Hosta plants are a beautiful drought tolerant perennial – ideal for the Spanish gardens – with their lush foliage, amongst 2,500 cultivars.
Originating in the Orient and brought to Europe in the 1700s, the hosta has a variety in leaf shape, size and texture, deemed as shade lovers.
However, growing hostas in the shade depends on their colour. The lighter the foliage, the brighter the sun. The deeper darker foliage retains it colour best, in moderate shade.
Hosta leaves come in a variety of greens, ranging from a colour so deep, it’s blue, to that of a soft-creamy white.
In spite of their almost tropical look, hostas are rugged and, once established, they can tolerate almost any soil, providing it’s good draining and will grow for many years.
Fertilise each spring, with an all-purpose garden fertiliser.
Hostas attract slugs, which leave unsightly holes in the leaves. The scattering of sand or eggshell around your plants will help keep them away.
