Made for the Shade

Made for the Shade

Florence Blum Writes on miniature fairy garden plants from 'Miniature-gardening.com' and 'Miniature-Gardening.com' offers ideas, plants and accessorie s .

Are you lucky enough to have towering trees in your yard? Is your miniature garden growing in the shadow of decades-old trees, tall shrubs, a sturdy deck, or the side of your home? If you are hoping to make the most of a shady yard, look no further than Hostas. These hardy perennials are known for their reliability, easy-to-care-for nature, and long lives.

Hostas range in size from miniature plants to large clumps that stretch up to 4-feet across. In the fairy garden, the tiniest Hostas add color and character wherever they are planted. Miniature varieties look gorgeous in containers, rock gardens, troughs, terrariums, borders, and beds. Gardeners agree: For shady miniature gardens and fairy gardens, Hostas are an excellent choice.

The History of Hostas Hostas have a long and fascinating horticultural history, but we can sum it up in just a few words. The plants originated in the shady forests of China. From there, they found their way across Asia and Russia, before landing in European gardens in the early 1830s.

Since then, the Hosta world has grown to include over 2,500 named cultivars! If you are interested in brightening up your miniature garden with a Hosta plant, you have plenty of varieties from which to choose. Some gardeners even collect Hostas, filling up their fairy gardens with as many types as they can find. Be sure to keep your eyes open for new varieties of these miniature plants, as more are introduced each year.

All About Variety At the dawn of the Hosta age, there were only about 40 varieties that grew wild in the plant’s native Asia. Today, you can find Hostas in a plethora of forms, sizes, and colors.

Variegated Hostas add visual interest in the miniature garden, especially when they are planted within a big patch of groundcover plant “lawn.” The leaves can be heart-shaped, pointed, broad, lance-like, or round. “Mouse ears” varieties look exactly like their name —rounded mouse ears.

You can find Hostas in gorgeous shades of green, blue, yellow, cream, and white. In the summertime, flowers bloom on spikes, attracting hummingbirds. Every Hosta offers a slightly different blossom, from delicate lavender to cheery yellow, though they usually look a bit like lilies.

Caring for Hostas When choosing a spot for your Hostas, you will want to find a shady or partially shaded location in the fairy garden. Soil should be rich and slightly moist, and even though Hostas are relatively drought-tolerant, they should not be allowed to dry out. Carefullyplaced mulch can help the plants retain moisture. After they bloom, you can remove the flower stalks to encourage new growth, and in the fall, you can remove brown leaves to discourage diseases and slugs.

Humans love Hostas‌and other garden friends do too. Slugs, snails, deer, rabbits, butterflies, and hummingbirds are all Hosta fans. Be sure to take appropriate action to keep any unwanted pests out of your Hostas and other miniature plants.

In general, Hostas are very easy to grow. They do not require too much special care. As you plan and plot out a home for them in the fairy garden, you will want to think about the plant’s size. Hostas come in many different sizes. Do you want your Hosta to provide shade for a fairy cottage, or simply decorate the yard of the fairy house? Are there other miniature trees and plants in the garden that will pair well with the Hosta’s size, shape, color? These are things to think about when shopping for Hostas.

No matter where you decide to plant your new Hostas, they are sure to bring beauty and easy-to-grow fun to your miniature garden and other yard areas.

Miniature Gardening offers fairy houses, accessories, fairies, furniture to create enchanting miniature landscapes for containers or your yard. Story telling and imaginary fairy garden from 'Miniature Gardening' bring the playful kid out in all of us. Filled with intrigue and mystique each little miniature garden scene you create is a snapshot of such a dream.

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