'Great Expectations' is a hosta cultivar with large, rounded to ovate bright yellow to chartruse leaf centers with deep blue-green irregular margins. Centers age to creamy white as the summer progresses. The plant stands about 18 to 24 inches tall without flowers, and grows about 30 to 34 inches wide. Flowers are white, appearing in mid summer on scapes another foot or so above the mound of foliage. It has a low, sort of stocky presence that is a wonderful contrast to heuchera, lamium, and rue.
Grow in well drained soil in part shade to full shade to dappled light. Some varieties are listed as being suitable for full sun, but in our hot, dry climate, they all benefit from some mid-day sun protection. Ideally, provide a loamy soil, amended with organic material. Remove spent flower scapes after blooming to encourage more flowering and for a tidy appearance. In early spring, remove spent foliage, taking care to watch for new foliage emerging from the crown. Though not thought of as a "water-wise" plant, Hostas do remarkably well in dry part-shade to full-shade conditions, and are frequently the victim of over-watering, succumbing to crown or root rot.