Mail Order Hostas

Apparently I am now a HOSTA SNOB.  The local markets do not carry the varieties than I'm looking for.  The same 4 or 5 plants can be found in every plant selling location.  I'll get my shoes at Payless just like so many others, but I will NOT have the same hostas as all my neighbors!!  I realize this makes me a snob and high maintenance (which is funny cuz it's such a low maintenance plant) but I don't judge others who have the "garden variety" hosta names, so I'm fine with it!

I realize there are few gardening Treckies, but thank goodness for the one who, for whatever reason, named their creation CAPTAIN KIRK HOSTA.  

Captain Kirk Hosta

By name alone I had to have it.  I'm still looking

for a pressed tin USS Enterprise garden stake to

 put along side it.

The Captain Kirk should have dark green on the outside and chartreuse on the inside of the leaf.  Like the photo to the right - which is NOT from my garden.  Based on that I thought alternating the Captain with the vibrantly colored Stardust hosta would be quite a show.  Plus, you can't ignore the significance of the hunky space traveler along side bright and shiny stardust!

Since I could not find these fancy names in town I ordered them online.  This is how they came...

This is Hosta Row.  This is the South part of the yard (facing North).  There were a few hostas already here when we bought the house. 2 years ago my husband took 2 large plants, of 2 different varieties, split them up and alternated them down the fence line.  They have been very happy here, and I like it, but would like to brighten it up with bolder, brighter colors.  Thus enters Cpt Kirk and Stardust.   I'd like to replace the whole row with these two.  Question is, do I divide and conquer or pay and plant?  I'm impatient, yet cheap, so I'll probably do 1/2 and 1/2.

I'm starting off with the Stardust because i's the brighter of the two and will catch the eye from the driveway.  I have Queen Anne's Lace planted along the fence line that leads into the bed and the contrast should work out great.  Hopefully the Queen's lace comes it strong next year.

It said online that both these guys grow to a mature 4 feet across, So if my measuring is correct, this is where it should go so it won't be smooshed by the fence or it's neighbor. I want it to slightly hang over the driveway to soften that edge.  Whoever thought it was necassary to soften up a driveway - I don't know - but now I think I need to do it.  The plan is to plant annuals (impatiens?) in the gap until this one gets big enough.  Should be quite impressive in a few years.  Can i wait that long?

The planting....  I've been watching Youtube videos on How to Care for Hostas....this gal is one of my favorites, although I have no idea where she gets all her soil types.....anyway, I hope Bonemeal will suffice for the fertilizer.

I am super excited to see how big this one gets!

So here we go with the Captain.  I'm trying to give both guys a 4 ft width, so as not to plant very many, but rather have a few large displays of dazzling greenery!  My husband thinks I'm crazy to move the mature hostas that are already there....but it's the gardeners prerogative to reorganize.  Right?

A few days after I put this one in the ground it looked pretty bad.  I think there are possums that rummage through my hostas at night.  All the the leaves were broken.  My only hope is that it's working on it's root system and will come back with force in the Spring.

Fingers crossed.  Who am I kidding?  It's Captain Kirk!  He can fist- fight any bully in ANY galaxy & still get the girl!  I know he's coming up again.