Hallson Gardens

PHOTOS NEEDED: I need some good photos of Hosta 'Catherine' and 'Magic Island'. A few high resolution close-up shots of a leaf from each plant would be great. They would be used for an article in The Hosta Journal. Post the photos below or send them to donrawson1@gmail.com . Thanks!

Just wanted to let you all know that Van Wade of Wade and Gatton Nursery passed away last night from a massive heart attack. Van was a wonderful friend. I've visited his nursery annually for the past 20 years and Van was always so kind, humble and generous. He will be missed greatly. Here's a favori...

Is your 'Stained Glass' early to emerge in the spring? What about 'Guacamole'?

For hosta 'Lemon Lime', The New Encyclopedia of Hostas (page 419) says, "Leaves remain chartreuse unless hosta is grown in bright light." The MyHostas Database says, "The old leaves fade to light green, contrasting nicely with the bright gold of the new foliage." This is a fairly common hosta. What ...

regarding hosta 'Blackfoot' (Plater-Zyberk/Solberg 1994), the Hosta Helper website says, "The foliage starts the season light green and becomes more yellow as the season progresses." The MyHostas Database says, "Bright yellow-gold foliage (almost electric in the spring!)." The New Encyclopedia of Ho...

The registration for 'Eola Salad Bowl' (Hottovy 2004) says, "Seasonal Change: darker green in late summer." The Plant Lust website says, "Chartreuse, viridescent leaves stay yellow where they get some sun or very bright light..." However, The New Encyclopedia of Hostas (page 99) says, "Cultivation N...

Please help me determine if the following hostas are lutescent or viridescent. Lutescent hostas become golder throughout the season. On the other hand, viridescent hostas become greener throughout the season. Which of the following are lutescent and which are viridesent? ‘Atom Smasher’ ‘Bitsy Gold’ ...

Dave, did you mean Matt Sanford?

Does anyone have information about hosta 'City Boy' which is shown on the Hosta Library? The photo was submitted by Matt (no last name). Thank you

No, it is not lost. There are a few people who have it in their collection. But I'm not sure that anyone is using it in their hybridizing program and have not heard of any plans to have it tc'ed.

What was the convention plant for the 2015 Midwest Regional in Dubuque, IA?

I'm looking for a hosta garden to visit this summer in the NW Ohio or NE Indiana area. I have already been to the gardens of Butch Graves (Sylvania) and Frank and Charlene Patz (Toledo). Can you recommend one? I would prefer a garden with a lot of hosta varieties and possibly someone who is doing so...

I refer to these as "flip flop" hostas because the colors flip flop during the growing season. Some are more obvious then others. There is a list posted at http://www.hostalists.org/hosta_list_flip.php.

Bill, you mentioned 'Bronze Age', a hybrid developed by Gary Gossett at Terra Nova. (See the pic in the Hosta Library.) They still have it at Terra Nova in a back garden plot, but aren't using it in their current hybridizing program. Now they're working with progeny from it which is reported to be m...

Yes, 'Red Dragon' (and 'Black Mamba') have very dark scapes. Both of these Ron Livingston hybrids have the same parentage ('Elvis Lives' X plantaginea ) X 'Red Neck Heaven'. 'Dragon Warrior' (Jan van den Top), an attractive variegated sport of 'Red Dragon', would have the same dark scapes as well. F...

Ed, you asked what is meant by "black-marked". That is a direct quote from Dan Heims and I'm not precisely sure what he means. I can only suppose that the scapes and/or petioles of the plant from Japan had some dark speckles on them. From the reading I've done, there's some variation in the intensit...

According to a September 2010 posting on the Hosta Hybridizer's webpage at http://www.hostahybridizers.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=97 , Dan Heims gave the following vague description of the background of 'Purple Heart': "Our plants are a 10 year culmination of crosses that started with an amazing group ...

Are there hostas which have pink flowers? I know there are some which have magenta striped petals (such as 'Akane', 'Kokuryu', etc.), but I was wondering if any have true pink flowers?

Zilis says 'Blue Angel' has "sparse pod formation" (The Hostapedia, page 117). However, I have seen situations where it produced a lot of seed. Also, 'Earth Angel'. What's your experience? Should it be on the list as a reluctant pod producer, posted at http://www.hostalists.org/hosta_list_sterh.php ?

What hostas which emerge early each spring before the other cultivars? Help me update the list.

Someone mentioned 'Blue Silver', 'Rainbow's End', and 'Wolverine'...do those emerge very early for you?