Hostas, despite being prone to the ravages of slugs, are some of the most popular foliage plants. There are hundreds of hybrids to choose from, many bred in the USA where hostas are as popular as they are here. 'Snowden' is a slow growing, clump forming variety with attractive heart shaped leaves, which are a pretty shade of grey green and up to fourteen inches long. Midsummer sees the appearance of funnel shaped greyish white flowers carried on thick stalks that may grow up to three feet. Hostas make mounds from their overlapping leaves: in the case of 'Snowden', about three feet high and across. To be at their best, all hostas need fertile, moist but well drained soi and shelter from cold drying winds.
Propagation: Divide in late winter or early spring. |
As you might imagine from its name, this is an erect, clump forming hosta which has short, straight leaf stalks. The leaves form mid green mounds of up to 20 inches tall with a three foot spread and are joined in mid to late summer by dense heads of purple flowers on stalks which grow up to three feet tall. This hosta's upright form and masses of flowers make 'Tall Boy' perfect in a herbaceous or mixed border and, like all hostas, it will thrive in a moist situation beside water. One of the best plantings of these plants that I have seen was in two wide, shady beds either side of a small classical summerhouse with a tall brick wall behind. The beds were given over totally to a variety of hostas, and the effect was absolutely stunning.
Propagation: Divide in late winter or early spring. |
'Carol' is a vigorous grower with slightly concave, puckered nine inch leaves. The leaves are olive to dark green and are prettily and irregularly margined with white and splashed with grey green. Like all hostas, the flowers of 'Carol' will appear around midsummer. The flowers are funnel shaped and a soft lavender blue. They are produced on purple tinted, arching stalks up to 30 inches long. The clumps of 'Carol' will be about 20 inches tall, with a three foot spread. Hostas are perfectly happy when they are growing in sun or partial shade, as long as the soil is fertile and moist but free draining, but they will flower better in the sun. They make excellent ground cover if they are grown underneath deep rooted trees.
Propagation: Divide in late winter or early spring. |
