Hostas in my garden H
ostas are beautiful shade plants that can add depth and lush foliage to any garden bed. There are so many varieties, and these plants can grow large enough to make them staple pieces in your garden. Planning a hosta garden Allow space between plants especially if they are mature for they spread out. Planting too close together can give a more unkempt look. Allow plenty of shade if possible for your hostas, for most do best in shaded areas though they can survive with sun. Hostas are quite hardy, and so will do well in most soil types, though they prefer well drained soil. I have grown hostas in rocky soil and they seemed to thrive just as much as growing them in unrocky soil. Keep in mind that during the late summer, hostas will send up blooming stalks, so the visual interest will increase, adding height and more depth to your garden. Hostas are great border plants, because they can bring unity to an area if you plant a few. They can grow large enough to help signify a break up in space and shape. I like to use some of my larger hostas as “showstoppers,” where the eye is drawn to a corner or a border or to the end of a pathway. Transplanting and Dividing Hostas are very hardy and withstand transplanting well. If moving a hosta be sure to dig a deep chunk of the dirt and earth surrounding the roots to ensure you have as much of the plant as possible. Be careful as this can be heavy to move. You can also give a friend a hosta plant by dividing one of yours. Alternately, you can increase your own inventory through dividing your plants. Hostas often do well for having room to spread out and so dividing is a bit like making cuttings from your herbs: they grow better and do well for it. Varieties There are a number of varieties including those with light green leaves, some with a border of white around the edge of the leaf, some with white stripes on the leaves and
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Story and photo by Gillian Pegg
Hostas are a showstopper.
some with a slightly darker colour green leaf. Blooms in the late summer can be white or shades of purple, depending on the variety. Some of my favourites include one of the giant varieties, like ‘Elegans’, and the blue varieties, such as ‘Halcyon’. Woodland gardens I love to put hostas in a woodlandthemed garden, often under shady or treed areas. Some of my favourite plants to add into a hosta woodland garden include bleeding hearts, coral bells, ferns, and ivy. I like to surround a woodland garden with mulch and add natural large stones peppered throughout the bed for visual interest. I also like to add a small naturallooking water feature like a pond to increase the lush feel of a hosta garden. Placing stone or ceramic figures of toads, gnomes or fairies add a little touch of magic, especially when tucked under a hosta leaf and Issue 3
left to poke out just a bit for some extra whimsy. Preventing pests Deer, slugs, and beetles can be a big problem with hostas. One of the best ways to protect your plants is to monitor the leaves and stems for pests. Critters like slugs are most active in the evening and nighttime. I find the best way to protect your hostas is to simply head out to your garden after sunset and collect the slugs or beetles by hand into a container and dispose of them. Deer like to nibble on hosta leaves, but the easiest way to prevent that happening is to have a fence in place. However, another way is to sprinkle some vinegar around your hostas, which deer dislike the scent of. Hostas are a beautiful plant to add to any garden. There are so many varieties that everyone can find one they love. Hostas are hardy, lush and always a crowd favourite. d 2020 • 7
