Mini/dwarf garden

mum2knm · Post by **mum2knm** » Dec 19, 2007 12:11 pm

I'm planning on creating a mini/dwarf garden in an area of my yard and am in the process of planning what plants to put there.

I was wondering if everyone would be so kind as to list their favourite 5 mini/dwarf hostas to help a newbie out?

TIA

sugar · Post by **sugar** » Dec 19, 2007 3:53 pm

- Blue Mouse Ears (some will argue that it isn't mini, but is small)
- Little Red Joy (I have 'Little Red Rooster', but I like Little Red Joy more, but that one wasn't commercially available last year)
- Fireworks : look at the pictures; you will understand
- Cheatin' Heart : the most yellow plant in my garden
- Dixie Chick : great green with a tiny white edge, my favourite mini

Pieter · Post by **Pieter** » Dec 19, 2007 6:02 pm

Sabrina, I agree with Sugar: at the top of my mini/dwarf list is BLUE MOUSE EARS and seeing as it is 2008 Hosta of the Year it should easy to find in the spring and pretty inexpensive. You'll be amazed by the substance of its leaves, they're almost like succulents. Neat flowers too!

So, here's my list:

Blue Mouse Ears
Feather Boa
Dixie Chick
Lemon Lime
Fire Island (more of a small sized one)

bobinfrance · Post by **bobinfrance** » Dec 19, 2007 6:47 pm

I agree also with Blue Mouse Ears it may not be classed now as a true mini but it is superb, try allso,
Baby Bunting
Cracker Crumbs
Masquerade or Munchkin (all green sport)
Pandoras Box
TeaSpoon

Good Hostering for 2008........Bob

oops thats 7

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » Dec 19, 2007 7:16 pm

Hi mum2knm!!

I agree......Blue Mouse Ears is a must!

Lakeside Babyface, but it might not be small enought for you, but it is small...(did that sound right?

)

Silver Threads and Golden Needles? It's really small....It had done good for me, too....Thats three....Let me think....

Radio Waves? I have all these so at least I can say how they have done here.....one more.....

.....

Lakeside Elfin Fire? It's small and cute as heck.

Good Luck!!

Edited to smak it easier to read.

thy · Post by **thy** » Dec 19, 2007 8:17 pm

Minies i haven't killed

Blue mouse Ears is a small/mini,,, soo easý and lovely

Little Jay is a good growing cutie

Lemon Lime is a fact ... it accept it all

tortifrons is growing nuts in a very well drained pot .. I was told it was fuzzy, but it seems to like it in the pot

Lessadragon · Post by **Lessadragon** » Dec 20, 2007 8:18 am

If you are looking for minis, then these are nice:
Pandora's Box
Cookie Crumbs
Baby Bunting
Cameo
Cherish
Masquerade

If you don't mind if they are a little less small:
Blue Mouse Ears
Lemon Lime
Silver Threads and Golden Needles
Cheatin Heart
Dixie Chick

Teaspoon is a really nice hosta, but I wouldn't call it really small. My display plant was 24" x 11" this year. My DH thought it was growing up to be a serving spoon.

Have fun with your little garden. Show us pics when it's done.

Lynn

mum2knm · Post by **mum2knm** » Dec 20, 2007 9:37 am

Wow what great suggestions, thank you! It looks like I'll definitely be adding Blue Mouse Ears to my list as just about everyone's mentioned it. Thank you again and please keep them coming!

largosmom · Post by **largosmom** » Dec 20, 2007 10:21 am

I don't have many minis yet, so I can only say what I like that I have. Some you can separate if they get to big and give some to a friend (BME is one of those). I like to mix and match contrasts, so you might consider one dark green/blue such as BME, a nice gold, a couple of variegated, and maybe a long leaved green. Or you could go with a "Mouse" theme and get 5-6 different color combos with the same leaf shape.

Laura

Blue Mouse Ears
Lemon Lime
Lakeside Elfin Fire (streaky!)
Bitsy Gold

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » Dec 20, 2007 10:26 am

Welcome Sabrina!! Hosta people are the very best!! And hosta's are too...

