Not all Hostas are Created Equal

I've gotten to know Hostas fairly well. They are a great perennial that thrive in the shade. Even though they are a perennial, they aren't evergreen, so don't be surprised when they die back and go underground in the Fall.

Among hostas there is a ton of variety. Here are a few things I've learned to pay attention to:

• Size - some are nice and small and others are ginormous! Check out this hosta at my mom's transplanted from an older homesite in Raleigh.

For scale that's my size 10 gardening clog!

• Color - I love the variety of colors that hostas offer: from blue hues to limey green to hunter green and then there are lots of variegated options. The variegated options can work very nicely in the shade to give the appearance of dappled light. One of my favorite looks is to line an entry way to a shady area with variegated hostas.


• Appearance in the garden - I've noticed that hostas "surface" in the Spring at different times. I have some wide brim hostas that are just peaking through and others that are fully "out".

This perennial is rampant in garden centers in the Spring and typically is harder to find in the Fall. Here are some tips I try to follow when buying hostas:

1. Look for plants with more than one stem in the pot. Here's what I mean:
You can often get 2 or 3 plants for the same costs and divide them immediately when you get home.

2. When you are buying hostas be sure to check the estimated width and height for that variety and space them accordingly.

Got hosta tips or favorites? Let's here 'em. Comment below.