave them alone.

Gail, thanks for the luck, it will be greatly needed, gently used, and I will pass it back to you when I'm finished with it.

Helen, I agree, I have some Hosta donuts here and will have some work ahead of me.

Cinj, wish you were here too, I'd be glad to share with you, not sell to you.

Brenda, glad you saw those eyes too, they just were there, looking out at me :-)

Melissa, now that's my kind of weeding! Wish I knew how, it will have to be a winter project I think.

Jane, trading sounds great to me. Some of these older clumps people brought me have beautiful variations in the foliage. I no longer care if they know the name or not, I will take a piece from some of them and put them here in my garden too.

Esther Montgomery said...

Dandlions are in fashion.

Esther

Marie said...

Wonderful photos from your garden :)

Amy said...

I too an a lover of the country garden tumble look :) Mini blinds for making plant tags - what a perfect idea!