Too Much Wool & Not Enough Rain=HOSTA COZIES!

I keep sheep.  Sheep make wool and lots of it.  At the moment, I have WAY more wool that one human could possible use. 

Starting this summer, I have renewed an interest in my flower garden.  The Hostas for the most part have hung in there through two summers of neglect and now deserve to be pampered.

We live in the Midwest United States (Missouri), and it is very, very hot and dry this June.  

So I was thinking how I could combine my two interests. I now have Hosta Cozies around my plants.  I use white or off white wool in hope of white doing what it is theoretically suppose to; reflect heat away from surfaces and help keep the moisture in the ground.  It will eventually decompose and put nutrients back into the dirt.

Hostas are not the only plants that get Cozies

We will see how it works.  Michael (my husband) has seen seminars about using wool as mulch, so I know this is not an original idea.  I will keep you updated on how I think it works. 

Some of my gardening partners,  during the nice cool winter.

Garden Thyme-Hostas, Mason City, and Frank Lloyd Wright

I first fell in love with Hostas in Mason City, Iowa. We were touring the Frank Lloyd Wright Stockman  House, a preserved Usonian house.. All around the property were beautiful huge Hostas with dark blue green leaves.

For years after that, I would buy what ever Hostas Wal-Mart had on sale. Finally, I decided that if I wanted the big blues or "Blue Giants" I would have to search harder. I now have these beauties but it will take a few years for them to reach their full potential.

Hostas have always been faithful plants for me. I ignored them for a few years, and they kept on growing. They don't get ignored anymore. I have about 30 different types. Some I know names of, some I don't. Last fall, I planted some miniatures, Stiletto, Pandora's Box, Little Mouse Ears, and Brimful Cup. I will probably plant more miniatures this fall.