Hosta (planted April 2007)

Blooms: summer and fall. Hardiness: hardy

 

With so many gardeners facing the challenges of gardening in the shade, it’s no wonder the beautiful hostas have become the best-selling peremmials in North America, breeders are always looking for new variations in the foliage, swirls, strpes, puckers and ribs enhance the various sizes, shapes and colours of leaves. The range of hostas that are tolerant of sun and resistant to slugs increases each year. As specimen plants or in harmonious unions with other plants, hostas have a place in every garden.

 

Planting

Seeding: Direct sow or start in cold frame in spring. Young plants can take three or more years to reach flowering size.

Planting out: spring.

Spacing: 30-90cm apart.

 

Growing

Hostas prefer light shade or partial shade but tolerate full shade. Some will even tolerate full sun. Morning sun is preferable to afternoon sun. Soil should be fertile, moist and well drained, but most soils are tolerated. Hostas are fairly drought tolerant, especially if given a mulch to help retain moisture. Division is not required but can be done every few years in spring or summer to propagate any attractive cultivars you want more of.

 

Tips

Hostas make wonderful woodland plants, looking very attractive when combined with ferns and other fine-textured plants. Hostas are also good to use in a mixed border, particularly when used to hide the ugly, leggy lower stems and branches of some shrubs. Hostas’ dense growth and thick shade-providing leaves make them excellent for suppressing weeds.

 

Hosta flowers are attractive and often fragrant. However, the flower colour often clashes with the leaves, which are the main decorative feature of the plant. If you don’t like the look of the flowers, feel free to remove them before they open—this will not harm the plant. (摘录)