H. ‘Bob the Builder’

Overview

Registered in 2009, 'Bob the Builder' is a sport of *Hosta* 'Dorothy Benedict' distinguished by its intensely blue-green foliage and excellent substance. The broadly ovate, cupped leaves are 8 inches (20.3 cm) long and 7 inches (17.8 cm) wide, with 11 vein pairs, slightly rippled margins, and a glaucous bloom on both surfaces.

In the Garden

This medium-sized cultivar forms a dense, mound-like clump 15 inches (38.1 cm) in both height and diameter. It performs best in partial to full shade, where its blue-green coloration remains most intense. The moderate corrugation and good substance make it suitable for foreground placement in shaded borders or as a specimen among ferns and other shade perennials.

Care Notes

Provide consistent moisture during dry periods, particularly in the first growing season. Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring as new growth emerges. Like most blue-leaved hostas, 'Bob the Builder' is susceptible to slug and deer damage, though its thick substance offers some resistance.