Hostas of the Year 2011 – Praying Hands Williams (1996). Small [15" tall x 12" wide]. Lavender flowers late season. Hosta 'Praying Hands' is one of the most unique hosta varieties. The stiff, upright, folded green leaves have thin gold margins. The slightly shiny, slightly rippled, twisted leaves are spectacular! DESIGNER HOSTA: This variety joins a select few other hostas in the exclusive "Designer" category. This plant has distinctive garden presence and exemplary landscape performance. The foliage is of good substance and demonstrates superior resistance to garden pests. This plant grows well in all parts of the country. A premium plant that looks great all season long!
2010 - First Frost Scolnik/Solberg (2002). Medium [16" tall x 36" wide]. Pale lavender flowers mid season. Hosta 'First Frost' is a newer sport of 'Halcyon'. It features intense blue-green leaves with irregular, jetting, yellow margins. The margins turn white in summer. A beautiful plant that looks great until the first frost, thus the name. Fertile.
2009 - Earth Angel Hansen (2002). Large [32" tall x 60" wide]. Pale lavender flowers early season. Hosta 'Earth Angel' is a giant! It is a large, creamy-white margined sport of the beloved 'Blue Angel'. The thick, broadly ovate leaves come to a nice point. The leaves measure 12" long by 9" wide. The first 'giant' blue hosta with a white border. Destined to become a favorite of hosta growers everywhere! DESIGNER HOSTA: This variety joins a select few other hostas in the exclusive "Designer" category. This plant has distinctive and exemplary garden presence and performance. The foliage is of good substance and demonstrates superior resistance to garden pests. This plant grows well in all parts of the country. A premium plant that looks great all season!
2008 - Blue Mouse Ears Deckert (2000). Mini [7" tall x 10" wide]. Lavender flowers mid season. Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears' is an adorable little hosta that features small, rounded, blue-green leaves that are extremely thick and fuzzy. This little cutie forms a perfectly symmetrical mound of tight foliage that is irresistable to touch. A multi award winner that is slug resistant. One of our favorites. DESIGNER HOSTA: This variety joins a select few other hostas in the exclusive "Designer" category. This plant has distinctive garden presence and exemplary landscape performance. The foliage is of good substance and demonstrates superior resistance to garden pests. This plant grows well in all parts of the country. A premium plant that looks great all season long! This hosta is a winner of the prestigious 'Popularity Poll' from the American Hosta Society.
2007 - Paradigm Walden-West/Purtyman (1999). Large [22" tall x 46" wide]. Near white flowers mid summer. Hosta 'Paradigm' features shiny, thick, gold leaves with jetting blue-green margins. Variegation intensifies as the season progresses. Multi award winner. Excellent slug resistant foliage. This hosta is a winner of the prestigious 'Popularity Poll' from the American Hosta Society. This variety has been named one of the very favorites of all hostas by the majority of the AHS members in an annual poll. Basically, this plant is "loved by all".
2006 - Stained Glass Hansen (1999). Medium [15" tall x 45" wide]. Fragrant near-white flowers mid season. Hosta 'Stained Glass' is a beautiful sport of 'Guacamole'. One of the few hostas that tolerates full sun. Large very fragrant flowers. Award winner. Quickly grows into a colorful mound of leaves with very visual veining, giving it the look of stained glass. No collection would be complete without this hosta. DESIGNER HOSTA: This variety joins a select few other hostas in the exclusive "Designer" category. This plant has distinctive garden presence and exemplary landscape performance. The foliage is of good substance and demonstrates superior resistance to garden pests. This plant grows well in all parts of the country. A premium plant that looks great all season long!
2005 - Striptease Thompson (1991). Medium [20" tall x 36" wide]. Light lavender flowers mid season. Fantastic coloration! Hosta 'Striptease' features wide, dark green margins surround a narrower gold center. Between the two colors a very thin white line runs. A unique and beautiful mutation of 'Gold Standard'. Multi award winner. A strong, fast grower.
2004 - Sum and Substance Aden (1980). Large [36" tall x 60" wide]. Near white flowers mid season. Hosta 'Sum and Substance' features large, somewhat waxy leaves of heavy substance. The chartreuse-gold color display is more intense when exposed to some bright filtered sunlight. Forms a large mound, with leaves measuring 18" long by 15" wide. One famous clump has grown to over 9' wide! Fertile.
2003 - Regal Splendor Walter's Gardens (1987). Large [30" tall x 70" wide] Lavender flowers mid season. Hosta 'Regal Splendor' is a big blue hosta that forms an upright, vase-shaped mound of creamy-white margined leaves. Foliage is of good substance.
2002 - Guacamole Solberg (1994). Large [24" tall x 54" wide]. Fragrant white flowers late season. 'Guacamole' is a sport of the ever popular 'Fragrant Bouquet'. It features large glossy gold leaves with wide green margins. FRAGRANT flowers. A fast grower in sunlight. Forms a large open mound. Tolerates full sun. Award winner.
2001 - June Neo Plants (1991). Medium [15" tall x 20" wide]. Lavender flowers mid season. Hosta 'June' is the absolute favorite hosta of most AHS members. A sport of 'Halycon' it features thick leaves with good slug resistance and beautiful variegation. One of the last hostas to go dormant. A cornerstone of any good hosta collection.
2000 - Sagae Watanabe (1996). Large [31" tall x 70" wide]. Lavender flowers mid season. Hosta 'Sagae' is intensely popular among hosta collectors. Multi award winner. Huge, frosty-blue, wavy leaves with creamy-yellow margins. Formerly known as H. fluctuans 'Variegated'.
1999 - Paul's Glory Ruh/Hofer (1987). Medium [17" tall x 26" wide]. Lavender flowers early summer. Hosta 'Paul's Glory' is a classic. In Spring the leaves emerge blue-green with chartreuse centers. By Summer they turn darker green with bright gold centers. The leaf center is yellow in the spring, turning white to whitish-green. Margins are blue-green, 3/8" wide but do vary in width, occasionally the green of the margin extends to the midrib. With sun and slug resistance, this is a durable hosta. It has some sieboldiana parentage. A sport of H. 'Perry's True Blue.' Truly a stunner! Pale lavendar, bell-shaped flowers appear on 40" scapes in midsummer. It is reported it attracts hummingbirds and songbirds.
1998 - Fragrant Bouquet Aden (1982). Medium [20" tall x 36" wide]. Cream flowers mid season. 'Fragrant Bouquet' featues broad, apple-green foliage with pointy tips. An irregular creamy margin attractively frames the leaves. Good substance. Large, funnel shaped, sweetly fragrant flowers appear mid season.First offered in 2000, this AHS winner is rated large by HostaDirect. It grows fast, is sun and slug resistant. The white blooms are fragrant.
1997 - Patriot Machen (1991). Medium [22" tall x 30" wide]. Lavender flowers mid summer. Hosta 'Patriot' is responsible for our passion of the plant species here at Casita Azul. It was the crisp white margin and rich green leaves that hooked us. Its superior growth habit and ease of keeping left us looking for more hostas! To this day it is still a favorite of ours here at Casita Azul. Its dependable habit has earned this plant the title of Hosta of the Year in 1997. A wonderful sport of 'Francee'. Sun tolerant and Fertile.
1996 - So Sweet Aden (1986). Medium. Fragrant white flowers late season. Sun tolerant, strong grower. Hosta "So Sweet has very fragrant flowers. A 'Fragrant Bouquet' hybrid. Glossy leaves that tolerate more sun than most hostas. Award winner.