My Growing Hosta Garden
"Sleep, creep, leap" is an adage many gardeners use to describe the yearly phases a perennial goes through to reach its full mature size - and what a difference the time makes.
In 2020 here at my farm, we planted hundreds of hosta plants down behind my chicken coop yard across the carriage road from my allée of lilac. I first got the plants as bare-root cuttings and kept them in a cold frame for several months until they were big enough to transplant. In all, more than 700 hostas in a variety of cultivars including 'Wide Brim,' 'Francee,' 'Regal Splendor,' 'Elegans,' and 'Blue Angel.' That first year they "slept," the second year, they "crept," and now three years later, they're "leaping," filling the space with beautiful, verdant foliage.
Enjoy these photos of their development.
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- In early 2020, this garden bed behind my chicken coops was cleared and cleaned. This area is shaded by a grove of tall dawn redwoods, Metasequoia, which I planted about 13 years ago.
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- My plan was to plant lots and lots of hostas in this garden bed. Their lush green foliage, varying leaf shape, size, and texture, and their easy care requirements make them ideal for many areas.
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- Before planting, the hostas were strategically positioned and spaced, paying attention to variety, color, and growth habit.
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- Here they are after they were all planted in April of 2020.
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- In the spring of 2021, we mulched the entire area. The hostas are already looking quite strong.
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- Hosta is a genus of plants commonly known as hostas, plantain lilies, and occasionally by the Japanese name, giboshi.
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- Hosta leaves rise up from a central rhizomatous crown to form a rounded to spreading mound. Most varieties tend to have a spread and height of between one and three feet.
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- Here are the hosta plants in August of 2022. In summer, blooms on long stalks extend up above the clumping hosta foliage.
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- Hostas are native to northeast Asia and include hundreds of different cultivars.
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- Hosta leaf textures can be smooth, veined or puckered. Their surfaces may be matt, shiny or waxy but are usually satiny.
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- And here they are this spring – the leaves are so large and lush.
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- Look at how full the garden is. Vigorous growing hostas can reach mature sizes in three to five years. Giant and slower growing hostas can take a little longer. I am so pleased with how well they’re doing.
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- Unlike many perennials, which must be lifted and divided every few years, hostas are happy to grow in place without much interference.
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- ‘Elegans’ has huge, rounded, blue-gray leaves.
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- Some hosta clumps can grow to more than six feet across and four feet high.
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- This variety is called ‘Francee’ with dark green, heart-shaped leaves and narrow, white margins. A vigorous grower, this hosta blooms in mid to late summer.
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- This is ‘Wide Brim’ with its dark green leaves and wide, yellow, irregular margins. This variety prefers full shade for most of the day.
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- And this hosta has light green leaves with darker green margins.
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- Hostas thrive in sites where filtered or dappled shade is available for much of the day, but they can survive in deep shade.
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- And always make sure your hostas are planted in good, well-drained, nutrient-rich soil with compost, well-rotted manure, and phosphorous.
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- The garden is divided in large sections showing the different varieties. Hostas, with their palette of so many different colors, textures, and sizes have tremendous landscape value and offer great interest to any garden. If you have the space and the right conditions in your yard, plant some hostas – you’ll love them for years to come.
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