Out in the Garden - Hostas

I’ve always been a rather mild hosta appreciator, but researching hostas to add to the Riparian Zone this spring has opened my eyes to the spectacular variety and versatility of this popular genus. With over 7,000 cultivars registered with the American Hosta Society, it makes sense that hostas have a lot to offer. The flowers are sometimes regarded as an afterthought, but the leaves can be stunning enough on their own to add plenty of interest to the moist, shaded habitats where they thrive.

‘Hyuga Urajiro’ is a personal favorite as it features unusual, tapered leaves more reminiscent of ornamental grass than classic broad-leaved hostas. Elegant blue and yellow streaks on the leaves make them stand out amongst the solid greens of neighboring plants. Along with diversity in leaf shape, hostas also come in an impressive range of sizes. Miniature hostas are great candidates for containers or rock walls where they can be admired up close. Among these is ‘Yakushima Mizu,’ which forms small mounds of ruffled leaves and now dots the shade wall along the staircase leading from the East Terrace to the Riparian Zone.

On a larger scale, ‘Restless Sea’ adds a sense of motion to the landscape even on still days with its undulating edges. The blue-gray tint of the leaves offers further contrast against a backdrop of native groundcover plants. As a blue-tinged hosta, this cultivar prefers deeper shade, while yellow to bright green cultivars such as ‘Appletini’ can tolerate more sun in a dappled shade setting.

This spring has seen the addition of 62 hostas representing 16 cultivars to the Riparian Zone and the hillside bed adjacent to the Manor House driveway gate. I’m so excited about them that it has been challenging to choose just a few to highlight. If you see me down there, I’d be happy to point out more favorites!