H. 'Sum and Substance'

One of the Hostas that took a while to get going for us is 'Sum and Substance'. But if you'd seen what we started out with in terms of bare roots, you'd be surprised we even have anything growing from those at all. We started out with some bare roots from Costco towards the end of April 2002, a bit late in the year to be planting them, after they'd been sitting in their displays for probably 6-8 weeks with roots shriveling and crowns drying out. This one was moved in 2005 from the spot you see here in front of a row of cedar hedging to a location where it's a little less crowded and doesn't have to compete with another plant's massive surface root system for water. Besides, it grows to a fair size and deserves much better exposure as a specimen than what this locale afforded it: it's lost here. When mature it is of fairly substantial size, with leaves measuring 20 x 15 inches! Our experience thus far is that it tolerates sun quite well.

Hosta of the Year This cultivar was selected Hosta of the Year for 2004 by the American Hosta Growers Association. To receive this honor the plant must be readily available in the nursery trade for retail distribution and meet the criteria for pricing, which is around $15 in the year of selection.

Hosta 'Sum and Substance'This one is in little more crowded location as you can see. It's under the west side of a Fatsia, right behind a Columbine which it will overshadow in fairly short order. It's doing a bit better then it's cousin below that got transplanted in that the leaves are much bigger. So far though no evidence yet of any new points.

The planter this particular one is in is home to 4 different Hosta varieties; the other ones are 'Golden Tiara', 'Fragrant Blue' and 'Ground Master'. In addition to the Hostas there are also some Trillium and 2 different forms of Dicentra: formosa and 'Luxuriant'.

The plant you saw in the first picture, top right, got transplanted early this spring (2005) and perhaps isn't quite as far along as it could have been if it'd been left alone. Hostas will limit their leaf size to the size of the root system, in other words leaf size and numbers is dictated by how much water the plant can take up. When you dig 'em up and disturb the root system the plant will take the first year to adapt itself to it's new environment. No big deal; it's still ahead of last year in that the root now has 3 points to it and in its new location will make a much nicer showing, as I'm sure pictures later in the season will show us.

A quick check of the plant in early June showed another 3 points, so obviously it's adapting, growing it's root sytem to suit the new spot otherwise we wouldn't have seen these new ones. By late June as a matter of fact it sprouted another point and it's even putting up a flower scape. But it's interesting comparing this scape with the one starting on the other one. Take a peek to the left and below. The first one -to the left- is the one from the recent transplant.

And this on is the one in the sideyard that WASN'T moved.

Pictures of the flowers will be posted soon.

It's now the middle of July and we're quite pleased with the size of the inflorescense on the one in the north yard. This one is quite a bit larger than the one we transplanted and the transplant is just now starting to open up, whereas this one has been going strong for a few days already. The 'hook' you saw in the flower scape of the transplant, the almost black one above, has disappeared.

Here we are in the middle of June '06 and the one growing near the Fatsia in the North sideyard is starting to show good size. In the summer months it sees a fair bit of direct sunlight, mostly from about 10AM to 6 to 7 PM and it would surely appear to be enjoying that. The size next year may well be such that we have to take steps to keep the Bleeding Heart you see in the background from being completely being blocked, so perhaps we'll take the bull by the horns and moved it laterally before fall, so the roots get a chance to get re-established before it dies back.

This guy started out as a puny, single leaved plant 4 years ago. It has been transplanted once, but this #3 pot has been its home for going on 3 years now. Every year it has gotten bigger leaves and more shoots. This year is probably the first time we'll actually get to see a proper leaf size and vein count. If we keep it that is. Only having so much space in the yard means that this one cannot be planted in a bed any time soon, plain and simple haven't got the room. For that reason it will end up either being sold or traded in 2008.

And it was traded. Unfortunately it became part of a one-way trade: the recipient has my plants, she has yet to see fit to send me mine.....

The plant in the North sideyard was dug up and divided in spring of 2009. It was simply getting too big for where it was and by mid summer Neka would have started to shred the leaves again, leaving us with naught but a ratty looking plant. Best to use that location for something she is less likely to be able to reach, like the 'Grand Tiara' and 'Rainforest Sunrise' that have been planted there now.

This is the remaining one, originally planted in 2002 in the box I oft refer to as the 'Hosta Nursery' and as you can see it is starting to outgrow its given place. The picture is from the 22nd of April 2010 and it looks majestic, but out of place. For that reason it was dug up and potted up for sale as a mature specimen in the 2011 plant sale season.

Needless to say, it did sell. And I'm sure it made a spectacular specimen in the new yard.

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Pages last updated 28 November 2018