Design & companions
Hostas make an excellent ground cover for shade: planted closely, their leaves meet and suppress weeds from late spring until autumn. Choose medium-sized, vigorous varieties, plant them a little closer than in a border, mulch the gaps until the leaves close, and expect full cover after about three seasons.
4 min read
Design & companions
A good shade border is built in layers: large hostas and tall partners at the back, medium hostas in the middle and small ones at the front. Repeat a few varieties in groups of three or five, contrast broad hosta leaves with fine ferns or grasses, and add spring bulbs for colour before the hostas wake.
4 min read
Design & companions
Hostas and ferns are a natural pair: both like moist, humus-rich soil in partial or full shade, and the fine, divided fronds of a fern make the broad hosta leaf stand out. Choose ferns that suit your moisture, give each plant its full spacing and keep fast spreaders such as ostrich fern away from small hostas.
4 min read
Design & companions
Plant hostas with shade lovers that differ in leaf or season: spring bulbs that flower before hostas wake, fine-leaved ferns and grasses, and summer flowers such as astilbe, Solomon's seal or foam flower. Match each partner's needs for moisture and shade to the spot, and give the hosta enough room to reach full size.
9 min read
