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Hello Hostas

August 2nd, 2016

I’ve always loved hostas, they’re workhorses in the garden. They outcompete and shade out weeds, they can take dry shade, some can take sun. I especially love that they make a nice mow edge in the garden. In my Ohio garden I had hundreds of hostas, I’m working my way up here in this garden. I’ve purchased a few and received a few from friends & family. Most of them are planted in the nursery area in the garden to grow out.
Heavenly hostas 1
Heavenly hostas 5
A few were transplanted this summer, since they had grown out to a nice size after being moved as starts three years ago, including this beauty that flowers in the most wonderful way.
Heavenly hostas 2
Heavenly hostas 3
My ‘Sum & Substance’ hosta that I planted last year has doubled in size, I’m happy to see that it’s thriving in its location under the big apple tree out front.
Heavenly hostas 4
This year, I’ve added 6-7 new varieties of hosta to the garden, a few of them came from Cady Falls nursery in VT, a few came from my mom’s garden. In a few years they will hopefully fill in the areas under the big apple trees and start to create a nice mow edge along the woods bordering the house. Hostas are such a fantastic, easy addition to the garden. It’s also nice that they are easily divided so you can get free plants for your garden and to share with friends.

Do you have hostas growing in your garden? Do you have a favorite?

4 Comments to “Hello Hostas”
  1. Sara on August 2, 2016 at 10:47 am

    Here in Wisconsin hostas can be kind of ubiquitous, and people sometimes disparage them, but I love them for a lot of the reasons you do. They are also quite chicken tolerant which in my multi-purpose back yard is a handy thing. I like finding varieties with cool textures and shapes of leaves, we have some awesome nurseries that carry unusual varieties, it’s hard not to get carried away–thankfully they divide so nicely too you can swap with friends.

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  2. Chris on August 2, 2016 at 12:47 pm

    I love hostas too for all the reasons you mentioned and more! I can’t think of a more low maintenance plant…my favorites are the variegated varieties as the white striped ones seem to just glow at night and show up much better in the heavily shaded areas!
    A few blue tinged leaves are lovely in a bouquet with white and or pink flowers

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  3. Nebraska Dave on August 4, 2016 at 8:23 am

    Susy, when I moved into my current location 32 years ago a raised bed of Hostas was growing nicely on the backyard patio. Without ever really doing any care for them except remove the old foliage, they have dutifully thrived all those years. I haven’t done any thing with them in all that time and yet they will put on a beautiful fall display. They are on the North side of the house and are shaded all summer long. These are the big full sized Hostas that grow about three feet tall. I probably should I’ll mess them up if I do.

    Has it really been over three years since you lived in Ohio? Wow time does go by, doesn’t it. Have a great Hosta day.

    Reply to Nebraska Dave's comment

  4. Karen P. on August 6, 2016 at 9:56 pm

    I love them all, but one of my favorites is Blue Mouse Ears. Just adorable! Have you seen the hosta display at Merryspring Nature Center in Camden? So many varieties!

    Reply to Karen P.'s comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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