Plantain lily, Hosta Hostas are essential plants because they thrive in shade, have shapely leaves and often rich foliage colours, and combine well with scores of different plants. They can be used as ground cover and in ornamental pots.

In this article

Recommended varieties Growing tips

Problem solver Where to see them

Given the wide range of hostas, it's worth visiting a specialist nursery to make sure you get the right one.

Leaf shapes and sizes vary greatly. They can be anything from lance-shaped to almost circular, and vary from 13cm (5in) to more than 36cm (14in) long. They're often deeply textured with prominent veins, and can be matt or glossy. Colours range from the coolest silver blue to rich deep green and yellow.

Many types are variegated with white, cream or gold, often as a distinct margin around the edge or streaked as if a paintbrush has been dragged down the leaf. There are also some with crisp white edges.

The trumpet or bell-shaped flowers appear above the leaves on long stems, and come in shades of purple, mauve and white. Although secondary to the foliage, the flowers can look effective when planted en masse in a woodland setting.

• H. 'Francee': leaves have crisp white edges that can brighten a shady passageway or basement area. 'Patriot' is a good alternative. Has been given the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
• H. 'Halcyon': classic medium-sized hosta with heart-shaped, silver-blue veined leaves. Has been awarded the AGM.
• H. 'Sagae': can reach a height of around 90cm (3ft) when mature and looks rather like a wavy-rimmed vase. Its large, heart-shaped leaves are sage-green with irregular yellow margins. Has been awarded the AGM.
• H. 'Silvery Slugproof': recent medium-sized variety, producing smooth, pointed, almost heart-shaped, grey-blue leaves. Named because slugs and snails do less damage to it than to other hostas.

Hostas can also be grown in containers - one of the advantages of doing this is to protect them from slugs. Smaller-leaved and dwarf varieties also look good in windowboxes.

• H. 'Gold Standard': large-leaved hosta with golden yellow leaves. Ideally suited to pots because it forms tight, neat clumps.
• H. 'Minuteman': blue-green leaves and a tight habit, which makes it popular for container planting.

Site and soil preferences

Hostas like moist soil and grow best in dappled or full shade, provided by a canopy of overhanging trees and shrubs.

Prepare the soil well before planting. Hostas are quite happy in the same spot for more than 30 years without being divided.

Hostas dislike standing in water, so dig in plenty of coarse grit to keep the soil free-draining. Also add manure to feed the plant and stop the ground drying out.

When planting in borders that are prone to drying out - such as those next to a brick wall - it's worth adding water-retaining granules.

Planting times

Hostas are best planted in early autumn or late spring to avoid frost, which damages tender young roots. Once established, however, they can happily tolerate temperatures well below freezing. Strong winds can tear their leaves, though, so pick a sheltered spot.

Aftercare

A regular nitrogen feed, such as pelleted chicken manure, and an annual mulch of manure helps to keep plants in top condition.

Growing in pots

Use John Innes No2 mixed with a little grit to keep the soil well drained. Mulching around potted plants with coarse grit helps retain moisture. Add water-retaining granules to help stop pots drying out.

Regular feeding is essential for pot-grown hostas, as nutrients leach out of the soil even more quickly than they do in an open garden.

Planting associations

Most hostas contrast well with other large-leaved plants. Try the purple-leaved heucheras or Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona', which has large, heart-shaped leaves with deep mahogany undersides. In pots, H. 'Blue Moon' goes well with the black Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'.

Hosta's smooth leaves also make a perfect textural contrast against the deeply cut fronds of ferns, such as the architectural shuttlecock fern Matteuccia struthiopteris or the intricate soft shield fern Polystichum setiferum.

Medium and large-leaved hostas, such as H. 'Halcyon', make ideal ground cover or edges to paths and lawns. They spread well and form a dense mesh of foliage, which leaves little room or light for weeds. Large-leaved hostas benefit from surrounding space so they can be fully appreciated.

Subtle links

Hostas are excellent at linking different spaces within a garden. Use them to edge a lawn in a formal area or around a distant pond.

Because hostas have such a strong identity, there's no need to use the same variety in both locations, but it's best to look for some similarities in size or colour.

Hostas are notoriously susceptible to slugs and snails. Avoid feeding the plants later than June as this tends to encourage the growth of sappy leaves, which are an added attraction to pests.

Use slug pellets sparingly and in selected areas. Be sure to dispose of the poisoned slugs and snails carefully so birds and hedgehogs don't eat them.

To protect hostas grown in pots, stand them on a bed of gravel. Wrap copper tape, which is said to give a small electrical charge, around the middle of the pots - this is available from organic garden centres. You could also try spraying the outside of the rim with a lubricant, such as WD40, once a season. Terracotta pots may need two doses as they're very porous.

National Collection of Hostas:

U Dunnett
Hosta House
44 Windermere Drive
Warndon, Worcester
Worcestershire WR4 9JA
Tel: 01905 25043

R Bowden
Bowden Hostas
Cleave House
Sticklepath, Okehampton
Devon EX20 2NL
Tel: 01837 840989
Website: www.bowdenhostas.com

Mr & Mrs Milton
Mickfield Hostas
The Poplars, Wetheringsett Road
Mickfield, Stowmarket
Suffolk IP14 5LH
Tel: 01449 711576
Website: www.mickfieldhostas.co.uk