This slow growing sport of H. 'Zounds' was named for the hosta hybridizer by the same name, Dr. Dick Ward of Ohio. It was registered by Handy Hatfield of Ohio in 1991. The large size (24 inches high by 50 inches wide) plant has broadly ovate, heavily corrugated foliage that is also wavy and cupped. Very pale lavender flowers bloom from late June into July.

According to The Hostapedia by Mark Zilis (2009), "This is considered to be the best gold-centered H. 'Sieboldiana'-type by many hosta collectors. Unlike the many sports of 'Elegans' and 'Frances Williams', it does not develop spring desiccation burn and makes a magnificent specimen in the shaded garden. It honors a person who has made tremendous contributions to The American Hosta Society over the last twenty-five or so years."

From the Field Guide to Hostas by Mark Zilis (2014), "...introduced to the nursery trade in 1992 at $200 per plant..."A great plant honoring a great man" sums up this plant...forms an abundance of seed pods, but surprisingly no progeny have been registered..."

The New Encyclopedia of Hostas by Diana Grenfell (2009) states: "Slow to establish but well worth the wait...Becomes a brassy yellow if exposed to full sunlight."

An article by Warren I. Pollock in The Hosta Journal (1995 Vol. 26 No. 2) states that, "H. 'Dick Ward' is a handsome new cultivar, a sport of gold-leaved 'Zounds' with a wide green border. It was introduced and registered by Handy Hatfield...named for the well-known hosta collector, Dr. Richard Ward of Columbus, Ohio...H. 'Dick Ward'...currently selling for $150 for nice-sized divisions."

An article by Warren I. Pollock in The Hosta Journal (1997 Vol. 28 No. 1) states that, "...'Dick Ward' is an expensive hosta, a prize collector's item. It is division propagated, that is, divisions are separated (cut) from plants growing either in the ground or in a container...'Dick Ward' is in very limited supply."

An article by Warren I. Pollack in The Hosta Journal  (2020 Vol. 51 No. 1) titled Doppelgänger Hostas: Fancy Name for Look-alike Hostas, included a long list of hostas which various hostaphiles, published articles or other sources have indicated "look" the same. Some of these are, in fact, the same plant with two or more different names. Others are hostas that vary in some minor trait which is not immediately discernable to the casual observer such as seasonal color variations, bloom traits, ploidy, etc. So, as Warren mentions, hostaphiles may differ as to the plants listed but then, their opinions are based on visual observations and interpretations.

H. 'Paradigm' appeared on two lists in the article. According to my last algebra class, if A=B and B=C, then A=C so it would seem that all hostas on the two lists would qualify as look-alikes. List #1 - H. 'Brother Stefan' and H. 'Paradigm' List #2 - H. 'Darwin's Standard', H. 'Dick Ward', H. 'Goldbrook Gayle' and H. 'Paradigm'

"Word of this magnificent hosta filtered east last year, so when it was offered in 1992, I couldn't resist. My clump is not as large as the one we all saw in Dick Ward's garden, but it is equally grand. The leaves, an interesting blend of white, yellow and chartreuse in the center with an irregular green edge and with green veins, are heavily corrugated and thick as cardboard to insure against any attack by slugs. And it withstands a lot of sun. A sure future winner. Available from Hatfield Gardens for $200.00."