Have fun with them!

Pieter · Post by **Pieter** » Dec 20, 2007 1:01 pm

Sabrina, I saw the picture you posted on GW of your available space and you can easily go to varieties that fall into the 'small' category, which is defined as a plant with a height range from 6-10 inches at maturity.

sugar · Post by **sugar** » Dec 20, 2007 6:56 pm

Lakeside Babyface an Little Jay are indeed must haves as well. Advantage of mini hosta : they don't need a lot op place, so you can put a lot of them on a small area.

Two others that weren't mentioned up to now : Vera Verde and Lime Fizz. And check out Winsome as well...

Tom

ViolaAnn · Post by **ViolaAnn** » Dec 21, 2007 4:23 pm

My favourite mini's - will 8 do? Some of them are quite new to me; so I've not had long to really see how they do.

'Cracker Crumbs'
'Hope'
'Kifukurin Ko Mame'
'Cameo'
'Cherish'
'Lakeside Elfin Fire'
'Little Red Rooster'
'X-Rated'

Papou · Post by **Papou** » Dec 22, 2007 12:29 pm

Cameo
Crybaby
Yellow Poker Dot Bikini
Sunlight Child
Winter Lightning
Venusta

Papou

Walnut grove · Post by **Walnut grove** » Dec 22, 2007 8:51 pm

Some of my favorite minis...

Blue Mouse Ears
Pandoras Box
Cherish
Hope
Popo
Suprised by Joy
Winsome
Blue Ice

Some favorite smalls

Little Sunspot
Blue Jay
Grand Prize
High Society
Hyuga Urajiro

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Dec 23, 2007 9:19 pm

Sabrina--If you would check the archives and go back about 2 weeks or so, you will find a series of my Pic of the Days that covered a number of minis. That might help you. I have also been covering some minis more recently. I just got a new computer up and running and should be back posting my POTD in a few days.

lessa's dh · Post by **lessa's dh** » Dec 23, 2007 10:41 pm

word of warning Sabrina -- hang around this bunch too long and you will REALLY find out what a hosta addict is (besides - the goose lady will corrupt you!!!!)

SUEDIA · Post by **SUEDIA** » Dec 24, 2007 12:58 am

Sabrina,
I agree with all of the above plus I have a couple to add:
Dragon Tails
Stolen Kiss
I put allot of my mini's in new last year so will be able to tell more in 2008.
Yes this group will help you out with any questions you have. They have been a great help to me.
Good Luck,
Sue

Linda P · Post by **Linda P** » Dec 24, 2007 9:49 am

Welcome, Sabrina!
I was going to mention Dragon Tails. It was new to me last year, so I can't give you any info on the ease of growing, but it got off to a good start for me.
Tiny Tears
Popo
Pandora's Box, of course.
Lakeside Elfin Fire
Lakeside Zinger
Masquerade
venusta
Faithful Heart
Peanut
Rock Island Line
Teeny Weeny Bikini

Fresh is probably more of a small than a mini, but I really like it. It looks good until the end of the year. Blue Jay is a good small blue, probably one of my best. And I'll add another vote for Blue Mouse Ears. There are some sports of BME coming out, and those all look good to me. I don't have any of them yet, but they will probably be here sooner or later.

Oh, I know I have more, but these are the ones that come to mind.
You might want to seriously consider lessa's dh's warning. He's right, you know. I came to this place with maybe 100 hostas or so, thought I had all a person could need. I'm closing in on 600 varieties now, and these people are the ones who made me do it.
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
Happy gardening!
Linda P

mum2knm · Post by **mum2knm** » Dec 27, 2007 2:30 pm

Thank you everyone for the great suggestions! I have a huge list to go through once I get my Hosta encyclopedia by Diana Grenfell. PLease keep them coming.

Hank - It's seeing your pics that made me decide to create a mini/dwarf garden.

lessa's dh - LOL! I'll keep the warning in mind

Pieter - I wasn't sure if smalls would be to big but now I realize they won't be so will add those to the list.

Hallson Gardens

Mini/dwarf garden

Mini/dwarf garden

Minis