Hostas are hardy perennials featuring lush attractive foliage. Their leaves can be found in many colors from a soft white to a deep, dark blue-green and every shade in between. With so many options for color, size, leaf shape and texture, hostas can be paired with many different types of plants and used in a variety of garden settings. They can even be grown in pots! While their foliage is what gardeners are primarily attracted to, they also produce colorful and sometimes fragrant blooms from early summer to early fall.
Hostas are popular among gardeners because they are reliable and easy to grow. They don’t require much sun and thrive in shaded or partly shaded areas. For the varieties that tolerate higher amounts of sun, morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal. Hostas are rugged and don’t require much maintenance once they are established. They tolerate almost any soil and will grow for years and years, reaching an average spread of 1 – 3 feet.
Here are some great options to consider:
Guardian Angel
Hosta ‘Guardian Angel’
Guardian Angel Hostas create a bold and dramatic effect in the shade garden. They emerge in spring with bright creamy white leaves with the centers gradually turning a misty blue-green. As the season progresses the center fades to leave a stunning large blue hosta. In the summer, they produce light lavender flowers that attract hummingbirds.
- Height: 12-24”
- Width: 12-24”
- Water: Moderate
- Bloom: Lavender/ Midsummer
- Zones: 3-8
Diamond Lake
Hosta ‘Diamond Lake’
Diamond Lake Hostas feature thick, heart-shaped and corrugated blue leaves with attractive wavy margins. Light purple flowers appear on tall stalks through the thick foliage and attract hummingbirds. Use this large blue hosta to add color to your shade garden! ‘Diamond Lake’ was the 2022 hosta of the year.
- Height: 16-18”
- Width: 42-48”
- Water: Moderate-High
- Bloom: Purple/ Early-Midsummer
- Zones: 3-9
Cool as a Cucumber
Hosta x ‘Cool as a Cucumber’
Cool as a Cucumber Hostas showcase a cascading clump of green and white variegated foliage with lance shaped leaves with white centers and green edging. The white parts will show a yellow hue as they emerge but will lighten to white. Stalks of pale lavender flowers will draw in hummingbirds.
- Height: 28”
- Width: 48”
- Water: Moderate-High
- Bloom: Lavender/ Early-Midsummer
- Zones: 3-9
Originally published on June 30th, 2023.